Daily Journal Experiment

Today I started an experiment to keep a daily journal through the end of the year. The first entry (reposted below) explains why and how. I am cross posting here for some additional accountability. I know that there will be days when I want to skip. I am hoping that the possibility of someone asking about my experiment will help me push through.

2023-11-22 Personal Journal Experiment

With this entry, I am starting an experiment to keep a daily personal journal. My goal is to establish and maintain a habit that will: 1) Make writing easier. The more you do anything, the easier it gets. With writing, practice helps me establish my voice and organize my thoughts. 2) Cultivate my ideas and creativity. I am happiest when my head is full of ideas. But often thoughts pass before I get around to explore and elaborate them to the point where they are worth sharing with others. 3) Encourage myself to reflect on my experiences. I don't learn from experience. I learn from thinking about what I experience. Reflection gives me an opportunity to associate my experience with greater context.

How will I do it?

Since, I am already a Bullet Journal devotee, I will add raw thoughts to my Daily Log. I will block off 30 minutes at the end of each day to write an entry in Evernote (one note per entry). Some of the entries will be refined, expanded, or combined for posts on my public blog.

Why don't I suck it up and post on my public blog every day?

I'm too chicken. I want a safe space to play with ideas that I might disagree with a day later.

Why not use one of those cool journalling apps?

I want to leverage the tools and habits that I already have and I want the content to be integrated with the rest of my life rather than fragmented in some other place.

How polished will the journal entries be?

Journal entries will be polished enough to give voice to an idea. They should be "conversation quality:" coherent enough to share with a friend that is interested in the same topic. No fever dream rambles or short hand notes.

How long will I do this?

I am going to pilot the daily journal until the end of 2023. If it achieves the benefits listed above (or some other values that I don't expect), I will create a 2024 goal to continue.