South Carolina high school student Elijah Butcher has found a calm harbor in the practice of daily journaling. For over 1,500 consecutive days, a streak built meticulously over the course of four years, Elijah has used the Day One app to document his life’s journey.
From writing about his daily experiences to recording moments of gratitude, his journals have served as a testament to his personal evolution. In this interview, we explore how Elijah has used journaling not only as a way to archive the everyday moments, but also as a transformative tool to understand and navigate his rapidly changing world.
How long have you been keeping a journal?
For a little over 4 years, I have a 1,500 day streak currently.
What makes journaling important to you?
I think one of the most important things for me is being able to look back on any day and see what I did that day, how I was feeling, what I ate, where I was, etc. It is also a great way to write things down for my eyes only that no one else will see.
This quote best reflects why journaling it is so important to me:
“Writing in a daily journal is important but the reason why I journal is because I can read my own writing after many months have passed by. I’m able to reflect on my life, my actions, my behaviors, my memories and also the behavior of others around me.”
— Nando Prudhomme
It is a privilege to look back on any day in the last four years to see what happened, and also observe how I’ve changed and how I have reacted to my experiences.
What do you usually journal about?
I write a summary of what I did that day, answer the daily prompt, record what I ate and write something I am grateful for each day. I also copy a Bible verse into my journal each day
When do you journal each day?
I usually journal as the last thing I do before I go to bed at night. I start with the daily writing prompt, then gratitude, then meals, then my daily summary. I also reread my past entries (On This Day) each day.
What tips or advice would you give others who want to build a journaling habit?
Start small and do it each day. I’d also recommend doing it at a consistent time so that it does become a habit. Some days it might only be a few sentences, and that’s okay.
What have you learned from keeping a journal?
I’ve learned just how much I have changed in even 4 years. My style of writing has changed, I’ve gotten smarter and more mature, and my journal has recorded every event that has affected me.
What is your favorite thing about the Day One app?
I like all of the details it gives you for every entry, and also all of the unique features and customization that is possible.
How has Day One helped you journal more consistently?
It definitely helps that I can see my journal streak each day, so I don’t want to lose my streak. Having the daily prompt is nice because it gives me something unique to think about each day. It’s also helpful to have multiple journals for different things to keep it organized.
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.
