full circle
Remember 2020, when the world was fighting Covid and we lived through several lockdowns? That was the time I started writing extensive diary entries. I wrote about my days in detail and added pictures. I did it not just because we were living in a special time with covid, but also because I was pregnant at the time and there would soon be a new life to take care of. I wanted to document everything, write it down for future me to look back on, and remember everything. It was also a good way of processing daily life.
I am doing this now for 5 years straight. Every day I take some time in the evening to write about my day. It's a very good way of processing daily life. But it can take up a lot of time! Some days I write fast and it just takes me a couple of minutes. Other days I'm on my laptop for half an hour or longer to write about my day.
The feeling that it's taking up too much time is getting larger. In 2 weeks, on January 1st I journaled like this for exactly 5 years. I have the feeling that this was exactly long enough. I still like having a diary I can look into. But I also feel like I can spend this time more wisely. After 5 full years, I feel like I've come full circle. It's time to let it go.
After so many years of daily writing, it feels very strange to make this decision. It feels like I have to let go of something that was important to me. A daily ritual that is embedded deeply into my life. But I also feel that I can use my time in better ways.
In 2026 I want to spend more of my time creating! I haven't touched my linocut tools in a long time. I haven't made any paper cuttings. And almost no drawings in Procreate. For next year I hope I can change that! I wish for a year full of creativity!