Summarising the lookback

Aug 31, 2025

Thanks to the theme of blaugust, I went through all my journals both phyiscal and digital. I cried, cringed and laughed. I smiled for how inconsequential the situations were which made me feel so much and so deep. Here's a compilation of all the thoughts that I've repeated to myself over the years. These are mostly intrusive thoughts I keep giving into, again and again due to setbacks.

• Accountability for new ventures is very important to ensure progress.
• If current tools at your disposal don’t work and slow you down , restart. No matter how much time you’ve spent on them.
• Things could still go faster. Occurrence in journal 3.
• Get back on the track one step at a time.
• I’ll figure it out. Occurrence in journal 4.
• Don’t try to punch above your weight unprepared.
• Focus on work, career and family. Occurrence in journal 4.
• Prioritise better, don’t put others before your needs and goals. Occurrence in journal 3.
• Don't be fearful. Occurrence in journal 5.
• Find dopamine outside work.
• Emotions are friends. They are not meant to harm you.
• Always question the intention behind the guilt.
• Compartmentalise better. Occurrence in journal 2.
• Set high standards but leave room for mistakes.
• Expectation management. Occurrence in journal 3.
• Don’t downplay and negate yourself. Occurrence in journal 2.
• Over-organising, over-planning and overthinking is a bane to problem solving. Gives false sense of progress with over-complication. Occurrence in journal 7.
• Chasing speed and perfection at the same time on day 0 is not the best way to operate. Sure, it's ideal in your head, but all good things take time.
• When you’re tired, take a break.
• Calm down. Occurrence in journal 7.
• Ease in, be okay with failure. Recoup energy and start again. Occurrence in journal 2.
• When things do start happening or moving in the right direction, don’t let go of the habits that get you there.
• Don’t run away from all your problems and your home. Face it, manage it, live with it instead of finding ways to survive.
• Delays are okay, going slow is okay, don’t get complacent with it.
• Communicate without fear. Occurrence in journal 2.
• Just sit with it! Occurrence in journal 2.
• Overwhelmed. I need distraction management system. Occurrence in journal 6.
• Life doesn’t have to have some deeper meaning or higher purpose. It just has to be.
• It’s the age of attention economy and ADHD is prevalent.

I would also like to mention that the experiences I’ve had in these 4 years were much interesting and happy as well. Since I only used to journal when I was at my lowest, the compilation doesn’t offer a holistic picture of my life. Regardless, A promise made will be a promise kept. With that, Bidding adieu to these journals.

Closing Note: I feel too much, too deep and too often and that's okay.