On keeping a journal |
Hi! My journaling app (Day One) says Iāve been updating it daily for 1,229 days in a row. Thatās something, I dare not figure out how many words that amount to. Keeping a daily journal is beneficial to me. Sometimes I look back, sure, but thatās not the primary reason I keep doing it. No, itās because it makes me contemplate the day, and while doing that, I try to figure out how Iāve been. That includes physically, mentally, and towards my family and fellow humans. I donāt want to rush through every day, never changing. I think I did that for a while, Iām sorry to say, and that certainly wasnāt good for me, nor, Iād wager, my relationships. It definitely made me lose focus of my goals, and Iām struggling with that, still. Keeping a journal just to ask yourself if youāre moving in the right direction is reason enough for me. Doing it on a daily basis, even if itās only a short note or a single sentence at times, works better than doing it irregularly. I used to do it weekly when I felt that the daily journal entries became too mundane, it wasnāt compelling reading and I had this idea that Iād enjoy reading my journal in the distant future. Thatās all the wrong reasons for keeping a journal, Iāve come to realize, so now itās dull and raw. I have added extra data points for easy querying the past six months or so. Theyāre tags that notes different things I struggle with, or want to keep track of. Itās personal, but it could be things like working out or staying clear of an evening snack. To me, this works just as well, if not better, than the various streaks apps out there, and Iāve had success with them, too. This, alongside being able to attach photos, is the strength of a dedicated journaling app, as opposed to raw text files. Itās why I havenāt moved my journal yet, despite all my misgivings (see issue 22). If youāve been struggling to keep a journal, I urge you to give it another go. It doesnāt need to be an interesting read, youāre not writing for an audience. Itās the process, and being honest with yourself about your day, thatās the key. And the crazy 1,000+ daily streak, of course. Linkageš David Pierce has had similar problems regarding keeping a journal, at least from a technical point of view. š§ Microsoftās web browser, Edge, famous for the new chatbot, and for replacing Internet Explorer, is leaking data to the Bing search engine, it seems. If youāre interested in privacy for your search, consider switching to Duck Duck Go. šµ Mobile Phone Museum is a fun little site. I find it sad that all mobile phones today are so similar. There was a time when this and this could coexist, and while it wasnāt better in any way, it was at least more fun. Got something I should read? Send it to me, either by replying to this letter, or tweeting to @tdh. Thanks! Iām sending this to you from a lovely desk in an even lovelier hotel in Berlin, Germany. Itās been over 25 years since I was here last, and now I wonder why that was. Canāt wait to get back here, but for now, Iām going to see what the last day has to offer. Iāll email you again next week. Take care. ā Thord D. Hedengren ā” Did you enjoy this issue of The Bored Horse? Feel free to forward it to a friend, or point them to the subscription page. Thank you! š |