Now that 2025’s over, I can share this post-it post.
To get myself to draw last year, I gave myself a simple task: draw anything about my day and stick it to the wall. So, I doodled on sticky notes for 344 days (missed the first chunk of January).
Doing these daily doodles became a convenient way to hit three birds with one stone: “decorate” the space in which I spent most of my time, journal, and make even the smallest amount of personal art. I have thoughts on each of those things separately so reflecting on an act that combines all of them is making my brain whir.
Each time I asked myself “What happened today?”, I didn’t have the luxury of infinite digital whiteboards; I had a 3x3” piece of paper. When you have less space, you’re forced to choose. The more my choices were displayed side-by-side, the more patterns started to emerge. I observed not only how I spend my time but how I think. Why did I focus on this particular event? How much am I filtering my thoughts? Why are so many of these sad? Where do I find joy?
I observed my doodling habits as well! I default to documenting things literally and lean on writing thoughts down rather than drawing them. When I give myself time to think, I end up with something a bit more illustrative. The latter is usually more rewarding but I’ve learned to appreciate both. Finding ways to visualize a feeling is cool. Remembering a specific conversation with a loved one is valuable.
Anyway, I’m not trying to make this a big deal or be profound (though I was reminded that the point isn’t to simply draw but to live life, else there’d be nothing to draw about); I just wanted to share this exercise with you.
Being told not to draw on the walls as a kid made the act of sticking these post-its all the more satisfying, haha. Take up space! Stick stuff to your walls! And maybe draw on them, too!