FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
About BE Journaling and BE Journaling Products
What makes BE Journaling so mighty?
BE Journaling, rooted in Belonging and Empowerment, is no ordinary pen and paper activity. It’s a transformative experience, designed to deepen connections and strengthen personal growth. By embracing the BE Journaling approach, you’re not just recording thoughts but actively taking part in crafting your own story, one filled with powerful insights, beautiful connections, and boundless explorations.
Don’t just take our word for it (or the research behind our products), join our community and experience for yourself what makes BE Journaling so mighty.
How does BE Journaling work?
The beauty of BE Journaling lies in its simple yet multi-faceted approach, blending introspection with experience. At its core, it involves undertaking dynamic ALIVE Challenges, indulging in profound Try-Flections, and forging deep bonds through co-journaling. These three pillars work harmoniously, providing a rich tapestry of self-discovery and connection with others, in other words, foster a deep sense of Belonging and Empowerment.
What are ALIVE Challenges?
They’re not mundane tasks or rigid “smart” goals, as the saying goes, “smart goals often get you dumb results.” Okay, we just made that up but it’s true more often than most people realize. ALIVE Challenges are vibrant experiments that push boundaries, create unshakeable bonds, and broaden horizons without being dependent on specific or measurable outcomes. Unlike most goal setting tools, ALIVE Challenges embrace flexible growth, bringing a refreshing twist to personal and shared milestones, ensuring you always feel engaged, connected, and truly ‘alive’ in your journey.
What is Try-Flection?
You already know that self-reflection matters and you do it instinctually. Try-Flection is a rejuvenated process of self- and shared-reflection that spans across time and bonds. It isn’t just a glance in the rearview mirror or a disheartening comparison to someone else’s arbitrary expectations; it’s an expansive view of your past, present, future, and everything in between. By incorporating both inner emotions and outer narratives, Try-Flection offers a comprehensive, insightful gaze into oneself and your most meaningful relationships.
What is co-journaling and how does it work?
Whether you realize it or not, you are writing your story with every new moment filled with possibility. But, there are too many people who are reading the story others have written for them, rather than seeing blank pages as the canvas to write, paint, or craft your story on…in the ways you choose. But that’s just the start because you write your story with others, your romantic relationships, your children, and friends. We write our stories together. Imagine two pens dancing on a page, processing powerful emotions, capturing core memories, and inspiring shared adventures. It’s more than just writing; it’s a powerful tool for crafting your masterpiece, forging your deepest bonds, and transforming predictable narratives into shared volumes of life well-lived.
Does BE Journaling work for any relationship type?
The process of BE Journaling works for any relationship type, from romantic couples to parents and children, from individuals to close friends, and even professional colleagues.
While each BE Journaling product is designed with a specific type of relationship and/or age range in mind, we develop and design our journals and products with gender-neutrality so they are welcoming to every gender and sexual identity. This includes caregiver/child tools, where we have worked to use inclusive language to ensure all individuals and families feel respected and valued.
Notable exceptions to this are found in products related to intimacy, which by nature of the subject are supported by discussions specific to genders and sexualities. We have tried to organize these tools in ways that sections which do not apply to your gender, sexuality, or romantic relationship identity can be skipped.
Please note: We have worked with the Trevor Project to receive LGBTQ+ ally and youth support training, if you or someone you love are in need of support, they are an excellent resource.
Where are your products made?
A lot of research, imagination, and applied science goes into our products from our homebase in Lawrence, Kansas USA.
Printing of our journals and other physical products is completed in a variety of places around the world. We use the best resources available to ensure production partners meet our strict ethical and environmental standards.
Retail, Educational, and Clinical Partnerships
How can we become a retail and/or distribution partner?
To become a retail or distribution partner, send an email describing your retail location or distribution operations, along with your interest in partnering with BE Journaling to partnerships@bejournaling.com
How can I, or my school, become an educational partner?
We create and design custom educational BE Journals for educational partners. In addition to managing the creation, printing, and shipping, we use these partnerships as opportunities to conduct research into the content, practices, and methods incorporated. The research is shared through traditional peer-reviewed channels and is also used to improve the Belonging and Empowerment Curriculum (a sister company). If you are interested in becoming an educational partner, send an email sharing the details of your institution and your goals to partnerships@bejournaling.com
How can I become a clinical partner?
We design and create custom BE Journals for clinical settings such as ACT, Narrative, Mindfulness-Based, Relational-Emotive, Creative Therapy, etc. If you are interested in working with us to obtain and research BE Journaling in your practice, inquire by sending us a message at partnerships@bejournaling.com
How can I become a BE Journaling Affiliate?
You can learn more about the BE Journaling Affiliate Program here. At that same link, you can complete the form at the bottom of the page to share your interest about becoming an affiliate, after which, someone from our team will contact you with next steps.
