Children learn languages in an amazing way. They seem to absorb it and then one day just start popping out words.
If you have children of your own, it’s not very easy to note small changes. It’s a little easier to pick up on big changes – like when kids learn to say the “th” sound – but the small improvements are lost in the daily conversation.
If you see a child periodically, though, it’s really easy to notice the improvement. From one week or month to the next, the improvement is incredible. All the small improvements get bundled into one giant – and very noticeable – change.
Trees demonstrate this perfectly.
Have you ever watched a tree grow?
Of course not. They grow over such a long time that it would be nearly impossible to watch the improvement. But somehow trees go from a tiny seed to a giant redwood. How is this possible?
Daily improvement.
We’re a lot like kids learning a language, or like the tree growing over time. What are you working on right now? A handmade project for Christmas? A new business? A new skill for school?
Have you thought about journaling to document your improvement?
There is an artist friend of TextMyJournal who is studying costume design. Over the last year of his schooling his watercolor skills have improved leaps and bounds – and he has no record of that progress. There are discouraging days where he really could use a reminder of how far he’s come. He’s decided to start documenting the progress – taking pictures of his work each day to remind himself of subtle changes and improvements in his skill.
What are you working on right now? How could you document the small changes YOU are making to remind you of your improvement?