Why I Created The Journal

I started this space as I entered what you might call a quieter phase of life — not quiet in the sense of slowing down or fading away, but in the sense of tuning in more closely to what truly matters.

My days are still full — of creative work, ideas, things to explore, and a steady effort to stay well in body and mind. But the pace is different now. The drive comes from within. I’m no longer competing for mindshare, chasing money, or working to someone else’s brief.

I’m not here to build a business. I’m not trying to grow an audience or ‘monetise’ anything (I’ve always disliked that word). I’ve had my years of doing, striving, achieving. Now, I’m interested in being — and becoming — in a way that feels real.

We live in a world that often feels noisy, reactive, and tense — where people seem quick to anger, quick to judge, and constantly distracted. This journal is my way of stepping back from all that. Not to retreat, but to reconnect — with what’s real, lasting, and quietly worthwhile.

And there’s this, too: time is finite. None of us knows how much of it we have left. That’s not fatalistic — just a fact. And once you really accept it, something shifts. You begin to notice more. To value what matters. To stop giving energy to what doesn’t.

This space is, first and foremost, for me — a place to reflect, to write, to think aloud while I still can. If something I share helps you in some way — to find perspective, clarity, or a gentler sense of direction — that’s wonderful. But this isn’t about building influence. It’s about listening to life more closely.

You’ll find reflections here drawn from history, philosophy, psychology, and the ordinary rhythms of daily life — walking, reading, writing, paying attention. The kind of things that don’t shout, but stay with us.

I’ve lived many lives — from a mining village in South Wales to boardrooms overseas. I’ve known coal dust and corporate gloss, solitude and success. And now, I find myself drawn back to the centre of things: the unhurried, the human, the true.

There’s no agenda here. Just an open door — and an invitation to pause, reflect, and maybe carry a thought or two with you.

Thanks for stopping by.

— John