“Compare who you were to who you are.”
Why This Ritual Matters
We rarely notice our own reading journal growth because transformation happens gradually—like watching the hour hand of a clock. Day by day, the changes are invisible. But compare January to December, and the distance becomes undeniable. Today’s ritual gives you that perspective.
Your first journal entry is a time capsule. It holds the questions you asked when you were just beginning this journey, the passages that struck you then, the thoughts that seemed profound at the time. Revisiting it isn’t about judging your past self—it’s about witnessing your evolution with clear eyes.
This practice draws on what psychologists call self-comparison theory. Rather than measuring yourself against others—which often leads to discouragement—you measure yourself against your own past. This creates what researchers call “temporal self-appraisal,” a powerful source of motivation and self-efficacy. You see evidence that growth is real, that effort compounds, that the person reading these words is not the same person who wrote that first entry.
Today’s Practice
Find your earliest reading journal entry from this year—or from whenever you began documenting your reading journey. If you’ve been following the 365 Reading Rituals program, look back to January. Read what you wrote slowly, without rushing to judgment.
Notice the questions you were asking. Notice what confused you. Notice what excited you. Notice how you expressed your thoughts. Then ask yourself: How would I write this entry differently today?
The gap between then and now isn’t a criticism of your past self. It’s proof that the work you’ve been doing has meaning.
How to Practice
- Locate your first entry. Pull out your reading journal, open your notes app, or find wherever you first recorded thoughts about your reading. The older the better.
- Read without editing. Resist the urge to cringe or correct. Just observe. Let the words land as they are.
- Identify three differences. What has changed in how you think about reading? In what you notice? In how you express yourself?
- Write a brief reflection. In today’s journal entry, note what you observe. Acknowledge the distance traveled.
- Express gratitude to your past self. They started the journey that brought you here. Honor that beginning.
Consider a photographer looking through their earliest work. The composition might be awkward, the exposure inconsistent, the framing uncertain. But they don’t feel shame—they feel pride in progress. That early work was necessary. Every imperfect shot taught them something. Your first journal entries work the same way. They’re not failures to be hidden; they’re foundations that made everything else possible.
What to Notice
Pay attention to the texture of your earlier thinking. Were your observations more surface-level? Were you focusing on plot summaries rather than deeper themes? Were you asking simpler questions? None of this is wrong—it’s where everyone starts. The point is recognizing how your lens has sharpened.
Also notice what has remained constant. Perhaps certain curiosities have persisted across the year. Perhaps your core interests have deepened rather than shifted. Consistency and growth aren’t opposites—they often work together.
The Science Behind It
Research in developmental psychology shows that autobiographical reflection—the practice of reviewing one’s own past—strengthens identity coherence and promotes psychological well-being. When we can trace a narrative thread from who we were to who we are, we develop a stronger sense of self and greater confidence in continued growth.
Studies on expertise development also reveal that deliberate reflection on progress accelerates skill acquisition. Experts don’t just practice—they regularly assess where they’ve come from. This metacognitive loop helps consolidate learning and identify areas for continued development. By revisiting your first journal entry, you’re engaging the same reflective mechanisms that top performers use to sustain improvement.
Connection to Your Reading Journey
This ritual sits in December’s “Reflection & Integration” segment for a reason. You’ve spent 337 days building reading skills, exploring comprehension strategies, and developing your relationship with text. Now is the time to look back and make meaning from the arc.
Tomorrow, you’ll write a letter to your future reading self. Today’s practice prepares you by grounding you in where you’ve been. Self-comparison isn’t about living in the past—it’s about using the past as a launchpad for what comes next.
Reading my first journal entry from ______, I notice that my thinking has evolved in these specific ways: ______. The biggest difference between who I was then and who I am now as a reader is ______.
What would you tell your January self about what they were about to learn? What did they need to hear that only you—having lived through the year—could now say?
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