Things I Like: Journal Edition

I used to write a lot when I was a kid back when I had more time.  I used to write poetry, short stories, journals…etc.  You name it I would write but as time has gone on my writing has tapered off.  Hence one of the reasons I started this blog.  I loved to write as a kid but as an adult I never really found the time.  As an adult there always seems to be more “worthy” or more “productive” and “responsible” pursuits that take away from the things we really enjoyed as children but almost any life coach would tell you to think of what brought you joy as a kid and that’s what you should incorporate into your adult life.  So here is mine….

I am terrible at remembering all the little things that happen with the Munchkin.  I know, I know, I’m a terrible mom (not really…) but all these people who remember their kid’s first word, first steps, first whatever really amaze me.  I have so many things going on in my brain at any given time that attempting to remember all the “firsts” or “seconds” or anything is kind of daunting.  Also the majority of my life is pretty boring but there are always good moments or bad and sometimes the little things are important to note.  I found this little journal on Amazon and ended up getting it Christmas 2016 (when the Munchkin was about 9 months old) and started using it January 1, 2017.

I’ve written in it every day since then (sometimes played catch up by a day or two) but it gives me the opportunity to jot down a one sentence memory or something to capture the day without being the long drawn out (and lets be real emo) journal entries of my youth.

This year I have also started doing this for myself using The Happy Planner (r).  I’ve discussed the use of my happy planner to help me stay organized but this year I bought another mini to just jot down thoughts from the day and week.  It has been really nice to write down thoughts, memories, and gratitudes on a regular basis.

This fits way better with being an adult/mom and is a really easy task to complete at the end of each day.  It allows me the space to think about and appreciate whatever the day brought.  It’s one of the happiness boosters that Gretchen Rubin discusses on the regular.  It’s why gratitude journals have become more popular as of late because it’s a way to think back and remember why the day was a good day.  It allows you to reminisce about the day which has been shown to improve good feelings and memories (while taking too many photos can actually impede your memory).

I’m glad that I’ve taken up this habit both for the joy it brings me but also for the memories it will preserve of everyday life as I continue through this second half of my life.