You promised yourself numerous times you’re going to start writing in a journal. To prove your point, you bought a gorgeous notebook and a high-end pen. Yet you never get around to do it. The notebook remains untouched – collecting dust in the depths of your drawing, waiting to be filled in with meaningful thoughts.
Now, you are home and on quarantine for God knows until when. You have loads of time in your hands. You are getting restless and screwy.
This makes it the perfect time for you to pick up the notebook and write. Pour your heart in those lovely pages until you are out of breath or rather your hand hurts from the effort. You will surely appreciate the idea of keeping a record of your new temporary life, putting to paper your routine, feelings, and ideas. The activity gives a little structure to your life that seems to crumble to pieces.
You don’t have to plan and think too much about it. No need to go deep and wide. Start by detailing parts of your day. Write your plan. What will you do today? What are you eating for breakfast? Are you taking the last of your yogurt supplies? You can also narrate your day as it goes, if your Internet connection cooperates, if you spend your time with a good read, or if your nephew decides to throw his toys at you.
For me, I am using my kawaii Landmark notebook to write everything that happens to me. I narrated how I almost walked home from work or how my city is a ghost town at 6 pm. I am using my Belle de Jour Power Planner to keep track of my unusual workdays, tasks, blog articles, and social media posts.
Someday you will look back on those diary entries and realize how far you’d come.
Pick up the pen and start writing. You are living a part of history.
Excerpt of a journal entry from a year ago and see how things are so much different back then.
April 4, 2019
I hate it when I start my entry with “It’s an ordinary day” or “There’s nothing much”. I want to fill my days with meaningful experiences, deep thoughts, and reflections. But I think days like this is inevitable when we feel uninspired. It is as if the brain and the heart stop functioning. Still wishing to keep this type of days short…really short. -A