I’m one of those weirdos that likes to journal. It’s like talking to yourself in print form. Which is good because talking yourself verbally (I also do this 😬) makes you look insane.
How did I start?
I hadn’t realized just how long I’ve been journalling for. I started in 2011! I was still in my first marriage and my children were all in elementary school. It feels like a lifetime ago (I’m old).
I started by finally finding a tool that worked for me. I had tried analog journaling in the past but it never stuck. Having a tool that I could take with me on all of my digital devices is what made the difference.
My Journalling Workflow
I mainly write on my iPad Pro and use the Day One app. I’ve been using this app since it was first released. It’s only gotten better over time.
Journalling digitally is very convenient since it syncs across all of my devices. I have Day One on my Mac, iPad Pro, and iPhone. I almost always have at least one of the devices on me at all times. Journalling this way also allows you attach different things to your posts. Things like photos, geotags, or even what music you’re currently listening to. You can also tag your posts which makes it incredibly easy to search or stuff from the past.
Why Journal?
I can only tell you why I do it. Change.
“Ask yourself honestly: are you looking for a steady, predictable life? Is this what you want? If so, you must realize that the world cannot offer you this. Everything in the world is in the process of change. Nothing is steady. Nothing is predictable. Nothing will give you anything other than temporary security. Thoughts come and go. Relationships begin and end. Bodies are born and pass away. This is all the world can offer you: impermanence, growth, change.”
— Paul Ferrini
It’s cliche but it’s true, the only constant in life is change. For me journalling has two main benefits.
- A way to look back and discover just how much I’ve grown over the years.
- A way to look back and discover just how much I’ve stayed the same.
- Discovering patterns.
It’s a way to track my progress and a way to discover patterns in my behaviour. We all have blind spots and journalling can be a great way to shed light on them. It’s humbling to look at parts of your past through the lens of the present. This is doubly true when going through a major life change. We all have blind spots, having documentation of our past can help us to see our behaviour more clearly.
Also, I don’t consider myself to be a very good writer. I’m much more comfortable speaking to a room full of people than putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard. The only way to get better at something is to do it. Journaling was a great excuse to write every day.
I would encourage you to give it a try if you haven’t already. Whether you use pen and paper or an iPhone doesn’t matter, just find the tools that work best for you.