Your point that our reasons for returning can evolve over time feels really important. Maybe that's what keeps a practice from becoming a routine. The practice stays the same, but we don't.
That’s the idea, John. Coming back with new reasons and from different perspectives can keep the practice feeling fresh & intentional. I appreciate you taking the time to give it a read!
I had started journaling before my concussions as something to leave for my children. Post-concussion the journal and now Substack has become therapy. It is how I process the ups and downs and how my life has changed.
I really struggle going back and reading some of my first post-concussion notes. While it does give me a sense of progress, it is hard reliving those moments so I try to not look back.
Because of your post, I did go back and revisit the first ones. I could see I was trying to be upbeat, much more than I remember. At the same time, I could see the struggle; the days I was unable to speak, ones where I could only work a half hour, and, more so, just the struggle to write coherent thoughts. Those were dark times. A better man than me would celebrate the progress, the broken one tries to avoid those memories. For now, I think I will stay in the present and just continue the daily data dump. 😀
I appreciate your trust & willingness to explore this exercise. For what it’s worth, I don’t think choosing not to revisit those pages makes you broken, or that a better man would force himself to celebrate what they contain.
Those entries sound painful, and rereading isn’t something you automatically owe the practice. I’m glad going back helped you see some of the effort and progress you couldn’t always see then.
Staying present and continuing the daily data dump sounds like a perfectly good reason to return right now. Really appreciate you sharing your experience & giving it a shot!
I really appreciate this post. Journaling has quietly become one of the most important parts of my life too, though I didn’t always keep up the practice. For a long time, I understood the benefits in theory but never really made it a habit. Then, something just clicked, and now my journal is where I go to get everything out of my head and onto paper. It’s such a flexible tool—sometimes it’s full of scattered thoughts, other times it’s a space for reflection or clarity. I don’t journal every single day, but I do find myself coming back to it regularly, and looking back at old entries always reminds me how much I’ve grown. It’s amazing how something so simple can offer so many different kinds of value. Thank you for putting this into words so beautifully.
Thank you, Christine! What you described feels like the heart of what I was trying to say…like your practice became easier to return to once it became personally useful, not simply because you knew it was supposed to be good for you. I also love that you don’t ask the journal to serve the same purpose every time. That flexibility gives the practice so much value! As always, I appreciate you reading along & adding such value to the conversation!
I agree with all that you have mentioned. It feels good to know your thoughts and insights. I have also been journaling for many years, although it began as diary entries when I was younger. I believe discipline and commitment to oneself are important. On days when I didn’t feel like journaling, I would record voice notes instead, because the important thing was to continue the practice of self-reflection.
I really like the flexibility in this. You maintained the commitment to reflection without insisting it always had to happen on the page. That feels closely related to what I’m exploring here…the reason for returning can remain meaningful even when the form changes! Thanks for sharing this, Raji!
Cory, I really enjoyed this.
Your point that our reasons for returning can evolve over time feels really important. Maybe that's what keeps a practice from becoming a routine. The practice stays the same, but we don't.
Thanks for sharing this.
That’s the idea, John. Coming back with new reasons and from different perspectives can keep the practice feeling fresh & intentional. I appreciate you taking the time to give it a read!
I had started journaling before my concussions as something to leave for my children. Post-concussion the journal and now Substack has become therapy. It is how I process the ups and downs and how my life has changed.
I really struggle going back and reading some of my first post-concussion notes. While it does give me a sense of progress, it is hard reliving those moments so I try to not look back.
Because of your post, I did go back and revisit the first ones. I could see I was trying to be upbeat, much more than I remember. At the same time, I could see the struggle; the days I was unable to speak, ones where I could only work a half hour, and, more so, just the struggle to write coherent thoughts. Those were dark times. A better man than me would celebrate the progress, the broken one tries to avoid those memories. For now, I think I will stay in the present and just continue the daily data dump. 😀
I appreciate your trust & willingness to explore this exercise. For what it’s worth, I don’t think choosing not to revisit those pages makes you broken, or that a better man would force himself to celebrate what they contain.
Those entries sound painful, and rereading isn’t something you automatically owe the practice. I’m glad going back helped you see some of the effort and progress you couldn’t always see then.
Staying present and continuing the daily data dump sounds like a perfectly good reason to return right now. Really appreciate you sharing your experience & giving it a shot!
I really appreciate this post. Journaling has quietly become one of the most important parts of my life too, though I didn’t always keep up the practice. For a long time, I understood the benefits in theory but never really made it a habit. Then, something just clicked, and now my journal is where I go to get everything out of my head and onto paper. It’s such a flexible tool—sometimes it’s full of scattered thoughts, other times it’s a space for reflection or clarity. I don’t journal every single day, but I do find myself coming back to it regularly, and looking back at old entries always reminds me how much I’ve grown. It’s amazing how something so simple can offer so many different kinds of value. Thank you for putting this into words so beautifully.
Thank you, Christine! What you described feels like the heart of what I was trying to say…like your practice became easier to return to once it became personally useful, not simply because you knew it was supposed to be good for you. I also love that you don’t ask the journal to serve the same purpose every time. That flexibility gives the practice so much value! As always, I appreciate you reading along & adding such value to the conversation!
I agree with all that you have mentioned. It feels good to know your thoughts and insights. I have also been journaling for many years, although it began as diary entries when I was younger. I believe discipline and commitment to oneself are important. On days when I didn’t feel like journaling, I would record voice notes instead, because the important thing was to continue the practice of self-reflection.
I really like the flexibility in this. You maintained the commitment to reflection without insisting it always had to happen on the page. That feels closely related to what I’m exploring here…the reason for returning can remain meaningful even when the form changes! Thanks for sharing this, Raji!