What is a Decade Journal, and Why Make One?
What is a Decade Journal?
The Decade Journal is a multiple-year journal briefly capturing each day's events. On a single page, there will be an accumulation of the past years' memories on each day, each holiday, each birthday, etc. This process provides many benefits, and I will share some of them over the next few months.
Why Make One?
Our brain is a powerful tool, and as we make multiple "hits" to a particular memory event, it "cements" it in our memory "file." We are actually "remembering" the day's events four times as we do the journal entry. The process is a mental one, and actual writing being usually only a brief two to four sentences.
Each day, you do the 3R's of the Decade Journal entry. You write a brief paragraph about the most important or memorable things that occurred that day. As you utilized two to four lines each day, and repeat the action each year on that day, the Decade Journal would capture a decade of your life.
Start anytime. Whatever the day is today, you can write on the appropriate page number. Are uou are going to start on March 21? Simply start writing your entries on page 81. If you don't start until March 31, just start on page 91. If you miss a day or two? Again, just write TODAY, on the page that is assigned to that day.
Next year's entry will be on the same page, and so forth. So, as the years go by, on a single page you will have a record of what has happened every year for the past three to ten years (whatever fits on the page, and any "continuation" page you have assigned for that day).
If you want to have drawings, sketches, or "carry over" sheets, you can assign space on the pages from 367 onward to the back of the record book.
The Decade Journal that I use and recommend is a 500 page bound large size record book, with pre-numbered pages, containing 30 or so lines on each page. It is pretty inexpensive on Amazon. It is hard-covered and you can decorate the exterior, leave it as is, or make or purchase a cover. Affiliate link is below, and without changing your cost, if you order using the link, I may earn a small affiliate fee.
What is a Decade Journal?
The Decade Journal is a multiple-year journal briefly capturing each day's events. On a single page, there will be an accumulation of the past years' memories on each day, each holiday, each birthday, etc. This process provides many benefits, and I will share some of them over the next few months.
Why Make One?
Our brain is a powerful tool, and as we make multiple "hits" to a particular memory event, it "cements" it in our memory "file." We are actually "remembering" the day's events four times as we do the journal entry. The process is a mental one, and actual writing being usually only a brief two to four sentences.
- REVIEW: Mentally review the the days' events, and
- SORT: Mentally weigh importance and sort the events into an order for writing them down, then
- RECORD: Compose and write the event down, and finally
- REFLECT: Thinking about your own goals and priorities, and overlaying the day's activities, reflect on how the day impacted your vision of what we want to achieve.
- Review the day we have lived, compared to the lofty goals and priorities we would like to achieve.
- Record the "different" events that are not part of the ordinary, usual routine. These are the "marker events" that we can use a memory markers.
- Reflect: This is important, as our brain is engaged to do what it does best: reconcile & solve problems. Without tremendous effort, as we continue to bring our thoughts to the reality of each day, compared to our goals, objectives and purposes we desire, our brain brings forth potential solutions. This is a powerful change that the Decade Journal will create for you.
- Over the next few months, as we go begin building our Decade Journal, we will go some things that help us to crystallize and enable us to verbalize our priorities, goals, objectives, and values. At this moment, maybe we can't clearly state our priorities or goals. That is okay. It takes time to develop our "mission statement" for our own personal and family life. But, this process is tremendously helpful. It is like creating a brick fence. Each brick isn't large. But, layer upon layer, the bricks accumulate, and the fence is formed. It creates a separation from the things you want, and the things you don't want, clearly defining YOUR values and purpose.
Each day, you do the 3R's of the Decade Journal entry. You write a brief paragraph about the most important or memorable things that occurred that day. As you utilized two to four lines each day, and repeat the action each year on that day, the Decade Journal would capture a decade of your life.
Start anytime. Whatever the day is today, you can write on the appropriate page number. Are uou are going to start on March 21? Simply start writing your entries on page 81. If you don't start until March 31, just start on page 91. If you miss a day or two? Again, just write TODAY, on the page that is assigned to that day.
Next year's entry will be on the same page, and so forth. So, as the years go by, on a single page you will have a record of what has happened every year for the past three to ten years (whatever fits on the page, and any "continuation" page you have assigned for that day).
If you want to have drawings, sketches, or "carry over" sheets, you can assign space on the pages from 367 onward to the back of the record book.
The Decade Journal that I use and recommend is a 500 page bound large size record book, with pre-numbered pages, containing 30 or so lines on each page. It is pretty inexpensive on Amazon. It is hard-covered and you can decorate the exterior, leave it as is, or make or purchase a cover. Affiliate link is below, and without changing your cost, if you order using the link, I may earn a small affiliate fee.
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