I have been planning this post for so long and I’m thrilled that the time has finally come to sit back, reflect, and relish in the fact that I have been actively journaling for TEN YEARS of my life. In July of 2011 a family friend gifted me my first real journal–a gorgeous lavender piece made from Italian leather. I’d had notebooks and plenty of other “journals” before, but there was something about being entrusted with what I viewed such an “adult” format that inspired my eleven-year-old self to sit down and start recording her thoughts. On July 14th, 2011 I started journaling and to date I haven’t stopped.
Over the course of the past decade I’ve journaled in eleven total journals…although one remains unfinished because I found the page style cumbersome and one remains unfinished because I am still actively using it! So roughly one journal a year on average–although it has varied. My journals are an absolute amalgamation of collages, lists, reflections, story writing, dream recollections, lists, Harry Potter fanfiction, poems, playlists, mood boards, habit trackers…the list goes on. I’ve never been discriminatory with the type of materials that can go in my journals; I’ve included ticket stubs and receipts, and articles, and blog posts, and programs…I could go on. I’ve also used many different styles of journals, from lined, to blank, to dotted…most recently I’ve settled that the Leuchtturm1917 Dotted journals are my favorites. Subject to change in the future!
My journals continue to be my absolute prized possessions. I legitimately am considering purchasing a fireproof safe to place them in–not for fear that my family will snoop (although that has crossed my mind) but more for the long term safety of the journals. I hope to continue collecting them for the rest of my life…and then there’s a part of me that wonders if a special collection somewhere would be interested in them…I don’t know. Maybe that’s self-centered of me? But ultimately, my journals are for me. There is NOTHING like looking back on how I reacted to a world event or an event in my life. There is NOTHING like the melodramatic musings of a twelve-year old, or fourteen-year-old, or even nine-teen-year-old…but especially when the melodramatic young person is yourself!
I’m confident that after making it ten years, journaling will continue to be part of my life for a very long time. It is one of the most consistent things that I pursue and it is only exceeded in length by my vegetarianism (since age nine, so to date twelve years), my piano playing (since age five, so to date sixteen years), and my love of reading (since age zero…baby Mary loved books).
Below I’ve shared some excerpts from the past ten years. Particularly personal reflections have been excluded, but there’s still plenty of embarrassing material you are welcome to peruse. 😉
Do you journal? Have you considered it?
from my 2021 book bullet journaling 
left: the style I wanted to cut my pixie in 8th grade (which I did do…donating my hair at a Marissa Meyer book launch event). Right: signature practice 
two doodles from junior year I think? (2016-2017) 
summer 2020 book review notes and personal reflections 
notes from church and Harry Potter doodles 
quintessential notes on why to become vegan
