Seven(ish) years ago I bought the notebook that was going to change everything.
I’ve been happily surprised this has become a meme around the new year. I suppose taking some relief that so many other people made & make the same mistake I did.
I am just now, a few pages away from finishing that notebook/journal.
Why didn’t the notebook change everything? I’m no authority but I’m pretty sure it has something to do with seeking something external to change something internal.
Rereading my old journal entries is one of my new years resolutions. It has been a missing piece of my journaling practice for as long as I have been journaling. Both Tim Ferriss and Ryan Holiday have spoken about the need to revisit old writings. As it is important to revisit old or long held thoughts to see if they’re still applicable or even beneficial.
I’ve never consistently reread old journal entries. Maybe here or there, spread out over my entire writing life. A fraction of a percentage. But as I’ve been reviewing old journal entires, some a decade old, some a few months old, I’ve immediately and consistently seen the value in doing so.
—————————————————————————————————
Perspective. It puts my thoughts, opinions, and experiences that I chose to put onto paper in a different perspective. It helps to show what I was struggling with then and if I’m’ still struggling now. It puts a different perspective on my own voice. On my own thoughts. On what’s going on in my head. On the voice going on inside my head.
Compassion. We all have our issues and shortcomings. Much of what I’ve journaled about during my life has been about mine. Seeing the consistent underlying theme of my personal issues and shortcomings wreaking various levels of havoc on my life while I fight the good fight to keep my head above water while on the right path…has bred more self compassion and empathy for others.
Determination. To see how long and how frequently the same issues and shortcomings have been influencing the quality and direction of my life, there is a controlled, pragmatic increase in determination to take action and build habits to combat and conquer these issues. Or at least break the vicious cycle.
—————————————————————————————————-
An inner spark for inner change. Buying a notebook only changes one’s account balance. Rereading old journals only takes up time. It’s the choices and actions that come after that count. Just like with everything else.
But it starts and succeeds from the inside out, not from the outside in.
Anarchy Journal Constitutional 