Journaling Journey

 Thank you Tacy for this birthday present!

First of all I just want to wish you a Merry Christmas! I hope you had a great day today with you loved ones. And some great food too! Man it's Christmas again. Christmas always reminds me about time. How the year is coming to an end and another one is coming upon us. A time of reflection, a time of looking back and forward. Which is in line with what I wanna talk about today: Journaling!

So I (horribly) failed to draw for 365 days of the year last year. I failed because I only drew for 173 pages of my drawing journal and the other 192 pages are filled with words. This is why at the end of 2015, I decided to go back to word-journaling haha. I feel more comfortable writing to be honest. Perhaps I'm just not born to become an artist. I really really can't draw. I love doodling though!

Anyway 2016 actually marked the 6th year that I've been doing journaling. Although in different forms, throughout these years. I started keeping a journal on October of 2010. The reason why I did this was actually because... I was guilty of buying so many notebooks which were left unused inside my drawer HAHAHA. Bad habit I know, no worries I've stopped buying notebooks. In fact my 2016 journal is a notebook I bought in New York 4 years ago! And I already have 2017 one prepared.

So I kept a journal from October 2010 - December 2011, followed by my 365 journal in 2012, another journal for 2013-2014. In 2014 I also did my Project365 which I consider as "digital journaling". And in 2015 I did my (kinda failed) draw everyday project and now, back to writing. I don't journal on a daily basis except for 2012 and 2015. I try to write at least once a week for the others.

This year my goal was to write twice a week. In the beginning of the year everything went according to plan. But in the first third of the year, I started to slack and I didn't write twice a week. Until in October when I realised how many more pages I have left to write. That's when I decided to write every day from November to December onwards. It's doing great so far, still left with a few more pages though.

I truly enjoy journaling. Although it is not as "convenient" as blogging since you have to use a pen to write. It's kinda tiresome, especially for your hands. But I feel that journaling is very different from blogging in terms of feelings. It feels more intimate and close. When you re-read your journal entries, it gives a more special feeling than re-reading your blog posts. It's like re-visitng your private thoughts.

Also when it comes to blogging, you know people are going to read your posts. So sometimes when I write my blog posts, I always wonder how other people are going to think/feel when they read my posts. But in journaling I don't give a shit since it's mostly me who's going to read my entries haha. Not that I write any secretive things on my journal either. My journal entries are more random!

Just like a blog, my journal is "someone" whom I can talk to. They may not give me solutions to my problems but at least I can gather my thoughts here. Sometimes I am very very surprised at the things that I wrote inside my journal. In a good way of course, like holy shit I actually wrote this?! Haha. 

Sometimes I feel that journaling is some sort of meditation? Because you really let your feeling flow through on that piece of paper and you are sort of aware of these thoughts and feelings. It's a relaxing activity and something that will definitely help you in the long run. I've seen YouTube videos of people who do journal flip-throughs and they have been journaling for like 5 - 10 years. Wow!

Personally, I don't know if I can keep up this habit of mine. Times are getting busier and I don't know if I can still journal even on a weekly basis. Maybe once a week is still possible. I do hope to continue this though, because I really enjoy this. Come to think of it... This is what I do almost every night. It's my source of "entertainment" and how I wind down haha. So perhaps I should continue yes.

Right, that's all from me! If you're interested in journaling, it's never to late to start! Go grab a book, any book, and write the hell out of it. Just kidding, but yes just write whatever you feel like writing. You can draw, paint and do whatever you want. No one is stopping you. Have fun! :)