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October 25, 2024 7 mins

50 Advent Journal Prompts

What if the true essence of Advent was about more than just a countdown to Christmas gifts? Join us as we unravel the rich history and traditions of Advent, revealing its origins as a period of fasting and spiritual discipline. We explore how this often-overlooked season can be a powerful "reset button" before the New Year, inviting you to embrace it with intention and mindfulness. 

We'll provide practical advice on how to use this time for personal growth, including powerful journaling prompts from Lestallion's exquisite leather journals. From self-reflection to family dynamics, these prompts can guide you through a journey of deep introspection and spiritual growth. Whether you're religious or not, this episode will help you navigate the full spectrum of emotions Advent can bring, fostering self-compassion and genuine personal transformation.

LeStallion offers premium PU leather journal notebooks for writing, dedicated to all those who are pursuing their dreams and goals, or nurturing their personal development and mental health.

For More Info on LeStallion, check out:
https://lestallion.com/

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Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Okay, so are we ready to deck the halls and all that?

Speaker 2 (00:03):
Not quite yet.

Speaker 1 (00:04):
Okay.

Speaker 2 (00:04):
But we are diving into Advent.

Speaker 1 (00:07):
Yes, we are.

Speaker 2 (00:08):
And I promise you, this is going to be a lot more
than just your typical countdownto presents thing.
Okay, good, because I was alittle worried about that yeah,
we're going to go way beyondcandy canes and wrapping paper
today Wow.
We're going to uncover somehistory.
We're going to look attraditions.

Speaker 1 (00:22):
Okay, some history we're going to look at
traditions Okay, and we'll seehow those traditions can be
valuable.
Today You've got a ton ofinformation about this like all
the origins and traditions, evensome journal prompts, and I'm
very curious to unpack it all.

Speaker 2 (00:33):
Yeah, let's go deep.

Speaker 1 (00:35):
But like what are we trying to get out of this today?

Speaker 2 (00:38):
So I think our mission today is to really
extract those unexpected nuggetsof wisdom about Advent, like go
beyond just the surface leveland discover practical things
that you can actually use.

Speaker 1 (00:52):
Yes, I am all about practical application.

Speaker 2 (00:55):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (00:55):
So where do we even begin with Advent?
Because I have to say myknowledge is a little fuzzy
beyond, just like the Adventcalendar countdown.
I mean that's fair Most.

Speaker 2 (01:04):
Most people are at that level, right, but the word
Advent, it actually comes fromthe Latin word Adventus.

Speaker 1 (01:09):
Okay.

Speaker 2 (01:10):
And it means coming or arrival.
So it's really aboutanticipating and preparing for
Christmas.
Yeah, but the preparation partis where it gets interesting.

Speaker 1 (01:19):
Okay, interesting.

Speaker 2 (01:21):
So historically, Advent was a time of fasting and
spiritual discipline, kind ofsimilar to Lent.
It was a time for introspectionand repentance to prepare for
Christ's birth.

Speaker 1 (01:32):
Wow, okay, so like a completely different vibe than
what we think of now, right,it's like Advent had this whole
other life before we hadchocolate in our calendars.
Exactly.
Yeah, it's very interesting,but the core idea of using this
time for personal growth, that'ssomething we can all use.

Speaker 2 (01:46):
Totally.
It's like hitting the resetbutton before the new year.

Speaker 1 (01:50):
I like that.

Speaker 2 (01:50):
But with more intention.

Speaker 1 (01:52):
Right, yeah, and speaking of intention, yes.
Let's talk about those journalprompts you mentioned.

Speaker 2 (01:57):
Yes, so I was looking at the ones from Lestallion.

Speaker 1 (01:59):
Okay.

Speaker 2 (02:00):
And they make these gorgeous leather journals.
But I was really interested inthe prompts.
They're very specific.

Speaker 1 (02:05):
Yeah, specificity is so important with journaling.

Speaker 2 (02:07):
It is.

Speaker 1 (02:08):
It helps you go beyond those like really generic
surface level answers.

Speaker 2 (02:12):
Totally.
It's like the differencebetween saying I'm grateful for
my family and naming a specificquality you admire in each
person.

Speaker 1 (02:20):
Exactly, and Lestallion seems to get that.

