Personal Diary

Over the past decade or so, I have been writing random notes and thoughts in black Moleskine notebooks. Every now and then, I would take out a pen and jot something down. These notes were a collection of thoughts, plans, to-do lists, goals, and random notes of all kinds.

Over time, I became more disciplined with my diary entries. I wrote almost every day and invested in nice pens and quality ink. Writing with those pens was a joy. I couldn’t wait for the moment to make a nice cup of coffee on a Saturday morning, sit down in front of a blank piece of paper, and write. Or to settle into my seat on a long flight and have the peace and quiet to jot down anything that came to mind. It was writing for the sake of writing, and because of this, I would start a sentence on one topic and end it on another. I never thought I would go back and read my diary entries, and I still don’t.

As the years went by, the quality of my writing diminished. This was partly because I didn’t have any rules or discipline in my writing process. Over time, my diary entries became longer form pieces and ramblings about “things I want to do,” often repeating the same things over and over. The pages became messy, and the paragraphs less coherent.

I decided that something needed to change.

Firstly, I wanted my diary entries to be useful (to me) in the future. At the very least, I didn’t want to be ashamed of them. I wanted to go back to a diary entry and see what kind of person I was then and how much I have changed. In the process, I hoped that I could see how my thoughts have developed in certain areas.

Secondly, by being more disciplined about the quality of my writing, I would have an opportunity to slow down and reflect on the experiences I had during the day. I could soak in great books, pieces of art, music, or poetry, and examine my surroundings in more detail and in my own words. This would reduce rushing and only skimming the surface.

Thirdly, I wanted my diary to be a database of my own questions and curiosities. There are often questions rattling around in my mind that don’t go away. They bubble up to the surface, then sink, then bubble up again, triggered by different experiences. I think that if done properly, a diary can help work through those questions by writing them down with sincere honesty, revisiting them in the future, and updating your answers and views. More importantly, in the process, you become a more disciplined and critical thinker.

With this in mind, I decided to embark on a fresh approach to my diary.