I’ve had a bit of an unhealthy obsession with stationery since I was a teenager, collecting post-its, notebooks, staples, whiteboards, highlighters and mechanical pencils…
It wasn't just office supplies, though. I used to collect reading material, thinking I’d ‘get to it someday’, as if gaining more books and magazines would magically make me read more. I kept every cable for every electronic device I ever owned, even the broken ones. I still have a box of these to go through.
It's fairly obvious to me now that my obsession with collecting things stemmed from a desire to feel responsible and productive without having to actually to create or read anything. But this only became obvious after deciding I no longer needed all this stuff and finally, blessedly getting it out of my life.
And what led to my decision to declutter my life? A decluttered mind.
And the thing that helped most in creating that space for real, clear thought, is journaling.
You know. The thing all the self-help gurus tell you will give you the life of your dreams.
I don't think, though, that I'd have kept it up without a love of the process. I've always liked writing, but it wasn't until I started using fountain pens that every letter became a source of joy.
(There's something truly magical about the way ink goes down on some really nice paper (like my favorite Tomoe River paper journal), and something inside me lights up whenever I open a bottle of my favorite ink.)
My love of the process led to a habit solidified, which in itself feels like a wonderful achievement, but beyond that, it’s helped me discover the things I want and don’t want in life. My priorities are clearer, my insecurities are laid before me so I can actually do something about them…
Fountain pens have truly helped to transform my life.
Is that maybe a bit of a stretch?
Perhaps. But before I started using fountain pens, I rarely wrote two consecutive journal entries, and now I haven’t missed a day in four months. So who knows?
I don’t expect that everyone’s life will get better if they take up the fountain pen hobby, but I do think that there are numerous things we overlook that could set something new and beautiful in motion.
Maybe giving yourself space to sleep an extra 30 minutes a night would leave your head clearer while you work.
Maybe if you took 2 minutes in the morning to think about the things you’re most grateful or excited for, you’d be in a better mood, and treat those around you better.
Or maybe you should pull out that old birdhouse you never finished sanding instead of watching season 3 of NCIS again.
Have you had any breakthroughs because of a small change you made?
Is there anything you could do differently in your day-to-day could possibly lead somewhere you didn’t expect?
Thanks for reading, and have a great day, Hiver.