Sure 2021 is well under way…we have one month behind us and a groundhog telling us how the next 6 weeks are going to go, but it is the perfect time to try one of my favorite documenting activities…THE DAILY DOODLE.

All you need is some kind of weekly planner (and the prices are slashed on these for 2021!!) or notebook paper, pens, colored pencils, or your favorite writing tools.

Then you reflect on each day and choose an image or two that comes to mind that documents some part of your day. It can be personal, political, historical, comical…ANYTHING. You create a quick doodle to capture what you visualize. Use icons, stick people, scribbles or play with your drawing skills if you enjoy that. Color it in if you like color, or leave it as a line drawing. Add a caption or brief description of the event and you have a DAILY DOODLE!

One of my favorite tools to help me doodle is The Noun Project https://thenounproject.com/ Here you can type in any word (and it does not have to be a noun) and they will share a collection of icons that are easy for anyone to use.

Here is a snapshot of some of my recent doodles.

When I look back over my 2020 Book of Daily Doodles I can see at a glance how wild the year was. Each image brings me back to certain moments without having to read an entire journal entry . It is pretty powerful stuff. I hope you give it a try this year. You certainly won’t regret it!

READS THAT FEED ME

WHEN YOU TRAP A TIGER by Tae KellerI can see why this book won the Newbery Award– a beautiful tale about the power of love and of stories. Lily and her mother and sister move in with their sick Halmoni (Korean for grandmother). Lily is startled when she is visited by a tiger who claims her Halmoni stole something from the tigers and tries to make a deal with Lily to get it back. However, Halmoni has always cautioned to never trust the tigers. This realistic fantasy will have you questioning who/what to believe when you want so desperately for reality to be different. Loved it.