Volume I of my latest diary is complete! You can see examples below of what’s inside and perhaps be inspired to make your own. I found that this project helped me be more aware of what’s happening in Life (even the mundane parts!). It’s also a creative outlet and a format for keeping memories.
How I Got Started
The notebook I’m using is a blank A5 Zequenz that I found on Amazon. 140 sheets (280 pages). Below I’ve shown a new one next to my completed one. I thought that the blank format would be less restrictive since I planned on using it for both writing and drawing.
My diary method is based on the 6/7 minute diary that I learned from Lynda Barry’s books. Briefly, take 2 minutes each to summarize what you Did and Saw. 90 seconds to summarize what you heard. and 30 seconds for a quick sketch of something that happened during the day.
The idea of using this same book to record other thoughts, observations, and ideas is something I pinched from the work of Austin Kleon.
I also had the idea to make the header of each day unique. I scoured the internet looking for various examples of calligraphy and lettering styles. A few examples are here and here. In case these links don’t work, I just searched for “hand lettering ideas” or “bujo hand lettering ideas”. In this case, bujo stands for bullet journal, a popular journal and task management system.
Other supplies, like pens, markers, paint, scissors, and glue sticks I used as I needed them.
A Few Statistics
I started my diary on March 28, 2025 and finished it on August 31, 2025. Around 5 months.
Starting weight 497 grams. Ending weight 667 grams. Net + 170 grams!
I missed a few days in July when I was down and out with an upper respiratory infection. Other than that I made entries every day.
Daily Entries
Each day I spent a few minutes on my daily diary page. Sometimes I would do these at the start of the next day (reflecting on what happened the previous day). Sometimes I would fill in entries throughout the day. Here are a few examples. I found as I worked through these pages that I became more observant and more attentive to what was happening around me, especially to things that I saw or heard.
Other Types of Entries
Nothing was really planned here. I just entered things as I thought of them. Here are a few examples.
I also gathered photos or internet memes that I enjoyed.