Speaker 2 (02:22):
Yeah, they have prompts for everything.
They do self-reflection,gratitude, spiritual growth,
even family dynamics.
I love that they have such agood range of categories,
because then you can personalizethe experience.
You really can, based on whatyou need.

Speaker 1 (02:37):
Yeah, Although I have to admit some of those prompts
are kind of intense.
Like what Like one of them isreflect on a time you felt
distant from your faith.
Like whoa.
That got real really fast, evenfor someone who isn't
particularly religious.

Speaker 2 (02:52):
Yeah, that one definitely makes you think about
some challenging emotions andexperiences.
It does, for sure.

Speaker 1 (02:58):
So how do you recommend approaching these
tougher prompts, because I feellike those could bring up some
unexpected feelings.

Speaker 2 (03:07):
Yeah, you have to kind of lean into it, okay.
I mean, that's where the realgrowth happens.

Speaker 1 (03:09):
If Advent acknowledges that life isn't
always happy and cheerful, rightyou know, it's a time to
embrace it all it's like that,saying the wound is the place
where the light enters you.
Yeah, but sometimes you got toface the wound you do, and
that's where self-compassioncomes in.
Ok, less self-criticism, moreself-compassion.
I like it.

Speaker 2 (03:28):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (03:28):
But how do we actually apply that to
journaling?

Speaker 2 (03:32):
Hmm.

Speaker 1 (03:33):
Especially when it brings up all these difficult
emotions.

Speaker 2 (03:36):
Well, you have to approach those emotions with
kindness and understanding.

Speaker 1 (03:39):
OK.

Speaker 2 (03:40):
Recognizing that we're all a work in progress.
Right, like you don't need tohave all the answers.
Ok, and it's OK to recognizingthat we're all a work in
progress.
Right, like you don't need tohave all the answers Okay, and
it's okay to just feel yourfeelings.

Speaker 1 (03:47):
It's like giving yourself the grace you would
give a friend.

Speaker 2 (03:49):
Exactly.
That's a great way to put it.

Speaker 1 (03:51):
These listallion prompts are really making me
think about Advent differently.
It's like a built-inopportunity for self-discovery.

Speaker 2 (03:58):
It is.

Speaker 1 (03:59):
But we're all so busy .

Speaker 2 (04:00):
We are.

Speaker 1 (04:01):
How do we actually find the time for this?

Speaker 2 (04:03):
Right.

Speaker 1 (04:04):
With all the holiday chaos.

Speaker 2 (04:05):
It's tough, right, it really is.
Finding time for anythingduring the holidays is like.

Speaker 1 (04:10):
The hardest.
Yeah, even five minutes feelslike a lot these days.

Speaker 2 (04:14):
I feel that, but that's the thing.
It doesn't have to be this hugecommitment.
Okay, I like the sound of thatyou know if you spend five
minutes scrolling on your phone.
Oh yeah, Every day.

Speaker 1 (04:24):
What if you journaled instead?
Okay, yeah, I see where you'regoing with this.

Speaker 2 (04:26):
You know, just reframe those little bits of
time.
Maybe it's five minutes in themorning before everyone's awake,
or 10 minutes at lunch.

Speaker 1 (04:33):
Or even just keeping a notebook by the bed.

Speaker 2 (04:35):
Exactly.

Speaker 1 (04:36):
Love that.

Speaker 2 (04:37):
And it doesn't have to be fancy Like those
Lestallion ones are gorgeous.

Speaker 1 (04:40):
They are stunning, but I have a regular notebook
that works just fine.

Speaker 2 (04:44):
Right, it's the act of reflection that matters.

Speaker 1 (04:47):
Yes.

Speaker 2 (04:47):
Not the tool you use.

Speaker 1 (04:49):
Exactly and honestly.
You could even record voicememos if you wanted to.

Speaker 2 (04:54):
Oh, for sure.

Speaker 1 (04:54):
That feels more natural to me sometimes.

Speaker 2 (04:56):
Whatever works for you Right, just stick to me
sometimes, whatever works foryou right, just stick with it.

Speaker 1 (05:00):
I also like the idea of putting those prompts into my
existing routines oh, tell memore about that like maybe
lighting a candle and doing agratitude prompt before dinner.
I love that, or like areflection prompt with my family
after a meal yeah somethinglike that that's brilliant.
Weaving it into your day rightwithout adding anything extra
exactly, and you know what thismakes me think about is the

(05:23):
connection part.
Oh yeah, we haven't reallytalked about that.

