Over 10 years of journaling. I finally made some journaling friends.
I used to think that journaling time was the ultimate, most wonderful form of 'me time'. I am one of those people who was saved by journaling.
When I was overwhelmed at work, my journal helped me.
When I was struggling with relationships, my journal gave me hints for solutions.
When I was taking on new challenges, my journal gave me the push I needed.
For over a decade, I have shared many struggles, pains, and joys with my journal.
That is precisely why I thought 'journaling time where I can quietly face myself' was the best kind of me time.
Or so... I thought...
1. Even I have finally made some journaling friends.
My journal is always by my side.
It stays with me through the days I can write and the days I cannot.
It accepts everything I write without saying a word.
Because I write alone, I can be honest with my words.
I write down both positive and negative things without anyone seeing.
I was literally 'venting' (writing it all out).
When I'm journaling, people have asked me, 'Why do you use a journal?' or
'You can't keep up with a journal, right?'
Even so, I believed that journaling is something you do for yourself, so it didn't matter what others thought, and I kept at it regardless of what was said.
That is why I was convinced that journaling was something to be done quietly alone.
But my values have changed.
I learned that there are people who want to journal just like I do.
Through a certain opportunity, I was able to connect with such people, and we started an online morning journaling session.
And so, I made my first journaling friends.
I still remember being nervous for the first session of our journaling group, known as the 'Kaki-Kaki Kai.' I didn't know how much experience the participants had or what kind of people they were. But I believed that there are no bad people among those who love journaling, so
the one thing I could do was welcome them with a 'smile'.
I thanked the participants and started the Kaki-Kaki Kai.
Needless to say, I was very happy inside.
After all, they were my first journaling friends.
2. Changes in myself that I discovered through the Kaki-Kaki Kai
Now, this Kaki-Kaki Kai has become a group that has lasted over 80 days. What we do is very simple: we journal every morning.
80日間以上、継続中です。自分を整えるための1日30分が80日で2400分に積み上がりました。
— カイトウユウスケ (@YusukeKaito_) March 14, 2026
毎朝ZOOMを開き、参加してくださる方に手を振って挨拶をする。そして、静かに手帳タイムに移る。時間になったら解散する。そんなシンプルな会ですが、手帳の力は偉大です。#beyourself手帳 https://t.co/zQ9I8CJFYH
Some people join every morning, and there are even those who haven't joined in a while who tell me, 'If I can't join this meeting, my rhythm gets thrown off... haha.' I'm so grateful...
Looking back, some people have changed in surprisingly positive ways.
The power of a journal is amazing...
Whether it's focusing on one's emotions, organizing thoughts, or checking the day's to-do list, everyone uses their journal differently.
But they keep on writing.
If you change by 1° a day, you will have changed by 80° in 80 days.
That's why the scenery you see changes, too.
There are many moments when I think I'm really glad I started the Kaki-Kaki (Writing) Meeting.
One of them is that I've become able to face myself more deeply.
Deeper. Even deeper.
That's why these emotions emerged.
What is it that I want to self-actualize?
What do I want to do with this Kaki-Kaki Meeting?
While asking myself these questions, even more emotions overflowed.
I want to connect with even more journaling friends.
I don't think I would have ever thought that before.
I had always written in my journal alone, and until I started the Kaki-Kaki Meeting, I had never even considered it for a millimeter.
I'm surprised myself.
But I'm certain these aren't fake emotions.
Surely there are people who want to write in their journal every day,
people who have failed in the past but want to write this year,
people who don't know how to write and want a place where they can ask,
and people who bought a journal but ended up quitting after three days.
Every time I see them on social media or elsewhere,
I started to think that I wish we could write in our journals together.
Watching the people who change through the Kaki-Kaki Meeting,
that feeling grew more and more.
If there were a place to write together, I'm sure they would keep it up.
If there were a place to write together, they could share their worries and solve them.
That's why I wanted to expand such a place.
My own heart had changed.
So, I'm sorry!
Please let me make an announcement at the end!!
I've started a membership on note!
★Following requests from people saying they could join from 6:00, I've started a 6:00-6:40 slot too!!
▼Here are the activities I'm doing!
・An online ZOOM meeting to write in journals every morning from 7:00-7:40 (Nana-Katsu)
-After writing in journals until 7:30, we share our thoughts until 7:40 at the latest.
-Joining and leaving midway is okay! You can participate according to your lifestyle!
-Camera off / Mic off is also okay!
・An online ZOOM meeting at the end of the month to look back and set goals for the next month (Journal Meeting)
・Membership-exclusive articles will be published irregularly
I've also prepared three participation plans.
You can participate loosely, or you can dive in fully!!
What's important is your own pace. Don't push yourself.
For those who want to start a morning routine or build new habits!
If you'd like, let's write in our journals together!
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask!
I look forward to meeting as many journaling friends as possible and spending time journaling together.
Thank you for reading this far.
Your likes, follows, and comments are a great source of encouragement for me.
They give me the strength to write my next article.