My 5 Year (Q) & A Journal Experience

Would you believe I actually stuck with one of my guided journals for five years? This time it was the Q&A Journal and I learned a few things along the way about myself and about journaling in general…The Q&A Journal is a five year journal that asks you to answer one question every day for an entire year. You run through the journal, answering the same questions for five years, comparing your answers. Here’s what I discovered…

• My answers changed the most with questions that had to do with how I spent my time or what my leisure activities were. Those things have definitely had to shift a bit after having kids.
• I also realized that I became both more practical and more goal oriented in my answers instead of just wistful and dreamy.
• These small, one answer/line per day journals suit my busy life really well.

So a lot has changed in my life in the last five years. Five years ago I was working on my history undergrad, employed as an archivist at the university, married with no kids. My answers reflect a life that didn’t face many restraints. My husband and I spent our time however we wanted, we were less stressed, and our focus was very much on our careers.

These days, I’ve just finished my Master’s degree. I’m a stay at home mom who can’t find the time to shower. I wonder every day if my career will die before I have a chance to get back to it. My time is spent on a lot of kid related activities and I have a lot less time to do things I enjoy doing personally.

It’s been really interesting to look back through my answers in the Q&A Journal and think back to why I answered the way I did. Paired with my One Line A Day Journal, these two quick daily memory keepers give a pretty fun glimpse into my life. I’ve got some fun new journals that I’ve been working on too.

Would you try a five year journal?

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