Yet another attempt at starting a diary

[JeffJ]

I agree with AimlessWanderer completely. I struggle to keep a diary or journal for all the same reasons. I have tried and failed many times. I don't think I want to read my own entries and nobody else would be interested. So what's the point?

For me it is a process discipline, not an outcome focus. The value is the daily time to think, reflect and journal. There is no expectation of me or anyone else going back and reading/reviewing.

Agree that needing the end product to be useful for something could be be a barrier to getting started or sustaining a journal practice. If I put that kind of pressure on myself, I would toss it all in the trash and walk away.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

For me it is a process discipline, not an outcome focus. The value is the daily time to think, reflect and journal. There is no expectation of me or anyone else going back and reading/reviewing.

Agree that needing the end product to be useful for something could be be a barrier to getting started or sustaining a journal practice. If I put that kind of pressure on myself, I would toss it all in the trash and walk away.

Interesting. I don't think I am one for process discipline, without having an intended outcome. For me, they are interdependent. I also don't have to make room in a busy schedule for quiet reflection either. Rather, I ride the turbulent waves of fluctuating health and abilities, and do what I can, when I can. A monotonous repeating cycle, albeit erratic as to durations of peaks, troughs, and waking hours.

I did try recording that (wake/sleep and functional fluctuations) in the early stages of the diary, to see if I could make more sense of the patterns. However, I found I was going through wake/sleep cycles without having the wherewithal to log it, and when the brain fog cleared, I'd find I'd gone two or three days without having made an entry, and be unable to recall events well enough to fill in the blanks. No matter how much I tried keeping it up to days, I'd keep finding myself a couple of days out of sync.

 

[JeffJ]

Interesting. I don't think I am one for process discipline, without having an intended outcome. For me, they are interdependent. I also don't have to make room in a busy schedule for quiet reflection either. Rather, I ride the turbulent waves of fluctuating health and abilities, and do what I can, when I can. A monotonous repeating cycle, albeit erratic as to durations of peaks, troughs, and waking hours.

I did try recording that (wake/sleep and functional fluctuations) in the early stages of the diary, to see if I could make more sense of the patterns. However, I found I was going through wake/sleep cycles without having the wherewithal to log it, and when the brain fog cleared, I'd find I'd gone two or three days without having made an entry, and be unable to recall events well enough to fill in the blanks. No matter how much I tried keeping it up to days, I'd keep finding myself a couple of days out of sync.

There's a fair body of research on this stuff. In pop culture/pop psychology terms perhaps it's the intersection of change by creating habits and mindfulness. There may be benefits to the habit of journaling your sleep whether it's perfectly captured or not. Good to notice when one misses days. Viewing the misses as failure is probably less useful, unless one is looking for a reason to stop the habit. The habit creates the value, not the stuff written down over time.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

No inherent value has materialised so far, but based on that reply, I decided to give it another go. I'll play around with the format of my entries, and see if that is any more fulfilling.

 

[H4nk]

It is definitely something you have to commit to doing every day. The action of "drawing your thoughts" or documenting your day/activities/wants&needs is therapeutic for the mind. It helps to ward off atrophy of the brain.

My weekend planning revolves around things I want to do in the near future. I have to do that in pencil since work has become so hectic as I countdown to retirement

 

[Mempho]

I admire you for keeping a paper diary. That's the best way to do it. A few years ago I started keeping a digital diary. It helps me to reflect on the day and plan things. It's useful to look back sometimes too, to see what direction I seem to be going. I have some diaries of relatives who died 50 or 60 years ago. Fascinating to read!

 

[airmech]

Well, I am going to attempt to start up a journal!!! Through Yodascaretaker’s bad influence, I bought a Writing Box from Galen Leather! I will post pics when it arrives in a couple of weeks! So, now I will work on staying the course of journaling!!! Happy writing!!!

Tom