Digital, Downloadable, and Printable Resources
How Do I Access My Digital, Downloadable, and Printable Products?
Instructions for accessing your digital, downloadable, or printable products will be sent to the email you provided during checkout.
For most digital purchases, your order confirmation will include the link to the product purchased.
Your order confirmation email will tell you if your digital product will be sent in a separate email or requires additional steps for access.
If you do not see any of these emails, please check your spam or junk folder, and wait 24 hours before contacting orders@bejournaling.com for support.
Will You Print & Ship My Printable Product?
Digital, downloadable, and printable purchases are delivered as a PDF file(s) and will not be printed or shipped by BE Journaling.
You may choose to print your purchase at home, a local library, print shop, or online printing company in accordance with our usage and copyright permissions.
Please note: Digital purchases delivered as PDF files are often intended to be printed and via your purchase you receive the rights and permissions to do so for personal use. No commercial rights or uses are granted via digital purchases, printing, distributing, and/or selling any digital purchases beyond your personal use is a violation of permissions and may be subject to legal proceedings.
How do I print my purchase?
Printing Guidance & Solutions To achieve optimal printing of our digital materials, we advise using a desktop computer, either a PC or Mac. Mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets are not ideal for this purpose. Ensure you download the file onto your computer and access it with Adobe Acrobat Reader, a complimentary software compatible with nearly all devices. Obtain it from this link: Adobe Acrobat Reader DC Download.
Always print your file using Adobe Acrobat Reader. If your printable link opens in a web browser, save the file as a PDF and download to your device before printing. Navigate to ‘File’ and choose ‘Save as PDF’.
Before you print the entire PDF kit or our exclusive Friday Printables, consider printing one page as a trial.
Facing any glitches? Such as a page that prints entirely in black? See the solutions below:
Opt for the ‘Print as Image’ Feature The majority of printing challenges can be addressed with these steps:
- Within Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, navigate to ‘File’ → ‘Print’.
- In the subsequent print window, select ‘Advanced’.
- In the upcoming dialog box, choose ‘Print as Image’.
- Click ‘OK’ and proceed with your usual printing process.
Printing Via Mac By default, Macs use the “Preview” program to open PDF files. This might alter font, background appearance, and final printing output. To bypass these issues, open the file using the latest Adobe Acrobat Reader and print from there.
Missing Elements in the Printable Document? This occasionally occurs when the Adobe Acrobat Reader DC isn’t the newest version. For best results, ensure you’re using the recent version. To verify, go to ‘Help’ → ‘Check for Updates’.
Ensure Your Printer Drivers are Updated If your document still doesn’t print despite the aforementioned steps, the printer might be the issue. Visit the manufacturer’s site to fetch and install any pending driver updates.
We’re Here for Support! If you still face printing problems with our content, don’t hesitate to email us at support@bejournaling.com. Please provide:
- The specific product you’re trying to print
- The device you’re printing from (PC, Mac, mobile, etc.)
- Clarification on whether you’re printing from a downloaded file or directly from a browser
- Anything else you’ve tried.
We’re dedicated to ensuring a smooth printing experience for you!
Shipping Costs and Delivery Details
How long does shipping take?
For items we currently have in inventory, your order will typically be picked up by the carrier within 1-2 business days of your order date.
When you select your shipping options during checkout, you will receive more accurate delivery estimates. The times below are general estimates that are subject to change.
Shipping Time Estimates
Ground: 4-10 business days
Standard: 3-7 business days
Express: 2-3 business days
International: 7-30 business days
After placing your order, you will receive an email confirming shipping and tracking information.
Please note: Once your package is with the carrier, BE Journaling is not responsible for weather or carrier delays.
Where is my tracking information?
Once your order has been shipped, you will receive confirmation email with the tracking information.
If you have not received this email, please check your spam or junk folder.
If it is not there, please give us at least 48 hours after you place your order, before contacting us about tracking information.
Please note: If you purchase digital, downloadable, and printable products, access to these will be included in your order confirmation email.
What if my order says delivered by I did not receive it?
There are a variety of reasons that your product may show as delivered, even if you have not received it. One of the most frequent reasons is a carrier’s system update.
Steps You Should Take:
1: Contact the carrier to inform them of the discrepancy
2: Allow 2-3 days for the product to arrive as carrier updates are often incorrect
3: Confirm that your that the address included in your order confirmation is correct and free of errors
4: Check with neighbors or building managers to see if it was misdelivered
If you have taken these steps, including waiting 2-3 days after delivery confirmation, and your product has still not arrived, please contact us at orders@bejournaling.com and include your order details and description of the delivery issue.
Please note: You must reach out to us within 14 days of the scanned delivery date to ensure your product will be eligible for re-shipment. We are unable to file a claim with the carrier past this 14 day period.
How much will shipping cost?
Shipping costs vary based on the type and number of products you order, your location, and the shipping options you select at checkout.
