Cynthia D. Griffin

apps, digital journal, digital journaling, journal, journaling, writing

10 Recommended Apps For Keeping a Digital Journal

Posted on April 13, 2021April 13, 2021 by Cynthia D. Griffin

I made myself a new year’s resolution to look into digital journaling. Surprisingly, I have yet to do such a thing as I have clung to my old school habit of needing a physical book and pen to journal. But I decided it was time to see what all the fuss was about, because I know some people have really taken to digital journaling. In my research, I found 10 apps that I really enjoyed using for digital journaling.

As I have an iphone, the below information is related to apps that can be downloaded on iphone or ipads.

First, I found that there are two ways to keep a digital journal. You can either go through an app that’s specifically for journaling (and the app supplies the digital pages to journal on), or you can use a note-taking app that let’s you design your own (basic) journals, or import pdf files of digital journals pages purchased from someone else.

Which one is the right way to go? Well, that really depends on how much creative control you want for the way your digital journal looks, and if you want to import pdfs or not. There are some journaling apps that are very basic, while others let you really get creative with how your journal looks. Let’s start with the journal specific apps.

Journaling (Info Tracking) Apps

Journey

This is a journal specific app that allows you to customize your journaling journey, and is good for tracking certain kinds of information (like health, mood, location, ect.). You can either do simple journal entries each day, or get really detailed with photos, GEO tagging, mood recording, and even track your exercising and health habits. This app also offers a step by step journaling coach if you aren’t sure what to write about each day. The basic journaling options are free, but the GEO, health tracking, and coach requires an in app purchase. You can also sync this app with your Google Drive and across other devices.

Mood App

I really love this one! It’s great for doing one or multiple journal entries a day. It has a mood tracker, so you can keep track of how you are feeling. This app offers a few journaling prompts if you would like a little help with what to write. You can also upload photos and keep track of locations. There is also a live journaling group, if you want to be part of a community. My favorite part of this app is the Spaced Out feature that has planets moving around in the background and repeating affirmations to give you a nice positive boost for the day.

Flow Journal

This app is best used at the end of the day. It’s really great for setting goals of how you want to feel and/or accomplishments you’d like to achieve. Some of these goals are fun, productivity, relaxation, relationships, gratitude, family, growth, ect. You let the app know what you accomplished each day, and it tracks your progress. You can add a journal entry, photos, and location as well. After inputting entries for a period of time, you can go back and look at your accomplishment trends.

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Etsy, Etsy Store, inspirational, mugs, New product, new release

New Product: 7 Inspirational Mug Designs

Posted on April 3, 2021April 2, 2021 by Cynthia D. Griffin

One of my favorite things to do in the morning, is to sip from a nice warm mug of mint tea as I journal. And sometimes, I just relax with my mug between my hands as I let my mind wonder and play with ideas. On one of these particular mornings, I played with the idea of creating my own mug designs. After I opened my Etsy shop, I decided to look into taking some of those ideas and making them a reality. These 7 mug designs are just the beginning of many exciting ideas I will be offering. What can I say? I love creating stuff! It’s soooooo much fun.

Check out the 7 inspirational mugs below that I just added to my store.

Always Choose Love Mug (image above)

Description: Always Choose Love text is on both sides. Comes is 11 oz. and 15 oz. sizes.

Buy here.

Smile It’s Contagious Mug

Description:

Smile it’s contagious text is on one side with handle to right.

Smiley face on other side with handle to the left.

Buy here.

Note: This mug only comes in the 11 oz. size.

The Best is Yet to Come

Description:

The Best is Yet to Come text is on both sides with abstract color background going around whole mug. Colors going from blue to pink. Comes is 11 oz. and 15 oz. sizes.

Buy here.

Note: The pictures above are of the regular 11 oz. mug.

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Do the below mugs look familiar? The designs come from my Journaling To Feel Good Series. So now journaling is even more fun for me with these matching mugs!

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book review, book series, ebook, hooked on books, Indie Author

Book Review: Obsidian Eyes by A.W. Exley

Posted on March 29, 2021March 29, 2021 by Cynthia D. Griffin

Obsidian Eyes Book One in the Queen’s Blade Series by A.W. Exley is available in kindle and paperback.

Last Friday, I had a desire to find a book the had a strong female character, was sexy, and a little bit weird. So I decided to try one of A.W. Exley’s books. I read her Artifact Hunters series last year, and absolutely loved it, so I wanted to see if another one of her series could deliver again. It did, at least so far with the first book Obsidian Eyes.

Set just before the Victorian Age, Allie Donovan is a seventeen-year-old who is full of secrets as she attends an aristocratic school, a place she really has no business being since she’s a commoner. But her grandfather’s position as the school’s librarian gives her a way into the exclusive St. Mathew’s Academy.

