Jennifer Breheny Wallace

I hate to journal.

I'll admit it.

As a writer, I do not feel like journaling after a day of writing.

And so I have this 30-second exercise.

Before I go to bed, I have a small notebook next to my bed in my top drawer, and I write in it.

I answer two questions.

When did I feel valued today?

And when did I add value today, even in a small way?

right?

Those, those days when I am working, you know, 12 hours and writing and sort of sequestered alone in my office, I don't always necessarily feel like I'm adding value.

So those days, it might be that I was in the parking lot at the supermarket, and it was my turn to get this great spot, but I waved somebody else to let them get it.

So even in that teeny tiny way, I mattered, I made somebody's day a little easier, I made them smile.

So it

It just takes pausing and creating a habit of seeing big and small ways that we make an impact on the world around us.

I think it depends on life stages.

So our sense of mattering, mattering matters throughout the lifespan.

It starts from the earliest of days and it matters right up until we pass.

But there are certain times of life when our sense of mattering can take a hit.

So the adolescent years, when we are building a sense of self, and we are searching the world for messages that we matter or we don't matter.

When we go through life transitions, getting a new job relocating, or even, you know, especially perhaps negative life transitions, grief, getting fired, empty nesting, these are