1726 January 1 (Saturday). Besides my making my preparations for the approaching Sabbath, I have little to remark concerning this Day, as it looks as if very many kindred and most of my Dayes have rolled away without anything worth noting upon them. Some are left Blank because of the Confusion I am put into by Diem perdidi; or because with all my Desire to Improve my time, I prove but of little importance either to Myself, or anyone Else. I had through the whole of this Day crowds of imperfect Reflections upon the Consumption of Time and the misimprovement of my Talents. Late in the Evening when I had finished my Sermons, as my manner has often been to look into Myself and view the State of my Heart, that I may be in some Measure prepar’d for the Holy time and solemn Employments coming on; at this Season, I say, my Thoughts run more free from those Confusions and interruptions just mentioned, than in the Day, but were chiefly engag’d upon my grievous Neglect of the Affairs and Concerns of my Soul and preparations for Eternity, and particularly upon my omission of this Method of keeping a journal (or Diary) so long as I have. And I regret that when I did make a Business of it, there was so much time and pain spent in Vanity. I fix’d a Resolution to prosecute other Aims and purposes, and to confine myself more severely and strictly to Studies of Grave and Serious Subjects, to Enquirys into my own Deportment, and to such observations on the Demeanour and Conduct of these as that thereby I may learn the most Suitable regular method of forming my own Thoughts and Actions.