Okay, so it’s a little too early to say it’s my “new habit”, but I really want to establish a good, solid journaling habit this year, and if intentions count for anything …
As we headed into the new year, I played with several ideas, hoping to find one that would ease my transition from not-very-consistent-journaler to “why, yes, I do journal every day”. I’ve had many a new year start with the shiny, enticing new resolution “Journal Every Day” but it’s always ended up being, as my youngest would put it, an epic fail.
It occurred to me that perhaps it might be best to ease into the journaling habit. Start small. And structured. Limit myself to one page a day.
So, no beautiful blank book. All those blank pages all at once have always proven to be too overwhelming.
At first I thought I’d get myself a one-page-a-day daily planner, and commit to writing something on each page. But all the planners I looked at had lined pages, and I really wanted blank pages.
So then I thought I’d go to the art supply store and buy a small sketchbook. I’d prep it by stamping all the days in January in it, and maybe that would become an end-of-the-month ritual. You know, where I’d flip lovingly through all the pages I’d remembered to fill out the previous month and then stamp all the days of the new month, in preparation for all the days to come which I would also remember to fill.
But then I saw this. The Moleskine Daily Diary/Planner. It’s an absolutely ADORABLE teeny tiny book filled with blank pages, one for each day of the month.
It’s so small, it fits in the palm of my hand.
And the best thing? I only have to fill one 2X3 blank page a day! Not a whole lot of space, so that takes care of the whole being overwhelmed thing.
How have I been doing so far? Well, I didn’t buy it until January 4th, so that’s when I started. But I’ve filled each page since then (although there were a couple of nights where I forgot, and had to write my entry the following morning).
My problem has always been that I have lots of days where not much happens, but I’ve been finding that even a day spent at the computer working madly away at a deadline gives me enough fodder to fill one teeny tiny 2X3 page.
They say it takes 30 days to create a new habit (some say 21 days, but I rather like the 30 day number). I’ve done seven days so far. Wish me luck on this one, because consistently keeping a journal is something I’ve wanted for a very long time!
I had a similar intention at the beginning of the year, and I bought myself a 2013 daily journal. So far, I’ve only written in it one day! However, I’ve decided not to stress about it, and for the days I miss I’ll just turn the book upside down and write in them whenever I want. I hate having all that blank paper staring at me accusingly!
I am journaling this year, too, and I think I might actually stick with it because I am doing a slight modified version of this: http://pinterest.com/pin/64598575875380216/
Except mine includes what I’m watching and reading and I took off eating, drinking, wearing, and weather. It lets me say what I’m into right now and what is going on with me without me having to feel like I need to write paragraphs.
Rebecca, that is SO COOL!
I hope it works out! My husband has a huge box full of moleskin notebooks from over the years with maybe 20 pages in each! LOL
I tried keeping a journal when we moved to France but it didn’t last long. Since then, I’ve heard of micro-journaling – where you give highlights and not details of your day. I wish I’d thought about that then. Keep up the good work!
Good luck! Have you read the Power of Habit? I haven’t, yet, but it sounds like something you might be interested in.
Best to you! I don’t have a strict daily habit but I do need my blank books. I keep my to do list and anything at all that must be remembered or stuck me interesting or whatever. I admit, I had only 3 pages written in for December and when I decided to let that book go and get a clean totally blank NEW book for 2013, I didn’t start writing in it until January 4. But that’s OK, what I am good at is letting go of the guilt of not writing. It’s probably more important than the daily writing habit.
It is there when I need it and if I need it every day, so be it. But once it is always with me handy, you will be I will write and write and write. OK, I’ll stop. You get the idea.
That is one tiny journal! Each page probably holds a hundred words? You could say you are doing a Drabble a day then.
i love the way you have tackled the problem … very creative thinking. I hope your new teeny tiny habit takes hold. I am going to try to apply your lateral thinking to the habits I want to get into but struggle with.
I love your approach, so thought through! I’d like to journal too, but I end up writing about mundane stuff and then don’t see the point. Maybe I’m trying too hard to make it something it’s not. I hope you stick to it!
I hope it works out for you Belle!! This is something that I really struggle with as well and really envy those who can make it work. I’ve been trying to keep up with a daily notecard journal (just a few lines a day!!) but I’m three days behind. Ha! The idea of a tiny notebook does seem enticing!
I decided I wanted to do better journaling this year too. But I decided I’d just make myself write one good thing per day and, so far, it’s working. I don’t love the journal I bought, but it’s working. I might try this style for next year — it’s adorable!
I’m trying to do this, too. I’m putting my whole life in one journal, and I’ll see how that goes. Mine’s a Moleskine, too, but one of the bigger ones. I joined WW a week ago, so I put my food diary in there. I’m a librarian and book reviewer, etc., so all my notes go in there. I also doodle, mostly via Zentangle. Anything and everything I can think of I put in my journal!