As the owner of a record store, journaling has become a vital part of my daily routine since 2021, offering insights into both my personal and professional life. Each entry deepens my understanding of myself and my goals, and over time this growing collection of reflections has become increasingly meaningful. While keeping a diary for just a week can offer valuable insights, over many years, journaling has evolved into a formidable foundation for personal growth. It has taught me lessons I never expected, and its impact has been profound. Here are three key things I’ve gained from journaling daily.
1. Receiving Letters from Your Positive Self
For me, journaling is not just about writing but reviewing and reflecting on what I’ve put on paper. When I look back at my past entries, I can separate fleeting, whimsical thoughts from those that reveal deeper truths about who I am, what I think, how I feel, and what I aim to do. This process of re-reading and reflecting often feels like receiving a letter from my best, most authentic self—offering guidance and wisdom I might not have recognized when I initially wrote it down.
Running a new and ever-growing record store comes with its challenges. On tough days, I often turn to my older journal entries for encouragement and inspiration. A simple “You can do this!” or “Keep going!” can be just what I need to get back on my feet and refocus on my work.
2. Recognizing Patterns in Your Thinking
As a student of emotion, I find journaling an invaluable tool for understanding how my moods influence my thoughts and actions. Even small things—diet, sleep, substances like sugar, alcohol, and fast food —can drastically impact my perspective. Over time, I’ve learned to recognise emotional patterns. Journaling has taught me not to make major decisions when I’m in an elevated mood. Whether I’m feeling elated or deeply frustrated, not letting my mood define my reality is key. Emotions are important, but they are not always the best guide for significant life choices.
3. Clarifying Your Thoughts
Whether you’re a writer, photographer, professional, or working in a jazz café, acting with clarity and intention can be incredibly beneficial. In the film world, a director might advised to be able to tell the story in one sentence, not one paragraph. If they can’t, they’re in trouble. The ancient Greek and Indian philosophers echoed this idea, urging people not to shoot the arrow before aiming the bow. Renaissance painters offered similar wisdom in the expression, “Use the brain more than the brush.” All of these emphasize the importance of having a clear vision before diving into any project or decision.
Through journaling, I can clarify my thoughts, refine my goals, and focus my energy. While swift action is sometimes necessary, taking a step back to reflect often brings greater insight and precision. This balance between action and reflection has been essential, especially in running a record store and hunting for rare records. Each day presents new challenges, and journaling offers me a space to process these experiences, learn from them, and maintain a clear perspective. It’s not just about reacting to what’s in front of me but about building a long-term vision and staying grounded in the bigger picture.
A Creative Reflection on My Store
I want to share with you an excerpt from my journal, a reflection I wrote on a Thursday in 2023. Normally, my thoughts are more diffuse. A diary entry from a typical day blends personal reflections, collages of visually inspiring artwork, quotations from Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary of the English Language, study notes, business ideas, folk wisdom, math, motivational slogans and occasionally even shopping lists. It often reads as a mixture of creative thoughts and practical notes, all coming together in a fluid, sometimes fragmented style. This entry, in contrast, stood out to me as particularly focused, so I thought it was worth sharing:
Thursday, 2023:
“The store is a creative expression of who I am. It is what I am interested in and how I am feeling. I am here to help and serve others. But that is not the only reason. The store is a dream. An unrealized goal. An angel to be forever wrestled with. It is a way to reveal truths to people in ways they may not understand. It is here to bring colour into the world, to be the champion of boldness and originality, to point the way to new possibilities, and to set an example—a good one—for others to follow and comprehend. Be strong in the face of challenges and bold in the face of the unknown.”
Extending the Idea of a Record Store
When I read this, I couldn’t help but notice how closely it aligns with what I was reading in the 1990 fifth edition Encyclopædia Britannica’s Macropædia entry on The Art of Literature, which states that what starts as writing—such as a film that begins with a script —can, in a sense, become literature. Why not a record store?
In my mind, the store is much more than just a place of commerce—it’s a space of substance and depth, perhaps even a living narrative. Much like a writer works with words to craft stories, the great people of action shape the world around them. The store is a reflection of my values, passions, and vision. The store is a space where others can experience and connect with these elements, just as they would engage with the themes of a novel or film.
Final Thoughts
Journaling has given me clarity, insight, and the ability to see patterns in my thinking. It has helped me recognise my true motivations and the deeper purpose behind what I do. In the case of my record store, journaling has illuminated its significance as more than just a business. Through journaling, I’ve realized the value of the narrative of my work, its purpose, and its evolution. It has become an essential tool in shaping the direction of my life and store.
