Finding something special in every day
This is inspired by Kae, Laura (who inspired Kae!), AND Jenny — because I think it fits in so well with the “Every Day Counts” theme.
I love the idea of identifying something special in each day (and, as a result, being on the lookout for that thing as the day unfolds plus spending time appreciating the day after it ends). Every day counts (and it’s one less day that you will get to live!) and every day has something to offer, even if:
- it doesn’t look like you expected it to
- you don’t feel your best
- the weather sucks
- you’re on call (haha, can you tell I have some of that coming?) or you have a baby/toddler/both and feel the strain and fatigue that feeling of lacking autonomy moment to moment can bring
- someone (in politics, at work, or in your personal life) is not acting the way you would prefer them to act
2025 . . . looks very different than I thought it would. Yesterday, Josh went out to dinner and we talked about some future travel and a marathon he is thinking of training for next year (Eugene) with our good friend from medical school. He (the friend) had made a bid to BQ at CIM in 2024 and he ended up missing by some tiny margin — frustrating!
Obviously, Josh going to run a race (and marathon train without me) is different than what I had envisioned and different from what we used to do, but it’s also fine! I do love the idea of him having some time with a close friend. (In part because I’m excited for my some of my own upcoming adventures with friends, too — and I want him to get to enjoy the same kind of connection and fun for himself.)
I love to plan (DUH) and find envisioning the future a valuable practice. AND, I think it’s important to hold space for things playing out differently and remembering that different doesn’t have to mean worse.
(Things can clearly be tragic and . . . objectively worse, too — thinking about recent horrific tragedies and sad events which happen all over the world, every single day. But even in the most devastating situations, people still alive on this earth have to pick up the pieces and make the most of what they have left. There is space for grieving and there is space for appreciating whatever is left and continuing to live like it matters.)
Anyway, when I thought about all of this I realized that I DO kind of perform this practice already — it’s in my 5 Year Journal that I try to write something (anything!) that set a given day apart. I don’t fill in EVERY space, but most of the time I do (and have become more consistent with time, i think).
(harder to find than one might think!)
Sometimes it’s something tiny, and sometimes it’s a huge life shakeup. Common themes in there are: being out in nature, accomplishing something satisfying (physical, creative, or just productive), meeting up with others (connection / love!), taking the occasional day to wallow/be gentle with myself on a lower mood day, celebrating (holidays, birthdays, end of school — you name it), and marveling at my kids’ various milestones, from learning to ski to starting kindergarten or middle school.
Today happens to be special because the kids are still at camp (until tomorrow) and because I have book club (in which we will discuss the extremely graphic and rather delightful Done and Dusted. DO NOT READ if you prefer to avoid open door romance scenes).
Maybe I’ll get an Every Day Counts tattoo. Or . . . maybe like a bracelet or necklace. Yeah, that is more my speed!
9 Comments
A kid free day and a spicy book club! Today’s journal entry is going to be epic. I can imagine (thinking about myself of course) that it would be hard to find a shareable page.
I finished Remarkably Bright Creatures yesterday and loved it! I don’t cry very often, but I did have to break out the kleenex at the end [spoiler: happy tears].
I love doing things with my husband, but I also love the things that we do apart. We have #couplesgoals and #sologoals. He is always going to be involved with the Boy Scouts on some level, and I want to travel – it’s not that he doesn’t want to travel but he also wants to be at home, and both can’t happen at the same time.
Here’s to making today and every day that comes after count!
Oh I loved that book too! And fun fact the author Shelby and I went to a concert together in North Carolina (Girl Talk, 2010, and it was epic). She and I were blog friends- she had a now many years defunct running blog and was a brilliant writer then too!
I have been debating getting a 5-year journal and now I am inspired to add an “Every Day Counts” moment to my entries. Where did you learn to write in different fonts? I’d also love to fancy up my current EDC with fancy fonts, but haven’t found a class near me.
Oh I am just improvising! Though I did do a quick hand lettering class once via Skillshare I believe. I’d love to learn to do more things- I’m not all that artistic but when I see some of the things people draw in their hobonichis I am blown away!
I need to take notes. I’m starting to burn out on my One Line A Day Journal (currently on Year 4).
Also, your handwriting is so neat and pretty!
I think the best thing is to remind yourself YOU CAN PUT WHATEVER YOU WANT. You can leave blanks. You can put a sticker. You can just write a giant curse word (somehow I just don’t see you doing that, haha!). There is zero pressure and it’s just for fun. (It also really takes like . . . a minute. Or something like that, to write an entry. So it’s not a huge time investment!)
Great job on the five-year diary! I’ve been writing in one for 15 years and it is absolutely one of the best practices that I’ve ever done. Every night the ritual is to write that day’s entry and then go back and read all the past years from that date. I also share some of the reminisces with friends and family, and everybody really enjoys it because we have forgotten so many of the things!
I actually do mine in the morning (the day after)! I am terrible about any consistent behavior at night and GREAT in the AM so realized this and just leaned into it!
Your 5-day journal is so aesthetically pleasing! I got one from amazon that just has lines for each day. But even if I had a journal like yours, it would look about the same since my handwriting is terrible and I have zero artistic ability (trust me on this!). This will be such a fun journal to look back on! I think I will like looking back on my mine, too, but it’s all writing, no visuals! I’m mid-way through year 2 of my journal so still have a ways to go!