In the summer of 2023 I decided to start keeping a journal at the young age of 40. The idea of physically writing down my thoughts of day to day life, recording ideas, and sketching have always appealed to me but I’ve never took the initiative to do so. Maybe I thought it was too much to keep up with, maybe it wasn’t manly enough and I didn’t want anyone to know… Whatever the reason was, I wish I would have started much earlier.
I bought some black Field Notes notebooks with the dot graph paper, a notebook cover/case, a Zebra F-301 compact ink pen, and a Kodak step mini photo printer that has the peel and stick photo paper. I wanted to mainly just keep a journal and place pictures in it like a photo album to look back on or pass down one day when I’m gone. Like a closer look into my life, something to keep private until later on. If you notice the blue ink on the pages in the pictures that is from a fountain pen that my girlfriend got me for Christmas. I also love writing with that pen. We could completely go down a rabbit hole with fountain pens and ink but that’s for another post.
When to write? This was something I’ve found that varies day to day. Mostly I write at nighttime. It’s a time for me to relax and reflect on the day and what has happened that stood out to me. There’s something about pouring a glass of Chardonnay or your favorite whiskey and grabbing a pen and writing. It’s a chance to get it out of my head and onto paper. It’s a release and kind of a way to give yourself permission to exhale and take a load off. There are times where I may grab my notebook and sketch out of boredom or write something important down during the day but mainly my journaling is done at night.
My system: Find something that stands out from the day. Is it a thought? A picture? A sketch? An event? I write the date at the top and sometimes the time and then I start writing a few lines from the top. If it’s a sketch I still write the date and then begin my sketch anywhere on the paper. I use watercolors for some sketches and go the extra mile. When I do I have to use a small heater or hair dryer to dry the page afterwards. Sometimes it’s a picture that I print off and stick on the page and then write a paragraph about the photo. Anything else is fair game as well. I’ve seen people also make collages and paste a lot of different cut outs from magazines and even tape or glue leaves, pine needles, or insects to a page. Just write and document.
Multiple Notebooks: Besides journaling I have other notebooks I have started which are dedicated to certain things. I have a notebook in each of my trucks to keep up with mileage and routine maintenance, one in my shop where I write down settings for my laser engraver and measurements. I also have one that is solely for daily notes or things I need to get done (bills, grocery lists, phone numbers, etc…).
What do I need to get started? You don’t have to have anything fancy to get started journaling. Just a notebook or notepad and a pen. I chose the extra stuff to accommodate pictures from day to day life. I wanted my actual journal to have photos like a classic photo album but much smaller and easy to take along with me. If you don’t want to spend the money on Field Notes brand notebooks then you can always go to Dollar General and pick up those mini composition notebooks. I think a 3 pack is only $1. Don’t put too much thought into it, just do it. I have listed all of the items I use at the end of this post below, with links. Get started and you’ll figure out what sticks and works for you. You have to do it to figure it out. Just write and don’t throw anything away. You have to make mistakes to see what feels right and what doesn’t.
Taking Pictures: Something I have been doing since my move to Lake Waccamaw in 2017 is taking pictures daily. At first I had started off with just my phone and then worked my way up into nicer cameras over time. I normally go on a bike ride first thing in the morning or go jogging and take a camera with me. This is my time to study the art of photography and to train my eye to see things in a different way than I ever have. This exercise has not only helped me to take better photos but it has helped me to be more observant of my surroundings and to see things in an artistic manner. Taking pictures is not just capturing a moment in time but it’s a way to see the world in a different light. I like pairing taking pictures with journaling and having that visual element to story telling. You don’t need a fancy camera just use what you’ve got and have fun. I have an old Canon 1D Mark ii with a 40mm pancake lens that is a blast to shoot on!
Benifits: I have found that writing and taking pictures has helped me in quite a few areas in my daily life.
- My penmanship has improved.
- My visual observation has been trained now to see more than meets the eye.
- I retain information much better when “I write it down”.
- It’s a fun way to document life to look back on or to leave to loved ones to have a look inside your life one day.
- It creates discipline.
- It’s therapeutic.
- You are creating art.
- It gets rid of distractions and gives your mind a moment to reflect and observe the moment.
If you are on the fence about getting started please feel free to comment with any questions you may have. Also, If you have recently picked up writing, journaling, sketching, or photography please leave a comment and let me know what your system is and how it has helped you in your day to day life. When I got started I searched all over the internet to see how people were using their notebooks to get ideas from, so hearing these ideas could help the next person. Thank you for reading and I hope you got something from this.
Listed below are all of the items I use to journal.
Field Notes Notebook: https://amzn.to/4cukZDv
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