Speaker 2 (05:27):
It's not just about you.

Speaker 1 (05:28):
Right, we've been so focused on the individual side.

Speaker 2 (05:30):
Exactly, advent is also about connecting with
others.

Speaker 1 (05:33):
Right.

Speaker 2 (05:33):
Whether it's conversations or acts of
kindness or just being morepresent.

Speaker 1 (05:38):
So it's like how, in the past, advent was observed as
a community.

Speaker 2 (05:42):
Exactly, there were shared rituals and practices.
Huh Interesting and yeah, thecustoms might be different now.

Speaker 1 (05:47):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (05:47):
But we can still have that togetherness.

Speaker 1 (05:49):
This makes me think about those tougher prompts
again.

Speaker 2 (05:52):
Oh yeah.

Speaker 1 (05:53):
Like maybe having support would be really helpful
for that.

Speaker 2 (05:56):
Oh, absolutely yeah, Because remember when we talked
about self-compassion.

Speaker 1 (05:59):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (06:00):
Sometimes that means getting support.

Speaker 1 (06:03):
Right, like we don't have to go through things alone.

Speaker 2 (06:11):
Exactly, but how does that work with Advent and
journaling, hmm?
You could share a challengingprompt with a friend, okay, or
family member Right and talkabout it with them.

Speaker 1 (06:17):
Have a conversation about it.

Speaker 2 (06:18):
Yeah, or even talk to a therapist if you need to.

Speaker 1 (06:21):
That's a good point.

Speaker 2 (06:21):
Yeah, it's like having a thought partner.

Speaker 1 (06:23):
It is.

Speaker 2 (06:24):
To help you understand.

Speaker 1 (06:25):
Sometimes it helps to just say it out loud.

Speaker 2 (06:27):
It really does.

Speaker 1 (06:28):
It really is Like isn't it a problem shared and
all that.

Speaker 2 (06:31):
Yeah, but it's more than that Okay.
It's not about this perfectholiday experience.
It's about being human, withall the messiness.

Speaker 1 (06:46):
Right.

Speaker 2 (06:47):
And finding connection in the middle of it
all.

Speaker 1 (06:49):
It's about that light in the darkness everyone always
talks about.

Speaker 2 (06:52):
It is, and that idea isn't just an Advent.

Speaker 1 (06:55):
What do you mean?

Speaker 2 (06:56):
Lots of cultures have festivals of light when it's
dark outside.

Speaker 1 (06:59):
Oh, you're right, Like Diwali.

Speaker 2 (07:01):
Exactly Hanukkah, even the solstice thing.
It's all about finding hopewhen the days are short.

Speaker 1 (07:07):
It's a good reminder that, even when it's dark,
there's always light somewhere.

Speaker 2 (07:12):
And searching for that light helps us find our own
light.

Speaker 1 (07:15):
That's a nice thought , yeah.
So as we wrap up this Advent,deep dive.
Yeah.
What's the one thing you hopelisteners will remember?

Speaker 2 (07:22):
I hope this has inspired people to think about
Advent differently.

Speaker 1 (07:26):
Okay.

Speaker 2 (07:27):
It doesn't matter if you follow the religious
traditions or make your own.

Speaker 1 (07:30):
Right.

Speaker 2 (07:30):
Or even just use this time for reflection.

Speaker 1 (07:33):
It's about what feels right for you.

Speaker 2 (07:35):
Exactly, find what resonates with you and be
present.

Speaker 1 (07:38):
Beautifully said.

Speaker 2 (07:39):
Thank you.

Speaker 1 (07:40):
It's really about finding those gifts that really
matter.

Speaker 2 (07:43):
Yes.

Speaker 1 (07:43):
Self-awareness and connection and really
understanding ourselves.

Speaker 2 (07:46):
It's powerful stuff.

Speaker 1 (07:48):
And those are the gifts that last.
Well, thank you so much forjoining me on this Advent deep
dive.

Speaker 2 (07:53):
It was my pleasure.

Speaker 1 (07:54):
We hope you're feeling inspired to embrace the
season.

Speaker 2 (07:57):
Yes.

Speaker 1 (07:57):
Until next time, take care.
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