Pasts, Presents and Futures: Journalling at the Turn of the Year

I’ve always enjoyed journalling. From around the age of eight or nine, I’d faithfully write-up a diary entry each night before bed listing everyday happenings; fallings out and back in with my four siblings, what I’d had for dinner, the changing of the weather in Scotland’s far north. Later as a teenager, my granny would send the ‘Dairy Diary’ for Christmas each year; a free- gift she received with her milk delivery and passed on to me. Through my teens and twenties, I’d fill the pages with my inner struggles around relationships, family, money and my life as a struggling musician in Glasgow’s 00s music scene. In recent years, as a researcher, I’ve relied on my reflective field journal to capture insights, interrogate assumptions and make sense of thoughts not yet fully formed. Yet, despite these decades -long diary conversations with myself I’d never really considered journalling as a group experience. A way into connection and collective understanding.

December 2024 brought a new treat. An alternative to solitary scribbling and a chance to participate in two of artist Jean McEwan’s fabulous Changing Realities creative journalling sessions. Many involved with Changing Realities will have already had the pleasure of having one of Jean’s creative journal packs arrive through your door. For a first- timer like me though, the experience was a pure joy. The pack of beautiful golden pens, patterned paper, decoupage materials, coloring pencils, gold stickers and hot chocolate was such a gift! The contents, a welcome festive invitation to slow down, reflect and play with words, colours, images and textures. It’s so rare as adults that we’re given these kinds of invitations to play and find new ways to represent our internal truths.

My first introduction to group journaling was back in mid-December when Jean invited Changing Realities participants to gather for a festive journalling and reflective session. I had the pleasure of joining the ‘chatty’ journalling group and meeting several of the project’s longstanding and newer members. As a relative newcomer the journalling space allowed me an exciting opportunity to get to know our project members and find out more about individual and collective journeys. As a group we shared our experiences of struggle, solidarity and best hopes for ourselves, our children and society in 2025 and beyond and in the process produced some special and personal artistic creations! I came away from the journalling session feeling really inspired by the outstanding achievements of our participants and the excellent opportunities for change- making which have happened through involvement with Changing Realities.

These are some of the important things I learned from sitting in on these final journaling sessions at the end of the year.

• Taking part in Changing Realities has had real impact in the lives of so many of the group members who noted participation in activities such as attending 10 Downing Street, meetings with Scottish ministers and contributing to publications as major personal achievements.
• I learned that many of those in the group came into contact with Changing Realities during notable low points in their lives, especially during the Covid-19 lockdown, and reported increased hopefulness and connectedness as a result of taking part.
• I learned that for many of the most isolated parents’ online space is a vital source of hope and connection.
• I learned that Jean’s kind and skilled facilitation has created the conditions for group members to be honest and reflective about the realities of parenthood and low-income over time in the group journalling sessions.

I’m so grateful to all in the ‘chatty group’ who shared so much of themselves and helped me out as a new team member as I sought to understand the individual and collective journey of our project. I’ve only been a member of the Changing Realities team for a very short time. Yet, as an underclass/benefits-class/working-class woman and a lone mum I identify so much with the struggles described in the group journalling sessions and the need for us to build strong networks of solidarity as we strive for real and lasting social and economic justice for all. Such an excellent way to round off 2024 and to recognise and celebrate the tremendous achievements of all involved in Changing Realities.

As we move into 2025 and reflect on our experiences of navigating family life on low incomes and involvement in action for social change, I’ll leave you with my own journal entry from Jean’s session. I’ve been playing with creating poems and songs from quotes. This one is based on words from conversations in our ‘chatty’ journalling group and a picture I created called, ‘We Can Do Anything’ – A reminder to myself and my children that remarkable things can be achieved in spite of the barriers posed by structural inequalities.

Here's to peace and progress in 2025. Wishing Everyone a Very Happy New Year!

Struggles and Solidarity

The struggles are real and they keep on coming

Wars and rumours of wars on the TV illuminate my living room walls.

The damp and the cold and the electricity bills we daren’t look at.

What will this week bring? Going without food, school trips or not paying bills?

The monotony of the tower block. No money for bus fares.

The shame of old worn clothes and dated homes.

Juggling debt repayments. Trying not to go under. Trying so hard not to go under.

Doing it for the kids. Robbing Peter to pay Paul. Behind a painted smile.

Guilty about chips for dinner. Again. Tears in the bathroom.

Back at the foodbank tonight. No choices.

Stuck in a cycle. No money to see friends. Alone again.

Washing machine broke. Stuck in a cycle.

Can’t afford to fix it. Dirty clothes mounting on the floor.

This kind of poverty. It’s a travesty. For so many of us now it feels like home.

But our poverty is not an inevitability. There is enough for us all to have enough.

There is enough. There is enough.

Solidarity: The invisible thread binds us, sustains us.

On the cusp of the year we stand in solidarity. All we who struggle.

As we strive for better ways,

Raising our voices, casting our words and our experiences into the arena

Countering injustice and refusing poverty shame.

Hope over fear. Justice over greed. Connection over isolation.

Aye and all power to us in this new year.