For Donovon Spencer, an accountant from Orem, Utah, journaling isn’t just a record-keeping exercise; it’s an extension of his memory, liberating his mind to savor the present fully. With a simple yet profound practice, he has managed to preserve the moments that make up his life in a remarkable way. For the past 1,100 days, Donovon has immersed himself in the art of journaling, crafting a timeless chronicle of his daily endeavors, joys, and challenges.
How long have you been keeping a journal?
I started journaling consistently in May of 2017.
What makes journaling important to you?
I feel like the world around me is moving chaotically fast and constantly speeding up. When I was about 18, I started to realize how quickly even somewhat recent memories were losing detail in my mind. I was about to leave on a trip to South Africa and wanted to make sure that the experiences I had there were recorded clearly so I’d always be able to look back and re-live them. Journaling helps me to offload the stress of remembering the experiences I’ve had in the past and focus more fully on the ones I’m having in the moment.
“Journaling helps me to offload the stress of remembering the experiences I’ve had in the past and focus more fully on the ones I’m having in the moment.”
What do you usually journal about?
I always write a brief report of my day including the major activities, fun things that happened, and struggles that I overcame. I also try to write down the thought processes I have as I make bigger decisions or work through things. I also make sure to write down something that made me happy each day.
When do you journal each day?
I try to journal every night before bed. If something gets in the way of that I’ll catch up the following morning. It only takes a few minutes a day but has grown into a massive library cataloguing my life.
What tips or advice would you give others who want to build a journaling habit?
I think the most important thing is to find a routine that works for you. If you can carve out a specific time, even ten minutes, every day to write something down, it’ll start to become a part of who you are. Once you start to build your streak it will get easier and easier to keep it going! On hard days, try to remember why you started journaling in the first place.
What have you learned from keeping a journal?
I’ve been able to see my own growth much more clearly than I would have been otherwise able to. I can read entries that I wrote years back and see how my approach to life has changed. I’ve also learned to be present in and cherish the experiences that I have every day. Some days aren’t as exciting as others but I still have to find something to journal about. This practice has helped me to take notice of the simple joys of life that I might have missed if I was just floating through my day.
“My journal is an extension of my memory, leaving room for my brain to enjoy the present.”
What is your favorite thing about the Day One app?
I love that I can journal from anywhere at any time! I also love being able to keep track of where I was, what the weather was like, and what time I wrote each entry. I used to do all of my journaling in paper notebooks and the biggest issue was writing when I was traveling or not having my notebooks when I wanted to read my entries. Day One solves all of these problems and makes journaling a pleasure!
How has Day One helped you journal consistently?
I think just having access to my journal no matter where I am was the biggest enabling factor Day One brought to the table. That and journal streaks!
Start Your Journaling Streak
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.
