May 16th, 2025

At the beginning of last year, I started a new journal. On the very first page, I set a goal: write in it every day until it was full. Then I’d start a new one.

And today—I started a new journal!

But, full honesty: I didn’t actually finish the old one. There are still about 40 blank pages left. I just decided that today felt like a good day to start fresh.

So no, I didn’t hit the goal I set. And what feels worth sharing is—I’m totally okay with that. I thought I’d feel a little disappointed or like I was giving up on something I committed to. But... I really don’t.

I just didn’t want to write in the old one anymore. It felt full—obviously not literally (lol), but emotionally. That journal was holding a lot. Every time I opened it, I could almost feel it all rush back. And I didn’t want to start my mornings with that kind of energy.

Writing is something that helps me. I try not to generalize—what works for me might not be your thing, and that’s completely okay. But journaling helps me set things down. Not everything needs to be carried around forever.

Shit get heavy! Sometimes it’s one big thing. Sometimes it’s a slow build of small ones—traffic, a weird comment, a recipe flop. One big thing can be heavy. A lot of little things can be heavy too. I forget that a lot.

Anyway, back to the old journal. I put so much into it that opening it didn’t feel like an act of reflection anymore. It felt like opening that one closet where everything's crammed in and something always falls out and hits you. Usually a shoe. So I just stopped opening it.

Then yesterday, I was talking to someone who knows me really well. I was sharing how I’ve been feeling lately (a lot) and they asked if I’d journaled recently (no). And sometime after that conversation, I decided to start the new one. Even if the last one isn’t finished. Even if it never will be!

What I think I’m getting at is that sometimes our goals shift. And that’s okay.

What worked before might not work now. That doesn’t mean you failed, it might just mean you’re ready for something different. You don’t need a special occasion or a clean slate to start something new. You can just… decide to begin.

That’s it. Just something I wanted to share in case you’re sitting on the edge of your own restart.

I hope you’re having a good Friday. And that your weekend brings something fun or cozy—or ideally, both!

my cutie new journal