Based on your selections during the checkout process, you will be able to see any associated costs.
More information is available in our Shipping Policies
What do I need to know about international shipping and delivery?
We use WooCommerce Shipping and the USPS to help us with international shipping. During the checkout process, you will receive pricing and information about shipping to your country, including any customs or duty considerations.
If we do not ship to your country, you will either be notified during the checkout process or one of our team members will follow-up with you before packing and shipping your order. For geographic zones not programmed into our systems customs and duty fees may be passed on to the customer after the order, you may choose to cancel your order, or we may offer a digital alternative.
Returns and Refunds
Return Policy
If you want to return or replace any unused item(s) within 30 days of your delivery date, we are happy to help!
To begin processing your return or exchange, please send an email to orders@bejournaling.com with your order number, description of the items you would like to return, exchange, or receive store credit for, the reason for the request.
Upon approval, you will not need to pay for the return label, but for returns, you will be refunded minus the cost of the original shipping label.
Return Exclusions: Due to the nature of our product(s), used items, such as writing in books, torn or damaged pages, damaged covers, etc. will not qualify for a refund. All sales on digital and printable products are final.
Customer Satisfaction: We hope that this is not the case for you, but if your order arrives damaged or you are having an issue with your product, please email us as soon as possible at orders@bejournaling.com so that we can work with the carrier and you to take reasonable steps to ensure you receive your product.
Please note: Packages shipped with a different shipping label than the one provided may not receive a refund, the refund may be reduced, or the refund may be delayed.
How to Return an Item
- Contact us at orders@bejournaling.com to initiate the process and obtain a shipping label.
- Print the shipping label that will be emailed to you upon approval of the return.
- Attach the label to the original mailer from your order, or to another appropriate mailer of your choice.
- Drop your package at the carrier listed on the return label.
Please note: Packages shipped with a different shipping label than the one provided may not receive a refund, may receive a partial refund, or the refund may be delayed.
Exchanges
If your item is eligible and approved for a return, we would love to help you get an exchange started and help you obtain tools for Belonging and Empowerment.
Begin the exchange process by sending an email with your order details and a description of the issue to orders@bejournaling.com
If approve, you will be given choice of exchange options:
1. A standard exchange option where your new item will ship out to you as soon as your return tracking label shows that the item is in transit back to our facilities.
2. If you are needing your exchanged item immediately or want to ensure the product is still in stock, you can proceed with an Instant Exchange. With this format, you can opt-in to get your new item right away.
If the item you are exchanging for is not the same price as the new item, you will either get a refund or be required to pay the difference between your original product and the one you are hoping to exchange.
Cancelations and Edit Order Requests
We cannot immediately guarantee edits or order cancellations because your order is sent directly to fulfillment.
Please email orders@bejournaling.com for the most up-to-date and accurate guidance on editing or cancelling your order.
If we are unable to cancel or edit your order, we will help you with a return or exchange.
Please note: Used items and items damaged after delivery, are not accepted for full refunds. International orders and gift cards are final sale.
Refunds
If you are in need of a refund, please email orders@bejournaling.com and describe your request, the status of your order (if you have received it or not), and the nature and reason for your request.
We are only able to refund the original payment method that is on file from your order.
All sales on digital and printable items are final and no refunds will be issued, with the exception for some courses with a clearly stated “Money Back Guarantee”.
All refund recipients will receive an email confirmation for their records.
Refunds may take up to 10 business days to process and will be submitted back to your original method of payment.
For defective or damaged products, include photos of the damage and our Customer Experience Team will assist you with next steps.
Please note: Defective claims and/or damage incurred during delivery must be claimed within 30 days of delivery.
Additional Information
The Nguni people have a philosophy called “Ubuntu”, which is often translated as “I am because we are”.
The philosophy highlights how we are all interconnected, our relationships with others shaping our relationship with ourselves.
Other
How do I join a BE Journaling Newsletter?
We would love for you to join the BE Journaling community by receiving our newsletters. There is a subscription form at the bottom of this page, where you can select the newsletter(s) you are interested in receiving.
Will you donate journals or tools to my organization?
We partner we select non-profit organizations to distribute our products to underserved individuals and communities. Other donations are decided on a case-by-case basis. You are welcome to inquire about donations or other potential support by contacting us at info@bejournaling.com
How can I learn more about the science behind BE Journaling tools?
Reading our blog is a great start, we frequently reference and cite the research supporting our journals, programs, and tools.
If you are an academic, educational, or research institution, and are interested in collaborating on research, please contact us at contribute@bejournaling.com
Can I contribute to a BE Journaling blog or newsletter?
We love contributions to our blogs and newsletters. If you have a story to share, a practice you’ve found value in, or anything else you think our readers would enjoy and appreciate, you can submit your contribution to contribute@bejournaling.com
