In this interview, we delve into the world of journaling with Suzanne Schoeplein, a registered nurse from Leander, Texas. Suzanne has been keeping journals since her middle school days, finding solace and catharsis in writing down her thoughts and experiences.
In this interview, she shares her insights on the importance of journaling, her journaling habits, and the features of the Day One app that make her journaling journey enjoyable and efficient.
A Lifelong Love for Journaling
Suzanne Schoeplein’s journaling journey spans over several decades, starting from her middle school years. Since then, journaling has become a cathartic practice, allowing her to express thoughts she may not feel comfortable sharing with others. Suzanne reflects, “I find it cathartic at times to be able to say things that I can’t or don’t feel comfortable saying to other people.” Journaling has also become a means to capture important details about her life and the lives of her children, creating a record of cherished memories.
Discovering the Power of Journaling
Keeping a journal has taught Suzanne the value of writing things down and the importance of preserving memories. Journaling has served as a reminder of how she has grown and changed over the years, offering perspective and appreciation for her life. Suzanne humorously adds, “My memory sucks if I don’t write things down.”
Documenting the Events of Life
Suzanne’s journal entries revolve around the events of the day, productivity, projects she’s working on, and the milestones and moments she experiences with her children. By journaling about these aspects, Suzanne not only records her daily life but also gains clarity and a deeper understanding of her emotions and experiences.
Finding Time for Journaling
With a busy schedule, Suzanne tries to find time during the day to work on her journal, often during lunch or her toddler’s nap time. However, there are occasions when she doesn’t get around to it until after her children are asleep. Suzanne’s ability to adapt her journaling routine to the demands of her daily life showcases the flexibility and adaptability of this practice.
Suzanne’s Tips for Building a Journaling Habit
For those looking to build a journaling habit, Suzanne suggests starting with a short journal template or focusing on a significant event or favorite/least favorite moments of the day. Simplifying the process can make it more approachable and less overwhelming, allowing journaling to become a regular and enjoyable habit.
Suzanne’s Daily Journal Template
Suzanne shares her custom “Day in Review” template, explaining “I love Day One’s customizable templates and the fact that I can make my own. Being able to add photos and audio/video, checklists and bullet lists. At any given time, I usually have a daily template going (which I change up periodically as I feel like I need to) and then a monthly one for each of my kids with their stats, what they’re doing, favorite things, etc.”
Here’s a look at how Suzanne journals through her custom-built journal template. As you can see, Suzanne has built a highly personalized and efficient journaling system that streamlines her daily reflections and future planning. She explains how the “my day” and “next” sections work: “I select the relevant descriptors and delete the rest of the info.”
The Joy of Digital Journaling with Day One
Suzanne expresses her appreciation for the features of the Day One app that enhance her journaling experience. In addition to the ability to create and customize templates, and being able to add multimedia to her entries, she enjoys that digital journaling allows for easy editing, revising, and multiple entries simultaneously. Because of this, Suzanne maintains a detailed and accurate chronicle of her life, editing as she goes.
Suzanne explains, “I really appreciate digital journaling in general for the ability to write and delete and change up and rewrite. As well as to be able to work on multiple entries at once. I loved paper journaling but I was constantly whiting everything out or tearing out pages and it was a mess. I know they say to just write and not worry about any of that but for me it’s more a log or a chronicle than just a free writing exercise. I want to be able to go back and really understand what was going on and how I was feeling about it. So I like to be as true to how things happened and my current perspective on them as I can.”
Solace, Self-Reflection, and Recording Life Through Journaling
Suzanne perspective on journaling as a nurse resonates with her habit of documenting every event, capturing the essence of her experiences and thoughts. Journaling has become a familiar practice, offering her solace, self-reflection, and a valuable record of her life. Her dedication to preserving memories and gaining insight through journaling serves as an inspiration to all those seeking to embark on their own journaling journey.
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.
