Revisit, review, reflect – why memory journal?
“My memories are inside me – they’re not things or a place – I can take them anywhere.” – Olivia Newton-John
Why memory journal? It’s a question you may never have asked before. What is it and why is it good for me? On the other hand, memory journalling may feature prominently in your life, and you may already be reaping the benefits of reflecting on your past experiences to help you set future goals.
What did 2024 mean to you?
Somewhere between Christmas and New Year, those ‘Reviews of the Year’ start popping up. Sports Personality of the Year, 2024’s best films or music releases. But what about your own, personal look back at your year? What will you single out as special – the little wins, or the life changing moments?
As the year turns, the pressure’s on to make New Year’s resolutions, set yourself goals and make plans. But taking the time to look back and reflect on how far we’ve come, what milestones we’ve achieved or skills we’ve acquired is every bit as important.
Zebra Pen brand ambassador Lois reminisces: “2024 is the year I fell in love with reading. I found it was something that I loved, and I instantly couldn’t wait to track my journey in my memory journal.“
Look back to move forward
Looking back over your memory journals, you might be surprised at what you read. When life feels like it’s coming at you from all sides, it’s easy to forget all we’ve achieved and only see what’s still on the to-do list. But we learn, discover and grow every day. Reviewing your year helps you decide on how you want to live the next one and set your goals.
Revisit, review, reflect
One of the rewards of keeping a journal is that you can take it out and look back, relive the best moments, and reflect on what you might have done differently.
Many people use a diary or journal to review their year, and this is an important and therapeutic thing to do. As our ambassador Lois reminds us: “There’s nothing too small to include in a review page. It’s a wonderful memory that when read, can really help you remember that time in your life.“
2025 – ask these questions
- What will you stop doing?
- What will you keep doing?
- What will you start doing?
And if you’re a student like our ambassador Peach, year-end is a golden opportunity “to review the academic term and go over my mock exam performance. This time of year, especially now I’m in Sixth Form, is vital for researching universities and setting realistic goals and aspirations for my A-levels.“
Looking back helps us look forward to 2025, and beyond.
Image credit: Peach
Get into a regular reviewing habit
Goals aren’t set-and -forget ambitions (unlike some of those New Year’s Resolutions). Reviewing your month, or your week is a great habit to get into, both for your self -esteem and emotional wellbeing.
“Every month in my Bullet Journal I include a monthly review,” says Alex. “It’s the ideal way to look back on the previous weeks and set new goals for the following month. I include things we’ve enjoyed, how I’m feeling, a summary of my trackers, weather data and even films we loved.”
Those reviews can help you adjust your plans, make different choices, shape your future throughout the year as circumstances change. You can be realistic about your goals – and not beat yourself up if you don’t quite get there.
A memory journal is more than a diary
Your memory journal isn’t simply a diary of where you went, who you met, or what you did, watched or listened to. It’s an emotional record of what mattered to you about those moments, both the joyful and the bittersweet. Your unique response to the experience or the event is what makes it memorable – and made it worth writing about in the first place.
Thejournalcorner creator and ambassador, Alex has been memory journalling daily for four years now. “I love looking back on previous years to remember the smaller things we got up to that I may otherwise have forgotten.“
“And – top tip! I choose the black Zebra Sarasa Clip for my daily entries and know it will last, hopefully for my children to read a long way into the future!”
Diary keeping is a record. Memory journalling is an art.
The story of your year is unique, so if you don’t already keep a memory journal or regularly review your experiences – now is the time to start. Between Christmas and New Year, find a quiet moment to put pen to paper to reflect on the happenings of 2024 and how they will shape the coming year. And if you already keep a memory journal, take it down from the shelf, and read the best book of the year.
“Preserve your memories, keep them well. What you forget you can never retell.” – Louisa May Alcott