Journaling Milestone: 365 Days with Day One
Back on Friday, October 31, 2014, I wrote a summary of my day and included a photo in my Day One journal. I did the same the following night and the next. By the end of November, I’d started a streak that remains unbroken to this day. Each night for the past year I’ve recorded the day’s events. Sometimes I offer reflections and insights, but the important thing has been to record what has happened.
I’m not new to journaling. I’ve journaled off-and-on for the past fifteen years. However, consistency hasn’t been one of my hallmarks. I might write entries for a couple days only to forget or take a break for a week or even months. My credo has been, “Don’t focus on streaks. Just keep at it as best you can.” But, now that I’m on the longest journaling streak of my life, it’s worth noting what has made this one so persistent.
Quick access to my journal makes it easy to maintain. I mainly write on my iPad with the help of a Bluetooth keyboard. For times when I’ve forgotten to do this, my iPhone makes for a capable substitute.
A couple months ago we were traveling. I was about to fall asleep for the day. Then it hit me: “I didn’t write today’s entry!” I grabbed my phone and pecked one out. It was quite unsettling to think I’d almost forgotten my daily ritual more than nine months in.
Things got harder after the first month. The newness had worn off, and I had to muster more discipline to keep going. Having a writing routine has paid off here. On evenings when we’re home, it’s the first thing I do after the house gets quiet. On nights when we’re out late, writing an entry before bed is a good way to wind down.
Once my streak became a thing, having a vision of what it is and what it will be has provided momentum. My daily entries aren’t the type of thing that I ever plan to share online. I’m not getting motivation from “likes” or “page views”. Rather, it’s fun to look back and see what we were doing on such-and-such day a month or more ago. The idea of that fun only builds as I think about continuing this for years to come.
Now that I have a year under my belt, I plan to compile my entries into a printed book to share with my family. As for my streak, I hope to keep it going for as long as possible. So, here’s to one year under my belt and hopefully many more to come.
