I mentioned back in February that I wanted to take stock of what my 2022 was going to look like, and had created a personal roadmap of what I wanted to focus on and implement into my life this year. Some of these have proved to be easier to work into my daily routine and habits and others are still a work in progress.  But we all know that Rome was not built in one day, and a fine wine needs time to mature and age to perfection.

Item six on my roadmap is Reflection: Journal the journey this year, have a voice and reflect, and embrace discipline in keeping a record of life’s adventures as it unfolds.  Now when I was putting this together in December 2021, I thought that this would be an easy one to pick-up and run with. What is so hard about starting a journal? Truth be told, there is nothing hard about STARTING a journal!  It has been the active process and discipline in keeping a regular record that is where I have fallen short.  

I have always been a more tactile person when it comes to keeping myself organized. Yes, an apple calendar is great for sharing in the household and knowing where each other is, but I do keep a penned calendar, and notebooks for lists, in a Travelers Notebook by my side. It’s comfortable and I find it works well.  Additionally, over the past year, I have embraced the Bullet Journal method within my agenda for managing my week and all that must be accomplished within it.  I really love this method. But its still not journaling… it is managing my day.

So, its time, to once again dust off that (new) journal, turn to the next page and embrace a new habit to journal the journey this year. Not to look at it as a failed attempt, but as a stepping-stone within journaling and to embrace that perfecting who I am as a person and a man takes time and an investment in my own way of doing things.  I think that some of the Bullet Journal methods I have learned will be utilized as I go forward with a comprehensive Journal to make it fun and an exciting part of my routine. As a man who tries to follow the readings of the stoic philosophers, I also found the Article on the Art of Journaling to be quite helpful in my preparation for this new chapter to unfold.

Editors Note:  If you are like me you may not be familiar with Bullet Journal, so check out their website to learn more about a great way to keep track of life. There is also this great Facebook group for Bullet Journal Beginners to give you some creative ideas and ask questions. Don’t worry you don’t have to be super crafty if you don’t want, its your journal! I am currently using a LEUCHTTURM1917 in this picture, however Hemlock and Oak (a Canadian Company) make a great bullet journal and so does Archer and Olive.