It's January, the start of a new year. January gives me a perfect time to relax, regroup, and reflect on the previous year. Reviewing my journals can assist me.
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| Image 1: Years of memories in Journals! |
I have recorded in journals for decades. In 2007, after years of trying to organize my life via other means, (business day planners, electronic spreadsheets, and more), I settled on using the smallish journals shown.
Journaling helps me keep track of my life. There are times I have been super
busy, and yet I could barely remember the events of the
previous week/month/year. Sometimes I can't remember what I did (or even ate) a day or two ago, and yet I know I had little free time. What did I do the last two summers? I can barely recall.
Can anyone relate?
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| Image 2: Decades of Journals! |
So I use journals as an aid. I can read one of my journals, and
details flood back to me, reminding me of a (busy? hectic? sometimes crazy(?)) life.
I need to write in a journal to use this aid. I write a page or two a day, mostly jotted-down notes of events, things I
did, read, watched, ate; to-do lists, and more.
Often
a day in the journal consists of more phrases than full sentences. (Is
that bullet journaling?) Occasionally an entire sentence or paragraph
will be written. And there are checklists, many of them with check marks made (and dated) months later.
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| Image 3: Journals 2007 to 2025 |
In recent years, (on some days), I try to remember to write three things (or more) I am grateful for. (Is this "gratitude journaling"?)
[They say gratitude journaling is supposed to be good for you. - Who are the "they"?]
Sometimes my grateful items are "adulted - called the plumber"; "paid the Property tax bill". On better days, my grateful items include fun events like "Garden Tour", "Mosaic class", "Dinner with Friends", club meeting, Blog post out, finished project xxx, etc.
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| Image 4: Journals 2007 to 2025 |
I love having these journals to reference, sometimes years later. Where did we spend Thanksgiving, or the 4th of July in 2014-2024... What was the annual Christmas party theme? Who attended? It's in my journals! (Also, maybe in photos.)
For example, in 2025: Christmas Party theme Harry Potter... 28 people at my brother's house. I brought xxx food items...
(We do a themed Christmas, doesn't everyone?)
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| Image 5: A Merry Harry Potter Christmas! |
I kept a journal on vacation trips long before I attempted to record my daily life. My
first journal of this sort was a trip to Spain when I was in High
School. Reviewing and remembering details from trips makes me content (I get to realize I have come so far!!!). In more recent journals I record
the names of hotels, museums, restaurants, financial details, and notable memories.
For example, in 2025 I traveled (overnight, out of my house):
Japan in April 2025
Boston in April 2025
Camping Canoe trip in Wisconsin August 2025
Seattle in September 2025
New York in December 2025.
(Try keeping those details straight 5 years later...)
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| Image 6: Public Transit Cards from Boston, New York, Seattle, Japan |
Journaling gives me a satisfaction and improves my memory, and assists me in various goals. (all those lists!)
I recommend journaling, although perhaps not as obsessively.
"The unexamined life is not worth living"
- Socrates
"The unexamined life may not be worth living, but the life too closely examined may not be lived at all."
- Mark Twain
The first quote above may seem harsh, but I do see the benefits journaling and reviewing makes in my life...
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For the other part of this post, reviewing 2025, things went well, all things considered. I
posted once a month (an on-going goal). I traveled to places near and
far. I created projects and read books.
A
wet basement in August exhausted me and threw me for a loop. (Rare flooding in Wisconsin due to extreme rainfall.) Perhaps
someday I will write a post on it. (Only 1-2 feet of water, many things
were spared.) My insurance paid for the new water heater, the new
furnace, the new washing machine, etc. I had replaced my furnace in
2024 with a new one, and now I have a new furnace in 2025. I don't know
what to think about that, so I try not to, and I channel gratitude.
My main goals in 2026 include blogging once a month, creating more, traveling some (including at least one National Park), and completing a reorganization of the basement. My stretch goal includes exhibiting at least one artwork somewhere.
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Finally, in 2025, my Number 1 top post from 2025 was...
My Seashell Mirror!
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Here is a list of my top posts from 2025. Do you remember seeing any of these?
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May 2026 be a blessed year for you, and the world if possible.
Happy New Year!
Peace and Love for all in 2026!
