The Diary Challenge: A New Beginning

How did your month of diary-keeping go? Did you poop out after the first week? First two weeks? First two days?

If you finished out the month with all or most of your days filled in—congratulations! You have established a new habit. If your energy, interest, or will ended after the first week, take heart—you have eleven more chances this year to start again!

As I noted earlier, our house began the new year as a diary-keeping family. My three children were all given new diaries—each embellished with the new year and their name on the front—so that they, too, could start a diary habit.

The news isn't so good. Out of three children, only one wrote regularly this month. Not coincidentally, she's our oldest, at 12. She also has strong self-discipline and an inherent need (sometimes we call it an obsession) to finish whatever she starts. So, 1 out of 3 ain't bad.

And me? I confess that I skipped about 7 percent of my days, because of illness, fatigue, or forgetfulness. But I filled them in quickly, before I forgot what had happened.

In our house, then, one child will be rewarded for meeting the challenge. The rest will be gently urged to try again starting
February 1. It's a short month.

And you? If you filled 90 percent of your pages, leave me a comment, and I'll send you a reward, too.

And for everyone else, February 1 is only a day away. A day to take a deep breath, stretch your fingers, roll your shoulders, and make a pledge to try again.

And remember, February is a short month.

© 2007 by Marilyn C. Hilton

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