A New Journal

I am on the last page of my 3rd journal. It is a habit that has made quite the impact on my thought process, my writing and my state of being. It was around 2 years ago that I made a go of frequent writing. At first, it felt a bit odd; I hadn't really put pen to paper like this since I was doing school homework. The initial entries were also pretty uninspiring! I would recollect the actions of my day, what I had for breakfast, what the weather was like etc. But after a few weeks, I started to jot down my emotions. I started to explore what was going on behind the eyes. That was when the magic really began, and the power of regular writing became clear. I'd feel very angry for example, and channel my frustrations through my arm and onto paper - where the feeling immediately lost its power.

Take a moment to reflect and commit your thoughts to language. It can be a healing process; once you see the 'logic' of your emotions in words, they frequently look a bit silly. Sure, you don't always walk away from a diary entry with a clean mental slate. But the power of a journal compounds over time. It leaves a trail of recollections that would otherwise be lost in the ether. When I am thinking about a great day I've had, I crystallise the actions that helped create a good result. When I am faced with great uncertainty, I set out the questions I ask to help navigate a given situation. For example, this book details my journey between late 2019 and early 2021. It is a daily record of the pandemic, our emigration and my efforts to carve out an independent existence. Will make for an interesting read in the years to come!

Signing out, Steven.