As someone who has a mild and not at all concerning addiction to her phone, I am fairly confident in my awareness of the latest fixations and things gathering the most “hype.” And as of late, I have taken note of the presence of journaling. These borderline ten minute long videos I see on a daily basis consist of an overwhelming spread of crafting supplies and intricately designed pages, representing one’s Trader Joe’s trip on a random Tuesday. I mention this not to say those who indulge in a full spread are doing too much when it comes to journaling, but constantly seeing these videos made me feel a sense of inferiority in my journaling journey. As a result, I rarely reached for my pocket sized journal and went weeks without even setting my sights on it.
Recently, after coming across my third video in an hour time span of a journal spread littered with collected stickers, foliage picked by hand, and intricate layouts that I could not even imagine having the patience to complete, I decided to peek at my own journal in a scrutinizing comparative fit. Initially, flipping through the beginning pages was almost laughable. My pages were covered in to-do lists, items I needed to remember to grab on my next shopping trip, and random blurbs that were almost incoherent. Yet, as I kept going, I saw the supply list of the album release party I had thrown, which in turn sent me into a memory driven trance thinking about that night and all of the fun I had. Next, I stumbled upon a blank page, a photo strip lodged tight within the spine of the fold. In looking at the photo strip, I was launched into the memory of my friend’s birthday that we spent at a jazz club. It was then that I realized there is no expectation within journaling. It is simply a mode of documentation for whatever one wants, in whichever way they want.
Since then, I always carry my journal with me. My entries are often nonsensical and hold no importance or creativity, yet they carry the themes and memories of my true unedited life. Therefore, I suggest that everyone go out and buy a journal. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy or intricate, just something you can use to document your life. I also emphasize that the journey within journaling is not linear. Some days you might write in it until your hand cramps, other days you might forget about its existence. Somedays you might write the assignments you need to complete that night, or simply insert a free sticker you got in a package delivery. Make it as casual as you’d like. Each entry, list, or piece of something that you encountered within that day, is of value to your journal.