The Meaning Behind Documenting Your Life (It’s Not What You Think)

You know those old journal entries, or even those video clips of yourself that you look back on and roll your eyes at? Those moments when you were obsessed with a certain television show, trying to impress a boy, or maybe cut your own bangs too short? You were so dramatic, and worried about all the wrong things.

Many of us may look at those memories thinking that they need to be erased. After all, we wouldn’t want our children to witness what a loser we were, or have a family member read an entry one day that has them realizing how insecure we were, right? Or maybe we ourselves wouldn’t want to look back on that memory, because how could it possibly help us in the future? It couldn’t, right?

The reality is that documenting your life has nothing to do with the people who might read it (yes, even future you). It’s not really about sharing your experiences with your children one day, or preparing for the autobiography you’ll be writing once you’ve “made it”. Documenting your life is about making sense of the reality you’re currently facing. You’re taking all of the experiences in your life, even if they are on repeat like the movie Groundhogs Day, and actually processing them instead of keeping them as emotional clutter. Think of it like you’re taking inventory of everything within your home and deciding what to keep that’s meaningful and what is worthless and should be thrown out. This is something that should be done often because it gives more value to all of the things that actually carry weight with you.

We document our lives is to see positive and negative patterns, to create personal growth where you know you need it, to build resilience where you clearly are lacking, and ultimately to shape your own identity in real time.

Think about it. You don’t find yourself by thinking harder, you find yourself through observation. Writing, recording, photographing, voice-memoing… these are acts of self witness. We should be thinking, “This is who I am becoming,” not “this is what happened to me.”

Documenting your life is the key to a self awareness that is rarely known, and a confidence in yourself that is unparalleled. The proof you accumulate replaces your self doubt, and suddenly you’re seeing that you do keep consistent, you do make the effort, you are surviving on your own, and you are evolving in ways you never dreamed about before. Not only that, but you are solidifying those wins by keeping them in writing. That proof is tenfold compared to keeping those wins in your subconscious.

In documenting, you become more grounded than those around you simply because you have the written proof. Just like a contract, having it all in writing holds so much more power than keeping it in your subconscious. It’s easier to reference, to remember, and repeat when you’re asked about it (even when we gaslight ourselves in our own internal interrogation rooms.)

If you’ve ever felt like you don’t have the resources to get started, or you’re consistently feeding yourself excuses as to why you can’t or won’t journal, you might consider that you simply don’t want to sit in the discomfort that comes with processing the hard parts you’ve faced in life. The best part of all of it is that you can process it in even the smallest ways. It’s as simple as one sentence a day, a voice memo you never share, a photo of something you ignore, or a 30-second video clip of you talking to yourself.

You don’t need a fancy camera, the best gel pens (I get it), or the prettiest journal system. You need to give yourself permission to simply start in the middle of the mess that is your current life.

Those most difficult times in life, when it feels like you can’t even pull yourself off of the floor, let alone lift a pen to write? Those are the moments when documenting will benefit you most, regardless of how dramatic it might sound or feel. In writing your way through the thoughts in your head (and the emotions you’re feeling), you are processing them more clearly. Your brain is forced to slow down, clarify what’s happening, and ultimately process everything on a deeper level.

Remember, it’s not about preserving the past, but ultimately shaping your future. When you understand yourself, your decisions change and when your decisions change, your life follows.

And if you never document your life? In my mind, I imagine someone who has never taken a multi-mile hiking trip with beautiful views. You can live without it, you can enjoy life without it, but you are missing out on something that could positively and deeply impact your life on a microscopic level. It’s not just about the views, though they are incredible, and it’s not just about seeing things that so many others will never see. It’s also about knowing what you are capable of, especially in moments that challenge you. When you are able to push your limit, emotionally through journaling or physically through hiking (or in any other way), you are proving to yourself that you are capable of doing insanely amazing things.

For anyone out there in search of clarity in order to get started, I truly hope that this blog helps. The real clarity will come with your documentation process, whether you’re journaling, recording video clips or capturing voice memos in the car on your way to work.

Looking for more? I’ve created a variety of resources to get you started HERE. I’ve also created a short and sweet weekly reminder, with incredibly simple ways to document your life each and every week. You can sign up for that HERE.

See you!
Amy

If you’re experienced in documenting your life, and looking for ways to level up, grab The Creating Legacy Me Journals, a system designed to document your past, present and future.