When I was in college I got a nice hardcover journal as a gift. It has quotes on every page about being passionate about the things in your life. The cover has this quote on it:
"Life is not a someday thing, or a one day thing. It's a right now everyday thing."
And do you want to know what I've been doing with this journal for the last 10 years?
Saving it for something special.
*Isn't it Ironic?*
I have no idea what exactly I thought I was saving it for. I've kept a variety of journals over the years- less often now than when I was a teenager- but never with any long lasting regularity.
But one day several months ago my oldest daughter learned to ride her bike without training wheels, and it was just one of those days that I felt like I never wanted to forget. Even though I've never been great about keeping a "baby book" or record of other developmental milestones- as I watched her ride her bike around I was just so proud of her, and I wanted to remember that feeling.
So I decided on that day to start keeping a sentence journal. The idea is only to write one sentence...but to do it every day. When you think about it like that, it's not that large of a task to commit to- because who can't find time in their day to write one sentence?
I started writing in this fancy hardcover journal on Aug 31st, and I haven't missed a day since.
Actually I miss days all of the time, but since I am only requiring myself to write down one sentence a day, it's very easy to sit down after missing a few and remember a highlight or a low point from the past few days. I actually usually write more than one sentence, but in general I keep my entries very short.
Sometimes they are amazingly boringly redundant: Went to the grocery store today and kids were cranky.
But other times there are tidbits that I WILL want to remember: Heard from the magazine editor today, she loved my story pitch.
I really wish that I would have done this when the kids were smaller (since I was terrible about keeping a baby book so I don't really know exact dates for first steps, words, etc...), but I guess that feeling of "I should have done this earlier" was keeping me from doing it just as much as that feeling of, "I should save this book for something special"
For whatever it's worth- this journal is a snapshot of my life NOW and I know that someday I will laugh (and probably cry) reading back through it.
I guess the moral of the story is- it's not that hard to start a new habit if you start small- and there is no reason to wait for a special occasion. Start small and Start now.
I started a journal when we moved to Naubinway. (It was a retirement gift) In the beginning I wrote long entries. For a while I tried to write a Haiku poem everyday. Then I would go for days or weeks and not write anything. I am now doing the sentence a day route, but not quite as well as you. Yoga, subbing, snow, grey skies, walking the puppies....not much exciting most days, but I keep trying!
ReplyDeleteI have my Great-grandmother's diary and one of my Great-Aunt's (my favorite Aunt - the Princess is named after her). The entry space was very small, only room for a sentence or two. It's through her diary that I found out how one of my Great-Uncle's died... Back then - in the 1920's-30's -they often didn't tell people what was wrong with them. From her entries he never knew he had cancer. In one entry she wrote 'Oh cancer, what a horrible disease. My poor, beloved son.' I can just hear her anguish. In another entry she writes about another Great-Uncle who was a scoundrel & had gone out with his friends & came home late AND drunk. She & my Great-Aunt were so mad at him. He was in the dog-house for weeks. Lol.
ReplyDeleteYour children & grandchildren will cherish your words. Keep it up. A sentence in my Great-Grandmother's & Great-Aunt's handwriting is precious!!
I like this post a lot! "Start Small and Start Now" - words to live by. :) Hope all is well.
ReplyDeleteI love this idea! I've kept journals over the years. As the kids have gotten older and busier I find it harder to make the time to write any thing and get over whelmed at the thought of writing a full page. This is a fantastic idea, I'm going to put my journal right next to my computer! Thanks for sharing!
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