What I’ve learned after six years of daily journaling

May 6th marked six years of daily journaling. That’s pretty crazy for me and more consistent that I’ve been on almost anything except work. The entries are not masterpieces, but having six years, 2190 daily entries chronicling thoughts, fears, aspirations, irritations, and current events feels like an accomplishment.

It’s important to not oversell its effects, but they have been profound and exceeded expectations. Journaling is often heralded as a great therapeutic tool and I recommend it to many of my clients. But it’s also no panacea. You only get out of it what you’re willing to put into it. Many of my early entries where only a sentence or two, a photo, or in a few cases one or two words. Grammar has not been a consideration and my sympathies to anyone attempting to make sense of it all.

Over six years there have been experiments with different prompts and formats. I kept coming back to the blank page and letting my fingers work words out of keystrokes on the keyboard. The push to write a particular amount has come and gone. Some of the one and two word entries have more to say than the paragraphs of me rehashing the same shit day after day.

To those that want to pontificate on the need to write by hand, I hear you, but back off on shaming me for typing. My handwriting sucks to the point that doctors would be jealous. When I have handwritten journal entries I end up with a page of scribbles that even I can’t understand. I’ve been typing since I was a kid and it’s the only method that keeps up with my brain. Keep your agenda to yourself. This is my process not yours.

Journaling is a process for you and no one else. It’s a way of making sense of your life that does not have to meet anyone’s expectations except your own. Use a prompt, record a video, write on pretty paper with fun makers, crayons, or any other implement that puts the words the way you want them. Don’t want to use words? Take photos, draw something, play music, have a daily playlist. It’s your journal do it your way. Giving myself permission to find my own way opened the space to create a rhythm that has lasted when other habits haven’t.

Journaling has become a way of coping and creating hope. Taking time each morning, which is when I tend to do my writing, I reflect on the previous day and what I’m sitting with in the moment. Writing the words “I’m depressed” or “I’m scared” allowed for space to see more in myself and the world. It created a container for what I was feeling without having to explain. It helped those feelings become data instead of overwhelm. Out of that there was space for coping and even hope for things to be better.

It’s provided insight into patterns in my life that I’ve had to or will have to address. By trusting in the page to hold the words without judgement, my entries have been raw and honest. That allows patterns to emerge and open perspective on a myriad of things happening from politics, health, relationships, work, and more.

It’s also allowed me to see happiness is possible even through the worst of times. Looking back on entries from good days and the details of what made those days good, there’s been more happiness in unexpected place. It reminds me the need to find goodness, joy, beauty, and happiness even among the worst times. The entries reinforce that happiness is a choice we get to make every day.

By putting the reflections of the previous day in the journal, it’s allowed me to be more present in now. The reflection is done. The lessons recorded and hopefully reinforced. The rest of the day is more open to be experienced.

Daily journaling has awakened a desire and love of writing. It’s helped me practice putting words together in my own way. After years of academic and business writing, to be raw, honest, and creative has helped build a different confidence where it barely existed. It’s my writing. It may have been influenced by other writers, but it’s mine. It requires no other approvals.

There’s a good chance this has oversold what journaling can do for anyone else. As a friend of mine used to say “your mileage may vary.” When clients and others ask about journaling my response is consistently “it’s what you make of it, so do it and see where it goes.”

If you’re interested in journaling, do it. Don’t wait. Don’t research too much. Write, record, draw, photograph what’s important to you. Let go of expectation as much as possible. See what your mileage you get out of it.

For those interested, I use the app Day One to hold my journal. It’s available on Apple devices and Windows/Android, but I’m an Apple geek so I can only speak to that platform. It syncs between devices so I can create entries anywhere. It holds location information if you want including weather. It’s fun to see on the map where all I was in the past. I’ve not received any promotion from Day One, but if they want to talk, I’m open to it.