Tinkering with a new experiment in journaling. These are the first four tiny journals, each containing short journal entries focusing on one step forward in my thinking and doing.

I’ve pared down my process to two simple prompts: “last time,” then “this time”. Each new journal is connected to the one that came before. One journal’s “this time” is the next journal’s “last time,” which gives me the chance look back for a moment and reflect on what I’ve done so far before deciding what to do next.

If you’d like to try it for yourself, here are a few ideas for getting started:

Day One

Prompt: This Time - Write a journal entry about your day, a project you’re working on, an idea you’re exploring, or all three!

Day Two

Prompt: Last Time - Review your entry from the day before and write a few words to summarize it, jot down your thoughts on what it means to you today, expand on what you wrote with a few extra details, or all three!
Prompt: This Time - Now that you’re all caught up, write about what’s happening now, what’s next for your project, a little more about that idea you’re exploring, or all three!

The Days That Follow

Prompt: Last Time - Review your most recent previous entry and spend a few minutes remembering what you’ve been up to and commenting on the parts that are meaningful to you.
Prompt: This Time - Shift your focus to the present and future. Spend a few moments journaling about what you’re up to now and where you’re headed.

That forward-backward rhythm reminds me of the backstitch in sewing and embroidery, which creates a strong, unbroken line by bringing new stitches back to connect with the ones that came before — until finally you’ve created something that endures.

I hope you’ll give this experiment in journaling a try!