The one-sentence journaling method
Have you heard of the "one-sentence journaling" method? Limit your journal expectations to one sentence a day, and you can simplify your expectations. You are less likely to feel overwhelmed, procrastinate, or burn out when you keep your journal entry so concise.
Keeping a record about each day, even with just a few words, can do wonders for your mindfulness and savouring of memories. Sometimes the idea of keeping a proper journal can feel daunting. When you make it a goal to write just one full sentence about the day, it may seem more doable.
Whether you are going through a major celebration, a challenging life event, or a simple and calm point in your life, it is worth writing down a little something about it every day. When you look back or reminisce with others as you page through your journal at a future time, you can get a feel for that time in your life with just a few words. Your memory will be jogged and the feelings may return. It is a lovely thing to look back on life in such a streamlined way.
Perhaps you have started journals in the past that you were determined to keep going, beginning strong with several descriptive pages for a week or so. Then, it dwindled off, and sadly became too much of a chore to keep up. "I'll fill in a few pages tomorrow," you promised yourself. Life gets busy and we get distracted. You don't want it to be a job -- you want it to be a keepsake. Turn your journaling into something easier and more pleasant.
Make it a fun challenge for yourself each evening to sum up your day in one sentence. You may not cover all the details of your day's events, but you will mention something that mattered. Looking back on several days or weeks during this time will help you remember how it all felt and your memories will fill in the missing information. Each brush stroke (each sentence) can add up and give you a complete painting of a certain phase of your life.
Reliving daily moments and "big picture" phases can help everyone become more thoughtful, introspective, and happier in life overall. Writing about personal experiences is known to boost one's memory and mood. Give the one-sentence-a-day journal method a try and see if it turns into your preferred diary.
