The happiness of keeping a "one-sentence journal" (my own invention).

One of my successful happiness-project initiatives is to keep a “one-sentence journal.”

For quite a while, I’ve been alarmed by how little I remember about my own past. As a consequence, I’ve become much more careful to take photos and videos regularly, as a kind of diary to keep my memories vivid.

Also, I wished that I could keep a proper journal, to maintain a colorful record of what’s happening in my life, but that would just be too much work.

Instead, I came up with the idea of keeping a “one-sentence journal.”

Now, each night, I write one sentence (well, actually, usually it’s three or four sentences, and I type them into the computer) about what happened that day to me, the Big Man and the girls.

It’s a good place to record those kids-say-the-darndest-things moments. I always think that I’ll never forget, but I do. Until my mother reminded me, I’d forgotten about the time when, as we were driving on the Bruckner Expressway, after I said to the Big Man, “Have we ever driven on this road when the drawbridge has been raised?” the Big Girl piped up, “If that’s the drawbridge, where’s the castle?”

My hope is that, years from now, when I’m trying to remember what life was like at this point, I can look back at my one-sentence journal.

I started it on August 1. After the completion of each year of the journal, I plan to publish it as a book on my favorite site, Lulu.com. That way, I’ll have a keepsake hardcopy version.

It’s a very satisfying project: it’s manageable, so it doesn’t make me feel burdened; it gives me a feeling of accomplishment and progress, the “growth” so important to happiness; it helps keep happy memories vivid (because I’m much more inclined to write about happy events than unhappy events), which boosts my happiness; and it gives me a reason to pause thinking lovingly about the members of my family.

Comments

[Tracy]

Wow, that is a great idea. I used to keep a journal and always, always think I *should*. But I either feel like I don't have that much to say (after blogging) or it's too much effort. But one line. I could do that. I could do that every day.

Thanks!

[Sharyn]

I really know from experience what a good idea this is. One of the things that I'm proudest about myself is that I have recorded every day of my life for the last twenty-seven years, which is basically almost all of my adult life. I have written a minimum of a full page in a journal/diary sized book each day, but I know that only a few lines can bring back memories of something I had completely forgotten about. As I get older, it's like magic to look back and have something that was gone from my awareness, brought back to my mind.

My children may end up throwing away my (currently) 58 diary volumes after I'm gone - although I seriously doubt that would happen. But no matter what happens, it still represents to me a sense of dicipline and a little sense of security in knowing that my life is recorded. Your memories are
are all you have forever.

[Chris Yeh]

What someone should do is to set up a service that emails you once per day to collect this 1-sentence journal, which you can log into to view later on.

[Chris Yeh]

This need for managable chunks may help explain why Twitter is so popular.

[HP van Duuren]

I have a somewhat similar system a "Success Journal" (some call it 'Gratitude Journal') although I do find it difficult to maintain the discipline to write every single day.
I just write whenever I think about it or have something to write about. Than each month I make a summery a "Top 5" of "Highlights of the Month". On my blog I only post once in a while, and have my Syndicated Column also once in a while to keep it exclusive :)

I also have a few DAILY items as well, although those are not mine they are 'outsourced' and are 'streamed' on on it automatically.

Regards,
HPvD.

P.S. (also have an eBook published at Lulu.)

[Amberlynn]

My Grandmother did this. I can't tell you what a hoot it is to read her one liners like "Got married today. Had ham sandwich for dinner." Plus, we can read a few year's worth in one sitting. Happiness indeed.

[shuchetana]

Brilliant idea. I used to keep diaires, which were a lot of fun to read. But it's too much trouble making regular entries. But a one-line log of what happened-- that's really manageable. I think I'll start doing it :)

[anemone]

Levenger used to carry a 5 year journal that had 4 lines per year on each page, so as you are filling in an entry you can see what happened the previous years on that date. I found that the limited space made regular entries easier, because you're not faced with an expanse that needs to be filled. I've filled one journal and am now on my second. Amberlynn - I imagine my descendants will be laughing at my typical, abrupt daily entries, too!

[andrea from the fishbowl]

I do this. And I started it when I was in a long miserable blue spell. Every night before I go to bed I write down one happy thing that happened that day. Sometimes it's as simple as a sunset or raindrops on roses and warm wollen mittens, but it's almost always only one line. It's an easy routine to get into.

[Gloria Hildebrandt]

Publish a book of your one line a day? Expect to keep it in the family. I'm reminded of Gertrude Stein's comment to Ernest Hemingway: "Remarks are not literature."

