Yikes! When I heard last week someone say it was October, my heart missed a beat!
Three quarters of the way through the year –
Where has it gone?
What have I done?
Is the year escaping me?
I’m convinced the world is spinning faster as days fly, weeks skip and months on occasions simply disappear!
Four years ago I felt the need for a way to summarise my year.
A single sheet that would encapsulate what I’d been up to over the course of 12 months so at year’s end I could see what I’d experienced – I could view my year at a glance.
Journal Map
I pulled out a Journal Map.
Seeing the central map on these A2 sized sheets as a representation of journeys both in general – and more specifically as a portrayal of Life’s Journeys.
My Years at a Glance from 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
Above are my past 4 years of Year at a Glance –
As you can see – They’re no works of art!
They’re merely a pragmatic way to summarize my year on a single sheet!
Using each of the 11 surrounding boxes I record a highlight at the end of each month.
A scribbley, messy, reminder of what the main thing was that happened in the preceding 4 weeks.
Such as kicking off my How to Journal Like a Map-Maker series of blog posts…
Or ~
Heading off to the Gold Coast for the ProBlogger Conference where the lovely Rachel Devine offered new profile photos to 50 attendees.
I have to say – My Year at a Glance is a lifesaver!
As I roll my eyes saying – where did that time go?
I can reflect and recall moments that deserve to be memorable.
So what has happened to 2014?
Above is my year at a glance so far!
No flicking through pages and pages of diaries, or checking out some (soon to be superseded) on-line app.
And in the coming month… I’m flying to Greece for the travel blogging conference TBEX.
Where have you been and what have you done?
And how do you recall your highlights?
Have you considered creating a Year at a Glance?
Do share in the comments below 🙂
You have such an artistic talent and I do love how – with just one glance you can remember what you’ve done. Pictures are much better reminders than words. I agree that time is spinning quickly. Hope it feels like that come winter.
I noticed on your blog you responded to a comment with:
“Nice to hear a comment from someone who thinks they could do it” –
That’s how I feel about what I do – I want other people to not feel daunted but to just give it a go! 😉
Your maps are so creative and I love the “year at a glance” idea. As for time, my theory about the days, weeks and months whizzing by at lightning speed is that we’re having fun doing what we want to do, when we want to do it. No more clock watching!
And for me, it doesn’t help living in a sub tropical climate, where there aren’t the demarcations of seasons to remind you another 3 months has passed!
For us our own blog, accompanied by an old-fashioned paper diary where we jot down the names of places we passed and a few cues, is our way to store travel memories. The most important thing is to name photos early, best within a couple of days, or we forget small details.
ps: and there you painted a big red arrow, pointing to Sydney, through our home town Byron Bay – as if it doesn’t exist…
Juergen | dare2go recently posted..Museum of Pre-Columbian Art in Santiago
I think those who aren’t using a so called “old-fashioned” paper diary in years to come will possibly live to regret it when platforms get superseded (like video players have) and their material is no longer accessible!
I love Byron Bay so no big red strike-through intended LOL 😀
Time is indeed spinning quickly, and I love how you capture your years.
Being able to see where your year has gone in literally a glance, is rewarding! 🙂
I’ll never give up my old fashioned paper journals — well, until some unfortunate relative has the task of ‘cleaning out’ my stuff one day — You always have such wonderful, creative ideas and I think one day ‘maybe’ I’ll give it a try. Time is just going too fast as you noted to get everything done!
Maybe at the end of each month you could try dedicating one page to a pictograph summary of the highlights so when you flick through you can see your months at a glance fly past?! 😉
I love these and have to disagree with your comment that they are no works of art. They ARE. I could get lost in each one. What a fun and uniquely “you” way to journal.
I use whatever is the quickest and simplest way to convey where I’ve been and what I’ve done that doesn’t involve a wall of words!
You should give it a go – you may surprise yourself! 😉
Love your journal maps and I wish there were one with a globe map. They are works of art as you’ve created yours and such a treasure in this digital age. I can only imagine framing them as a group over the years. Nice work!
Thank you Elaine ~ You’re right – One with a globe would be fun!
Your journal maps are gorgeous. I need to get better about organizing photos and travel mementos. It’s too hard to remember exactly where I was or what the story behind the picture was!
