Journaling is a powerful practice that allows us to capture our thoughts, memories, and reflections, providing a valuable record of our lives.
In this edition of “How I Journal,” we delve into the journaling journey of Silu Modi, a Toronto-based tech professional who works on the WooCommerce team. In this interview, Silu shares how he has harnessed the power of journaling to gain perspective and reflect on his experiences.
Journaling as a Tool for Reflection and Perspective
Silu’s journaling journey began long before the advent of digital platforms. He reminisces, “My first entry is Jan 6, 1992, on my first computer using WordPerfect. Over the years, I found old printouts from my original journals and scanned what I could into newer journals. I spent some time a few years back importing those old scans into Day One and manually adjusting the dates back to their original entry date. I was able to recover almost 250 entries from 1999 and prior (but lost OH SO MANY hundreds of entries to time and many old hard drive malfunctions!)”
“I found that things that bothered me or bounced around my head during the course of a day seemed a lot less meaningful when I write down what they were and why they stuck with me. It puts a lot into perspective.”
Silu shares how writing down his thoughts helped put things into perspective, explaining, “I found that things that bothered me or bounced around my head during the course of a day seemed a lot less meaningful when I write down what they were and why they stuck with me. It puts a lot into perspective. But back in the day, I’d write then mostly forget about it unless I wanted to search up a particular day or thing.”
Time Traveling through On This Day
Recently, Silu started harnessing the power of journaling in a new way. He explains, “Back in Jan 2020, I listened to a podcast in which Penn Jillette (the magician) was talking to Tim Ferriss about the way he journals. To quote him directly:
And then, and I believe this is the part that may be the most useful, obviously not when I started, but since then, every morning I read 20 years ago, 10 years ago, and one year ago. Now those numbers for how long ago have, of course, changed. It used to be five, but I find that may be the most useful part of my journaling because I time travel. So every morning — it’s mostly morning — I talk to myself 20 years ago, I talk to myself 10 years ago, and I talk to myself last year. And I read that entry and I will tell you, back when I was dating, if you were a partner of mine and you happen to have the exact same argument one year ago that you had that day, I can tell you right now it was over. Because if I look back and see the same problem 20, 10 or one year ago, attention must be paid.
“That’s when I became a huge fan of the “On This Day” feature in Day One. Every day I time travel!”
Capturing the Moments that Matter
Silu’s journal entries encompass a wide range of topics, covering personal experiences, family moments, and reflections on the passage of time. He emphasizes the flexibility of his journaling approach, exaplaining, “I don’t have set templates. I just talk about my day. I rarely talk about work (unless something odd or interesting happened). It’s mostly personal life. What I did with my family, what we talked about, anything happy or upsetting that happened. I’ll also look at my On This Day and see if anything from a few years back has come up and needs to be re-examined.”
Silu documents the simple joys and challenges of everyday life, often looking back at previous entries to re-examine his past perspectives. The inclusion of photos and videos adds a new dimension to his entries, enhancing the nostalgic experience and making it feel like a journey through time.
Discovering a Remarkable Truth About Memory
Silu Modi’s journaling practice has revealed a remarkable truth about memory. In reflecting on his journal entries, he has come to realize the fallibility of his own recollections. Silu astutely observes, “It’s amazing how bad my memory is. I remember things that happened weeks, months, or years ago, then look up the day in my journal and find that the way I wrote about it then and the way I’m remembering it now are wildly different!”
This insight highlights the transformative role of journaling in capturing and preserving our experiences more accurately than our memory alone can accomplish. By revisiting past entries, Silu has been able to bridge the gaps in his recollection and rediscover the true essence of those moments.
“It’s amazing how bad my memory is. I remember things that happened weeks, months, or years ago, then look up the day in my journal and find that the way I wrote about it then and the way I’m remembering it now are wildly different!”
Silu’s Tips for Building a Journaling Habit
For those looking to build a journaling habit, Silu offers valuable advice. Silu highlights the importance of consistency, suggesting that occasional entries to keep your journal streak alive can be as simple as stating, “Nothing of note happened today.” He urges journalers to embrace the imperfections and enjoy the process of recording their lives.
Silu also offers a tip for organizing your journals into years. “I make a new journal for every year. It’s nice to see how many entries I wrote each year (prior to my current streak!)”
Lessons From Silu Modi’s Journaling Journey
Silu’s journaling journey exemplifies the transformative power of reflection, perspective, and time travel. Through the practice of journaling, he has gained insights, preserved memories, and discovered the value of capturing everyday moments. Silu’s story serves as an inspiration for anyone looking to embark on their own journaling adventure, reminding us of the significance of recording our lives and the growth that comes from self-reflection.
Start Journaling Today with Day One
The Day One journaling app makes it easy to build and maintain a daily journaling habit. Daily journaling reminders, daily writing prompts, and journal streaks are designed to help keep you motivated and consistently journaling.
