When I was a child I had a five-year diary. It was black velvet (which still sets my teeth on edge) with a picture of a ballerina on the front. Then there was a little brass lock and a tiny key so that you could lock all your secrets away from prying eyes Do you have any secrets at ten years old? I found it recently in the loft and couldn’t wait to see what I had written.
Sadly the first few pages said things like
“Didn’t go to school, had a bad cough”
“Played netball in P.E”
“Visited grandma and grandad”
Then, the next four and a half years were completely blank.
No! I never did have much willpower!
Maybe I was having such a good time growing up that I was too busy to write down my innermost thoughts (maybe not)
Looking back I regret not writing in that diary, We forget so much, and even the mundane things can stir up childhood memories.
Perhaps we should encourage younger people to keep journals?
Then everyone had to have a Filofax. A leather bound wallet bulging with appointments, meetings, lists, contacts, you name it, and it had to be carried around like a badge of honour. The bigger the Filofax the more successful, popular, busy and important you were. (That’s what I thought anyway)
These became unfashionable and you rarely see anyone with a Filofax now, because we all went paperless. Every reminder, telephone number, shopping list, school fete went into a small compact mobile phone.
The trees could survive!
Until now…..
because diaries are back, but they have a new name.
Life Planners, Bullet Journals, Day Books.
Pinterest is awash with these bright, eye-catching notebooks. There is one for every occasion..wedding planner, travel, academic journal, pregnancy, new baby etc
It’s trendy to write everything down again!
Not only that, we are encouraged to fill them with printables, stencils, stickers and use a different colour pen for each day of the week. The cover should have an uplifting quote on the front and users should do a course in calligraphy to make it more appealing to the eye.
There needs to be personal artwork (doodles), thought bubbles with life changing ideas, travel notes, life hacks, motivational quotes and deep, meaningful writing.
“Went to work” just doesn’t cut it!
Don’t forget the habit tracker, goal assessment, achievement charts and whole life planner.
It all has to fit into a vertical photograph which can be posted on Pinterest for others to admire.
You should also have an inspiring desk, sorry workplace, to use when filling your journal. A selection of stationery will be needed, along with pens, pencils etc. A plant seems to be mandatory too, maybe a peace lily!
Here is a poem I wrote about all the things we have to remember to do in our busy lives
Don’t Forget
The message board hangs on the kitchen wall
With post it notes in penciled scrawl
Children’s pictures on magnetic strips
Parties, injections, and fishing trips
That silly hat in a photo booth
And how to ‘Make your Custard Smooth’
A takeaway menu for lazy nights
Dental appointments and wedding invites
Notes of dietary inspirations
Meaningful verse and wise quotations
‘”Sponsor me in a Charity Run ?”
Reminder to get my highlights done
A coupon with pizzas half the price
Cakes to bake and slimming advice
A membership card for the gym
Karate lessons and a sponsored swim
Colour charts to paint a room
Worming tablets and fur to groom
Reminder to buy pasta, bread and cheese
In kiddy scrawl “and sum choclat pleas”
So, as you can see , it would not be true
If I ever said I had nothing to do!
Kate Hanford
This post contains affiliate links, for more information please visit this page
All photos courtesy of Erin Condren
I understand the importance of having a diary. 20 years later when you’ll open it, you’ll be swept away by all those memories. But sadly if I’ll open my diary I would hardly find something to read because I find it so hard to write continuously in a diary. However I do like writing in bullet journals.
Yeah, it can seem mundane at the time but always brings the memories flooding back when you read it later.I always have good intentions but never get past January!
Same here.