I think, when it comes down to it, to be able to enjoy travel memories in the future one simply has to allocate 10 or 15 mins at some point during the day – While it initially feels like an intrusion into running free and simply enjoying the experience, the pleasure I’ve had from flicking through my story maps far out-weigh that little bit of time taken out of the trip – and in fact, once I’ve started, I find their creation at the time actually adds to the fun of the trip 😉
Just gorgeous as always Linda and I really love how you use these as a reminder of what you’ve done/experienced/achieved each year – makes it all feel more worthwhile! I also can’t believe it’s October. Have a wonderful time at TBEX! xx
Amanda Kendle recently posted..Life as an ESL teacher: When Pedro tried to cheat at his English test …
Yes – the way the year flashes by it’s great to be able to literally see at a glance where it’s gone and what I’ve done.
Really looking forward to the travel bloggers conference… and Greece 😉
I love the way you memorialize your year! Not being an artist, I summarize mine in my Christmas letter every year (it’s very short and sweet): number of countries, states and continents, and a few photos. This year, so far, I have visited 11 countries, 21 states and four continents. And, I scrapbook!
Wow! You’ve had quite a year Marilyn – and I love the fact that you use your Christmas letter to review your year –
Not being a scrapbooker I admire your patience – Would love to see an extract (or two) some time! 😉
You inspired me to map our summer, I need practice but had fun doing it. Not sure I could map a whole year though 🙂
A Cook Not Mad (Nat) recently posted..Haleakala in Black & White
How exciting you’ve been inspired to create story maps – And had fun in the process!
For the year it is simply a case of stopping at the end of each month and saying – What have I done?
That’s it!! 😉
You are an artist, whether you consider yourself one or not. These are interesting and beautiful and fit with your talents and abilities, I’m sure. My “year at a glance” would most likely be a photo diary of sorts. You’ve given me an idea, as I often have to look back to see when I visited a particular island. The years are starting to run together! Thanks for preparing this thought-provoking post!
Debbra Dunning Brouillette recently posted..St. Croix’s Underwater World
I think it was that very feeling of years starting to merge together that made me think I needed something where I could see events in their place!
This works a treat! 🙂
I truly love the idea of summarizing this year with a story map. It’s been a busy year and there is no way I will remember everything I did in 2014 in a few years or even next year. Your story maps are beautiful!
I certainly find being able to see my year at a glance an absolute boon!
And very satisfying! 🙂
When I saw the title of your post speaking about the end of the year, like you, I gasped! Time really does fly. Your museum-quality drawings are such a beautiful way to capture memories.
And with a trip to Europe about to happen for me it really will be christmas before I know it!
Thanks for dropping by Irene 🙂
I also can’t believe how fast the year has gone. Yes, of course I LOVE your maps and artwork and just go ‘Ahhh’ each time I see another (Btw, I love your lead photo to this post), but I know I couldn’t do the same. But we do use Photo Books to record our trips and travels, so they don’t totally get forgotten. But oh to be able to draw and have your talent – sigh!
It’s like your writing Jo, it simply takes doing it repeatedly, so slowly but surely (read dogged determinaion!) something other than a kindergarten rendition appears!
Love that you create photo books – Now that’s something I keep saying I’m going to do… But it turns into one day! 🙂
Haha a very different cartoonish site you have, really like the concept, hats off!
Recording your memories, by any which way you can is important if you want to be able to enjoy the all important memories in years to come – you should trypictogramss too 🙂
As you know, I’m a HUGE fan of your work! I love, love, love this year at a glance project. And I look forward to hearing about your travels to Greece, which is high on my list of places in the world I’d love to visit.
TBEX and Greece were fantastic Patti 🙂
We spent a week on the island of Tinos, and a week after the travel blogging conference going up to magnificent Meteora where monasteries were built atop tall narrow mountains!
And then down to Delphi which was wonderful!
I’ve just discovered your site, I think via twitter? Anyway, love it. And I agree with everyone else, works of art!
Penny Sadler recently posted..A Trip To Dutchess County Wine Country: New York
Thanks so much Penny for dropping by –
Look forward to now staying in touch (following you on Twitter 🙂 )
oh my god your maps are amazing 🙂
Thank you! 😀
I know it is a bit late but I think I will do a year in a glance now. You have inspired me. 2014 was great, why not!
It’s never too late to do a year at a glance Sally so I’m super happy you’re going to do one now for 2014 🙂
As time goes by, you’ll be more and more pleased you took the plunge when you did!