I was reading an interesting blog (see here: “12 quiet rituals of enormously successful humans”). Take a read, but one that really resonated with me was:

“9, They keep some kind of personal notebook.”

For years, I have had a personal notebook. (not that I am enormously successful!)  I take it on all trips, I always know where it is. It’s a big “Black n’ Red” bounded notebook, with lined pages. But it’s not a journal. Part of it’s a journal, but I don’t write in my journal every day. So what’s in it?

If you open the book:

I always paste in a full year at a glance, one page Calendar. I’m surprised how often I look at this page. I’ll highlight vacations, days off, birthdays. Yes, I have calendars on my blackberry. But this tracks big picture. What the whole year is looking like. It gives me a sense of the year: how have I spent it?

My next section is about the Financials. Remember I said that a core value for me is being financially independent? Every month, I enter how much I have in savings, in investments, and in cash at month end. It makes me feel more secure to know where I stand. I see the progress, or not.

I also have an Expenses section: I write what the bills were for the month. I note for the month, major  purchases with an up or down arrow. I don’t track every expense ($2 for coffee I don’t track), but I will track other items (like I bought a dress). The up or down arrow indicates my satisfaction with the purchase. If I see a lot of down arrows, something’s off. Why am I buying these things I don’t think are worth it? It is also a good reminder of what I need “You’ve bought 7 lipglosses in the last 3 months. Enough!”

I have a section on “Inspiration“: I love gardens and beautifully designed houses. Whenever I see a picture of something I want to keep, I cut it out and paste it in my book. Over time, you build a collection of images that make you happy.

I have a section on “Style“: pictures of style I find inspiring, an inventory list of clothes (again, not everything, but major things), and a list of “what I need” – e.g. work appropriate shoes. That way, I stay focused on what I need vs what I want. I also create a wish list for every season: I don’t usually get them, but it lets me dream about owning a Michael Kors camel hair coat!

“Future“: it’s open and vague. But this is where I write my lists of what I want to do next. What I need to do to get there. What would it look like? How would my life change?

Then comes the “Journal” section: this is a classic journal. I write in it when I need to, but not every day.

Because the book doesn’t have pre-determined dividers, I have Post it tabs sticking out on top labeled: “Style”, “Calendar”, etc. so that I can access sections easily. I have lots of post it notes scattered throughout: lists of things to do, or lists of ideas. Blank ones for when inspiration hits.

Sometimes I’ll create new sections : like my health statistics every year when I see the doctor, so I can see the trend on my weight, blood pressure, mammogram, etc. Or recipes: the “tried and true, go to but can’t memorize” recipes. It’s whatever you want.

The point is that having a personal notebook allows you to have the conversation with yourself.  It enables you to focus on what it’s important. It will keep track of whatever you think is important and worthwhile to put in it. It’s transportable, it’s low tech, and you can look at it on trains, in coffee shops, in the early morning before anyone wakes up. It’s a book about you.

So try it. Go buy a book and see what conversation you want to have with yourself today.