Jeanne Selep's Selep Imaging Blog: Journaling 2025 and 2026

Saturday, January 31, 2026

Journaling 2025 and 2026

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.

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?

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.

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.

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?)

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...)

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!

My Seashell Mirror

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Here is a list of my top posts from 2025. Do you remember seeing any of these?

1. My Seashell Mirror

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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 xxx (Entry )
Lisa Howeler: Weekend Traffic Jam Thur (Entry )
Rachel Swirl: Sunday Snapshot (Entry )
Mostly blogging: Inspire me Mon 9a (Entry )
My Random: Anything Goes (Entry )
Good Random Fun: Good Fun Mon 4a (m Entry )
*BNOTP: Metamorphis Monday 6a (s Entry )
Holly pinklady: Hello Mon (l Entry )
Loulougirls: Fabulous-party Mon 1p (l Entry )
Keeping it Real: Party (Entry )
Wisdoms+Wrinkles: Wisdoms Party Tue (Entry )
Mersad photography: Thru my Lens (Entry )
Altered book lover: T Tuesday (Entry *)
Kristin at Uncommon Slice: Inspire Me Mon 2-4p (m Entry )
* 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 r)
Stonecottageadventures: Tues with a twist (l Entry )
Stonecottageadventures: You're the star (l Entry )
Flusterbuster: Creative Muster 5p Tues (l Entry x)
Studio27 - Jennifer: Wed Studio 16 (Entry )
Artsy Mama: Team Creative Crafts (Entry )
Eclectic Red Barn: Wonderful Wed (Entry r)
Also Ducks n a Row: Wonderful Wed (m Entry r)
Grandmas house: Grandmas house Wed (m Entry )
Artsy mama: Artsy Party Wed 10a (Entry )
My world Thru My Lens: My Corner Wed (Entry )
Fifth Sparrow No More: Whimsy Home (Entry )
Our Hopeful Home: Vintage Charm Wed (m Entry )
Simple Life Mom: Homestead Blog Hop Wed (Entry )
Studio27 - Jennifer: Wed Studio 16 (m Entry x of )
Karins Kottage: Linky Party (Entry )
Pennys Passion: Thinking out Loud Thur (Entry )
French Ethereal: Share Your Style Wed 6p (Entry b)
Try It Like It: Creatively Crafty Th (Entry)
KatherinesCorner: Th Fav Things 10a (Entry )
Also Follow the yellow brick: TFT 10a (Entry )
Its a small town life: Thankful Th 24 (Entry)
Roentare: Water Thursday (l Entry )
Modern on Monticello: Home matters Fri (s Entry )
Answer is choco: BFF open house Thur (Entry )
Coastal Bohemian: Funtastic Thur 8p (i Entry )
Pieced Pastimes.gr: Saturday Sparks Fr 8a (L Entry )
Countyroad 407: Farmhouse Fri 325 (Entry )
Fiesta Friday: Fiesta Fri (Entry )
Skyley: Skywatch Fri (Entry )
Momfessionals: Fri Favorites (Entry )
Cottagemarket: A morning cup of Joe (L Entry )
Shabby Art boutique: Create-grow-gather (L Entry )
Crazy Little Love Birds: Link party Fri (Entry )
Rambling Woods2: Nature Notes Fri (Entry )
Funkyjunkinteriors: DIY Salvaged Fri (Entry )
Pams Party: Dare to share (m Entry 24)
Weekend Reflection: reflections (Entry)
Huisvlijt: Huisvlijt Party Sun (Entry)
Nixpixmix: Sunday Best (l Entry )
The house on Silverado: Sun on Silverado 7a (Entry )
Ducks n a Row: Happiness is Homemade Sun a (Entry )
Life and Linda: Dishing it Digging it Sun 2p (l Entry )
A pinch of joy: Busy Sun 6p (l Entry )
Jaipur Gardening: Garden Affair Sun (Entry )
Sew can do: Craftastic Mon Su (Entry )
A Labour of Love: Happiness is Homemade 622 (Entry 4)
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)
Grace Filled Moments: Sweet Tea Friends monthly (Entry 10 monthly)

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