Chapter 1: The Journey Begins

For more than a decade, I have immersed myself in the practice of journaling. My fascination with diaries began in childhood, influenced by books that illustrated life through daily entries. This format resonated deeply with me, prompting me to start my own writing journey.

However, every time I revisited my earlier entries, I often questioned their value. Thoughts like, "What made me think this was worth writing down?" plagued my reflections. Despite this, I sensed that there was a deeper significance in my writing that I had yet to uncover. I persevered, holding onto the belief that I would eventually discover this "reflection gold."

Over these ten years, I’ve accumulated a collection of journals. While I didn't write daily, I managed to record my thoughts often enough—sometimes only quarterly. I would occasionally jot down reminders like, "It’s been three months since my last entry." Though it seems trivial, these notes served to recalibrate my expectations and offered a measure of forgiveness for missed writing periods.

As I sift through my past entries, I recognize that they reveal the emotional landscape of my life at various points. The more I express my feelings on paper, the clearer my thoughts become. I notice my heart's conflict between obligations and desires. I reflect on past grievances with friends, colleagues, or family, and I identify personal transformations I aimed for—and sometimes achieved. My journals have become tools for measuring my emotional growth.

Sometimes, nostalgia hits me, and I long for what I once deemed "better times." Yet, reviewing my journals provides perspective, reminding me that not everything was as perfect as it seemed. The present moment holds the most significance, as it is where I can effect change today.

Emotions are a universal experience, and I believe everyone feels deeply. Documenting my feelings allows me to understand myself better over time. It can be amusing to see how misguided my priorities were in the past, but at least now I have the clarity to recognize and learn from those moments.

Thus, I continue to write—simply for the joy of it.

Writing Tools: My preferred medium is a Midori A6 lined notebook, of which I have filled five so far and am currently using my sixth. I keep two more on hand in case they discontinue this model. Additionally, I maintain a Midori 5 Year Diary, which has yet to be filled as thoroughly as I anticipated. I plan to conduct another reflective review once it’s complete.

Lately, I have also explored other journaling formats, including the Tomoe River grid notebook and Hobonichi Weeks Mega, which cater more to my creative reflections. I’m still navigating how these different sizes influence my writing style, but I’ve started incorporating cutouts to add a fresh twist to my entries.

As for writing instruments, I enjoy a variety of fountain pens and inks, and I occasionally use ballpoint pens or pencils. I employ whatever is available for jotting down my thoughts, but when I want to indulge, I opt for my finest pens with vibrant, colorful inks. I have accumulated an excessive number of ink bottles, likely enough to last a lifetime—and yet, I still find it hard to resist acquiring more.

Joel Choong — trisected.com

The first video, "Reflecting (on reflecting)!" delves into the importance of self-reflection in journaling, offering insights on how it can enhance personal growth and understanding.

The second video, "The Power of Reflection: How Thinking Improves Learning & Performance," featuring Giada Di Stefano, discusses how reflective practices can boost learning and overall performance.