Last year I kept a diary, it was a monumental year for us in many ways. Some were very big 'firsts' ...most good, some not so, but I think I already knew it was going to be a year that I needed to document in some way, we knew we'd want to look back on it for lots of reasons.

So as I opened the new diary for 2018 I was ready to record everything that was coming our way.

I didn't want it to feel like a chore, like I had to keep it (as diaries so often made me feel) but I did try to be fairly consistent. There are a cluster of days here and there that have remained blank; health or life must have got in the way, not the end of the world though.

Anyway, it got me thinking. I've realised the thing that's made me jittery about diaries in the past, is how they have the ability to make me feel on the days that have been left blank. I think that [in my mind] a diary is closely related to a 'to do' list ...and they have the ability to leave me feeling guilty if I don't manage to cross off every last task (and more!)

So with this in mind, this year I've gone one step further and I have a new book. It's a pretty little notebook with blank pages. No diary format just a little box at the top to write in a date (if needed). The beauty about this little book is that it will simply document all the things we achieve over the following months but, and here's the big thing for me, as the pages do not follow on in dated format, if there are days when I do not need or feel unable to add anything it won't leave blank pages shouting "you missed a day you missed a day you failed!"

I have called it my To 'Done' List as it will only include a list of our [completed] achievements and NOTHING negative. I'll include the day to day jobs which normally go unnoticed but are nevertheless still achievements in their own right (especially some days!) but will all add up to be a quick reminder of how much was achieved, without the need to write an entire page (just because 'that happens to be the size of the diary') No, this is a smaller relation, content with just half a page, or just as happy if one day spills over a couple of pages. It's been nearly a month now and I have to say I haven't felt the pressure I've felt with traditional diaries.

Only a small thing I know but I wanted to share it with you all.

Do you keep a journal or would a To Done List be gentler for you?

Rosemary

A Moodscope member