[D. Stiles]

Thanks for the solution to my issue of keeping a journal. Your suggestion of 1-liners is a "well duh" for me. I've been thinking of how best to journal without taking a lot of time to remember intimate details. I also suffer the affliction of not remembering enjoyable life moments. A short sentence will trigger a flood of memories. Again thank you Gretchen!!!

[Monica Ricci]

Gretchen, I was in your neck of the woods last week and on the Bruckner Parkway in fact. I wish I had gotten to get in touch with you. Next time I'm in NY, maybe we can have a yummy lunch.
~Monica

[Nedra Weinreich]

I LOVE this idea! It might even be doable. Now I just have to find 2 minutes every day to write. :-)

[Susan]

Happily Ever After: Without the Prince?

New Release, Princess Bubble, Strikes Chord with America’s 51% SINGLE WOMEN WHO, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN U.S. HISTORY, OUTNUMBER MARRIED WOMEN

ATLANTA, June 18, 2007—This summer, as single women scramble to catch bridal bouquets, toss their mortar boards, and contemplate “what’s next,” two successful single gals are throwing out an unstereotypical option, a redefined fairy-tale ending, “happily ever after”—even without the prince.

With wisdom gleaned from their careers as single, globe-trotting flight attendants, first-time authors Susan Johnston and Kimberly Webb have crafted a modern-day book that celebrates singleness. A contemporary fairy tale for all ages, Princess Bubble was written to reduce the overwhelming sense of failure, self-doubt, and despair that some single women face.

“Knowing how low self-esteem and depression plague many single females, we wanted to spread the message that ‘happily ever after’ can occur even before Prince Charming arrives. . . or even if he never does,” said Webb.

“We’re definitely not anti-Prince,” said Johnston (whose college nickname was “Bubbles”). “We’re not anti-family or anti-marriage, if anything we’re anti-‘Damsel in Distress.’ Our message—the single life can also be a fairy tale. The End!”

Princess Bubble stars a princess who is confused by the traditional fairy tale messages that say she must find her “prince” before she can live “happily ever after.” Princess Bubble dons her “thinking crown” to research traditional fairy tales, interviews married girlfriends, and even takes counsel from her mother, who advises her to sign up at FindYourPrince.com. With a little help from her fairy godmother (this is still a fairy tale after all), Ms. Bubble discovers that “living happily ever after” is not about finding a prince. “True happiness,” the book reveals, “is found by loving God, being kind to others, and being comfortable with who you are already!”

“We’ve had countless women all over the nation tell us they wish there had been a book like this when they were young,” said Johnston. “This is a story women can truly believe in and feel comfortable sharing with their children.”

ABOUT PRINCESS BUBBLE and BUBBLE GUM PRESS: Self-published in 2006, Princess Bubble is now available through most online retailers and in over 70 retail outlets. The Princess Bubble message, cleverly articulated by former Delta flight attendants Susan Johnston and Kimberly Webb, seeks to find an alternate ending to “happily ever after” and change the notion that life begins and ends with finding your Prince Charming. Looking to bolster the poor self-esteem of female youth and the stigma that many single adult women carry, Johnston and Webb believe “this is a book for women of all ages, a story they can believe in and share with their children.” In upcoming adventures, Princess Bubble will travel to distant lands where the knowledge of every new culture will enrich her flourishing life.

[ebhdoc]

I've kept journals since the age of 12 which is more than 20 years now and I’ve found that the entries do not evoke the events noted, with rare exceptions.

An example:
“07/01/02, 1524

On a train to Leeds at the moment. I will hopefully not be too busy working when I get there, because I didn’t get any sleep last night. And that wasn’t because of work: I just could not sleep….”

No recollection whatsoever despite the fact that I’ve only worked in Leeds once and visited thrice.

Memory has been a keen interest of mine and despite a better-than-average memory I remember little consciously. Memory researchers say that is because of prioritisation; Gigerenzer calls it frugal heuristics.

I think that pictures and video are best to remember.

[Daniel Lucraft]

I like this idea very much. Being slightly geeky, I've adapted it into an '80 characters a day diary' and I have the line lengths marked out in tomboy. Thanks for the inspiration!

[Brenda]

Your idea intrigued me, so I spent some time wandering through an office supply store and a number of online sites trying to find a "line-a-day" or "5 line-a-day" journal. No luck. But I did find a wonderful little black journal that has approximately 17 lines/day. So I will use that in 2008. If I can fill up that space each day, fine. If not, that's fine, too. My goal is to write *some*thing every day.

[Anthony]

Isn't this called Twitter.com?