7/27/2023
Journaling and goal setting, for the eccentric:
Do you like to play life fast and loose? Are you just as likely to follow the herd as you are to be outcast for your unorthodox opinions on ritual sacrifice? And most importantly, is maintaining straightforward goals and plans a tall order for on the best of days? If so, I sure hope you have a journal to anchor you some.
For me it’s been legitimately life changing to have one with every week getting a bit busier in all the best ways. It took a while to start one because I had always viewed journals more as log books/diaries and just never saw the appeal. That is until I worked a bullshit job for a bit, and only had my wits and a journal to keep me occupied. I racked my mind as to any sort of stimulating mental exercises I could engage in with only pencil and paper, and found more than I could ever imagine.
Once I week I spend an extended time (like an hour) brainstorming new experiences, objectives, habits and try to fill two pages with them. Then every day I look at the list and write as many as I think are possible on a separate notepad, and attempt to finish them. It’s a large mix of activities including: physical exercises, healthy eating, socializing, confidence building, learning, business, creative, and of course the strange side quests. Anything not finished that week is transferred to the next week, and there are no duplicate items.
It’s important not to beat yourself up about missing some from week to week, but to also make it a point to complete at least half of the leftover tasks and to prioritize the most overdue. On top of unstructured weekly planning, there is sporadic rambling throughout! I have a Homestuck classpects puff piece in the works, and a few other blog posts scattered throughout it. Of course the odd scribble here, drawing there, and even business ideas!
It’s done me wonders, maybe it will for you to? Maybe even throw out the traditional journal/diary format altogether if you’re a purist like I was. You might be surprised what you can think.