Once there, Allie makes some friends and enemies as well, and also meets a young man that infuriates her as well as captivates her at the same time. But she is cautious of him, because he’s supposed to be the enemy. Allie tries to find a way to walk between her world of a commoner and guild member, and the elite gentry of England and Scotland, but it’s full of potential disasters, including her biggest secret, the man who put Allie in the exclusive school to begin with and why.

This story is full of wit, friendship, estrangement, intense action, subterfuge, political conspiracies, and steampunk brilliance. It also has a hint of the exotic as it explores some of Allie’s ties to an Egyptian harem.

I really enjoyed this book a lot. It was a little slow reading at first. Exley develops a very rich and complex background for her Heroine Allie. So I think it was a little bit of a struggle to put all the pieces together because some of the background information Exley sprinkles into the story seems a contradiction. But as the story progresses, Exley brilliantly weaves the pieces together for a very colorful and interesting past for Allie. After I hit the halfway point, I couldn’t even put the book down, and ended up finishing the book in the early hours of the morning.

So if you are looking for a book full of weird and wonderful steampunk inventions, an intense forbidden romance, and a story you simply can’t put down, try out Obsidian Eye’s.

The Queen’s Blade has two other books in the series Opaque Lies and Oubliette Lost, which I very much look forward to reading next.

a guided journal, guided journal, journal, journaling, self-care, self-care practice, Self-Care Tip, self-empowerment, wellness

Self-Care Tip: 5 Ways To Be Kind To Yourself

Posted on March 23, 2021March 23, 2021 by Cynthia D. Griffin

A small act of kindness can go a long way. A smile can brighten someones whole day. A thank you can make someone feel appreciated. And giving yourself some positive self-talk can completely change the way you feel about something. Kindness matters, especially being kind to yourself.

When the topic of being kind is discussed, it’s usually about a kindness someone else has done, or something you might have done for someone else. All types of kindness are important. Every single act of kindness (no matter who is doing it) helps spread more kindness. But in the process of being kind to others, are you also being kind to yourself?

You can be kind to yourself in many ways. In this post, I have listed 5 ways to show more kindness to yourself.

1. Positive Self-Talk is one of the biggest ways you can be kind to yourself. It can be easy to fall into the pattern of negative self-talk. In fact, you probably do it all the time, but may not even be aware of it. I challenge you to see if you can catch how you talk to yourself.

Are you being your own cheerleader? Are you giving yourself positive feedback? Are you being encouraging and compassionate? Are you forgiving yourself for past mistakes? I bet you say these kind of encouraging words to your friends and family all the time, so why not say them to yourself as well?

2. Do Something Nice For Yourself is a really great way to put yourself in a good mood. Maybe you deserve a nice massage? Or perhaps a new hair cut? What about a new outfit that makes you feel fabulous? Or maybe just an extra long soaking bath?

When you take the time to do something nice for yourself, you are showing kindness and love to a very special person––yourself. Isn’t that a beautiful thing?!

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entrepreneur, growing business, guest post, small business, writing

Guest Post: No Matter Your Entrepreneurial Needs, This Guide Has You Covered

Posted on March 18, 2021 by Cynthia D. Griffin

By Chelsea Lamb

Starting your own business is a big, bold move! If you’re feeling a little apprehensive about taking such a leap of faith, you should know that there are plenty of resources and guides available online to help you with just about any sort of entrepreneurial task.

For example, if you need help getting your writing business started, you can check out the writer tools and resources available from Cynthia D. Griffin’s website. She even offers writing and editing services! You can also use the following resources to fill other startup needs.

You Need to Write a Business Plan

Every successful business starts out with thoughtful planning. Some entrepreneurs have made it big time without a plan, but you should know that these folks are the exception to the rule. Not only does a business plan serve as your roadmap to success, but having one can also help you out when it comes to securing startup funds for your new business.

To take the guesswork out of writing your plan, look for templates you can fill in with information. There are plenty available online and you can tailor them to your individual business needs.

You Need Help Getting Started

Make no mistake: Your time is precious when you’re an entrepreneur. So, while you can take on every single startup task solo, this may not be the best use of your time and energy. Instead, be like savvy entrepreneurs and consider hiring freelancers, or even permanent staff members.

Want to keep startup costs as low as possible? Using free sites to find qualified freelancers may be your best option. For instance, with one simple search, you can find a pro to help with data analysis services, or you can find writers, website developers, and any other type of freelancer you need. Best of all, you can find an hourly rate that fits your budget.

You could also work with an employment agency to fill your staffing needs. In a nutshell, an employment agency matches businesses and business owners with both permanent and temporary staff. Although most agencies do charge a fee for their services.

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