I was following up on a few YouTube comments over the weekend and stumbled across one from Russel, who said:
“Oh here’s something I could write in my bullet journal 2019 plans: eat, sleep, go to school, go home”
I don’t mean to pick on Russel, but to point out a real reason people struggle to journal.
Many people don’t feel like their lives are interesting enough to write about.
I’ve seen several comments or emails about like this and it always makes me sad. Not because I feel like I have to convince people they are interesting enough – but that people think journaling is a practice designed to create an interesting life.
Journaling is dualistic by nature. If you don’t think there’s anything interesting to journal about, it’s also unlikely you’ll observe anything interesting happening.
To me, journaling is about observing the details of life and my reactions to them. What’s happening at work, school, and home? How am I reacting and responding? How am I progressing towards my goal? How do I perform each day? What’s blocking me and what can I do about it?
Intersting is unique for every person and a composition of our own environment and influences. You can’t wait for something exciting to happen to journal, it’s by journaling that you realize interesting things are happening to you every day.
Like I said, this email is not to pick on Russel. I could have a similar reply to him and I’m sure you could too! Here’s mine:
“Oh here’s something I could write in my bullet journal 2019 plans: work, eat, family, sleep, repeat.”
The more you journal the more you discover the richness in your day and how it’s shaping the person you want to become. It’s a way to delight in the details of each day and how you moved in the world.
This week I hope you’ll journal with an eye on recording the details of each day and your responses. Focus on being your own biographer instead of a novelist that’s tasked with an epic story.
Because when you look back on the details of your life years later, I bet it will seem pretty epic.
Have a great week,
Matt