It’s a little number, but for me it feels like a big deal.

This is a picture of my first journal completely full from a year-plus worth of writing. It’s been a part of my morning routine for some time now (but it took longer than I thought to fill the pages!)

Already, reading back through it creates important reminders…
Notes from meetings with mentors that have re-ignited personal initiatives.
Anniversary dates of births and deaths.
Verses or prayers that struck a chord.
Personal takeaways from life’s situations.

Admittedly, the first couple months are a little thin on content as I wavered in my certainty of documenting things. But I can now see why so many people recommend keeping a journal.

It’s a reminder of my hopes, inspirations, dreams, fears and frustrations.

Having each one collected in a single place is now a resource for me to draw on. Thoughts can develop over time and ideas can hatch at their own pace.

And you experience all of these highs and lows just as much as I do. But without a place to keep them all, it’s sometimes easy for them to slip into the background and be forgotten.

If you’ve never tried keeping a journal, you should give it a shot. Mix it into your morning before breakfast, before the day gets crazy and you end up exhausted and too tired to write at the end of the night. You may be surprised at how beneficial it is in the long run. Or you could write yourself regular emails to be delivered in the future. Either way, you’ll be taking greater advantage of life’s lessons for you.