Click on the images to see them enlarged...
I
blog for fun and my blog is ad free. Comments encourage me, and
sometimes I need encouragement. Please leave a comment if you have
time. Anonymous comments are welcome...
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I am linking up to these parties:
Sum of their stories: Handmade Mon 458 (Entry 4x of 89x.)
Mostly blogging: Inspire me Mon 460 (Entry 6 of 37.)
My Random: Anything Goes 460 (Entry 2 of 35.)
Good Random Fun: Good Fun Mon 4a (m Entry 4)
*BNOTP: Metamorphis Monday 6a (s Entry 9)
Holly pinklady: Hello Mon (l Entry 17)
Loulougirls: Fabulous-party Mon 617 (l Entry 4)
Keeping it Real: Party 496 (Entry 9)
Mersad photography: Thru my Lens (Entry 14)
Altered book lover: T Tuesday (Entry *)
Kristin at Uncommon Slice: Inspire Me Mon 340 (m Entry 14)
* Marty at Stroll Life: Inspire Me Mon 3p (l Entry )
Image-in-ing: Weekly link up (Entry )
Nicholasjv: Travel Tuesday (Entry)
My slices of life: Talk About It Tue 86 (Entry **)
Jenerally informed: Happy-now Link-up Tues (m Entry ??)
My Wee Abode: Tuesday Turn About (s Entry 20r)
Flusterbuster: Creative Muster 5p Tues (l Entry --x)
Studio27 - Jennifer: Wed Studio 53 (Entry 4x of 28x.) I was featured here!
Artsy Mama: Team Creative Crafts (Entry 4 of gone.)
Grandmas house: Grandmas house Wed (m Entry ??)
Fifth Sparrow No More: Whimsy Home (Entry ??)
Our Hopeful Home: Vintage Charm 525 (m Entry 19 of 42.)
Simple Life Mom: Homestead Blog Hop Wed (Entry ??)
Lisa Howeler: Weekend Traffic Jam Thur (Entry 1 of 58.)
Pennys Passion: Thinking out Loud Thur (Entry 12r of 107r.)
French Ethereal: Share Your Style Wed 6p (Entry **b)
Try It Like It: Creatively Crafty Th (Entry 34)
KatherinesCorner: Th Fav Things 10a (Entry 14) I was featured here!
Its a small town life: Thankful Th (Entry 1)
Modern on Monticello: Home matters 566 (s Entry 5r)
Answer is choco: BFF open house Thur (Entry 8)
Two Chicks: Funtastic Thur 8p (i Entry **)
Pieced Pastimes.gr: Saturday Sparks Fr 8a (L Entry )
Countyroad 407: Farmhouse Fri 433 (Entry 16)
Momfessionals: Fri Favorites (Entry 30)
Cottagemarket: A morning cup of Joe (L Entry 16)
Shabby Art boutique: Create-grow-gather 712 (L Entry 19x)
Crazy Little Love Birds: Link party Fri (Entry )
Pams Party: Dare to share (m Entry 24)
Huisvlijt: Huisvlijt Party Sun (Entry 10)
Nixpixmix: Sunday Best (l Entry )
The house on Silverado: Sun on Silverado 286 (Entry 1 of 88.)
Ducks n a Row: Happiness is Homemade Sun a (Entry )
Life and Linda: Dishing it Digging it 342 (l Entry 11)
A pinch of joy: Busy Sun 708 (l Entry 1)
Jaipur Gardening: Garden Affair Sun (Entry )
Sew can do: Craftastic Mon Su 458 (Entry 4x)
A Labour of Love: Happiness is Homemade 622 (Entry 4 of 125.)
Esmesalon: Salon Pit Stop Mon 4a (Entry)
Pienilintu Finland: Wed around the World (monthly)
Life tales books: Will blog for Comments Mon (bi-week)
Create with Joy: Inspire me Sun-Mon (monthly)
Sherrys Pickings: In My Kitchen Feb (m Entry 4 of 14.)
Grace Filled Moments: Sweet Tea Friends monthly (Entry 10, 113 monthly)
945644
On resolutions, wrap-up, WOY, Tops
blogging philosophy
I have three large categories of posts:
China hutches, Mosaics, and Travel.
