One of the things I’ve been doing in my spare time is creating a Reader’s Journal.

I enjoy reading and writing my notes into my journal and I figured, “Why not share what I do?”

So for the last week, I planned out the entire annual journal and what will go on each page. It will be a lined notebook consisting of three sections that will encourage the reader to reflect on what they read and share their insights on how it aligns with their life; changes their perspective and impacts their world view. Through prompts that I wrote, each section will enable the reader to delve deeply into what they’re reading and then think about how they can grow and evolve from each book they read.

I’m deliberately not overthinking it because I’m the type of person who has ‘analysis by paralysis’ which will mean that I would need to edit, proof and constantly change the text. For this journal, I’m ‘going with the flow’ and forcing myself to not make things perfect – because they can never be – just to get it done!

There’s no time limit on this either.

The more I look at it, the more I realise I can add to it but then I have to stop myself before it becomes too big and before I start to doubt myself.

I don’t want to doubt myself ever again.

These last couple of years have been quite personally transforming for me where I have realised that I have achieved a lot and have skills that I have underestimated. These skills now have helped me in this next phase of my life for my mid-50s and beyond.

I’ve learned a second language to fluency; I’ve started a book club that has 20 members; I’ve built a YouTube channel that is now deriving me a small passive income; I’ve learned a new sport (golf) that has seen me representing my club at other golf courses around Victoria as well as creating a new network of people around me.

I’ve also realised how important it was for me to have my own headspace back – to not be swayed or influenced by others; to not jump on bandwagons and use my time creatively to explore and create but also to spend many, many hours simply reading fiction.

Life has slowed down despite it looking busy enough but I look forward to getting up every day and either doing nothing OR taking some creative action. Either or, it’s on my terms and I like that.

So my reading journal is now a new creative task to use up my time. My intention is to then upload it to Amazon, Etsy and some other places as well as sell it through my website only. Of course, I will not be doing the usual rigmarole of building an email newsletter, sharing social media posts, TikToks, LiveStreams etc and all the other myriad of things that go with doing this.

Instead, my time will be focussed on more quiet reading and I’ll wait for others to find me. I’ll be here reading my book or out on the golf course.

I’m not going anywhere.