At a time when most of you are probably eagerly waiting for the new iPhones to be announced during Apple’s yearly keynote, I stumbled upon an incredible story that I couldn’t help but write about. In today’s article, I’d like to share the life-changing story of a 100-year-old woman who journaled every day for 90 years.
You read that right—her name is Evie Riski, she was born in North Dakota, and before we dive in, I’d like to take this occasion to send her our heartfelt wishes for inspiring thousands to continue journaling, and many others to start. The question many of you might be asking is why she kept doing it for so long. Was there a secret, or did it simply make her life better? Let’s find out!
An Early Start, a Lifelong Habit
It was back in 1935 when Evie Riski, then ten, received a diary from her father for Christmas. I’m quite sure that at the time she couldn’t have imagined that 90 years later her daily journaling would inspire thousands around the world. To me, it’s hard to even count the days across those years—but the thought of so many entries to her journals is truly remarkable.
Her journaling journey started on January 1, 1936, and became a lifelong habit to this day. As a child, Evie Riski often filled her diary with simple notes, writing down “the things that happened that day, what the weather was like, or just simple things,” she recalled in an interview with CNBC. It’s a reminder that great things aren’t born of grand gestures but rather of small, purposeful steps every single day.
Riski spent her childhood on a farm, which served as a great environment, as she had plenty of things to write about in her journals. One of her early diary entries from August of 1937 reads: “Washed, churned. Cleaned church. Baked.”, according to CNBC.
The Rule of 15 Minutes
Regardless of how busy Riski is, she sets aside 15 minutes daily to write in her journal. That small ritual may be one secret behind her consistency, and a great example to follow if you need motivation to get started. Even in the hospital after giving birth to her children, she wrote a few lines. As she told The Washington Post, “I wrote on scrap paper then and transferred it to the diary when I got home. There was really no excuse for me not to write in it.”
Why Journaling
Perhaps you already knew this story, or maybe this article is how it found you. Either way, I wanted to share it with you, dear reader, to spark your interest and give you a little motivation to start a journal. As complicated as it may look at first, you can always start small. Do it when you wake up or before bed, just find a moment in your day and jot down a few lines. The more consistent you are, the better you’ll feel and the more satisfaction it will bring. If Riski could make time for 15 minutes a day, even on the hardest days, you can, too.
So, let this be your sign—grab a notebook and a pen, and begin your daily writing ritual.
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