So, the question begs...
What comes next?
Robbins' quote serves as a succinct and apropos assessment of the universal value of journal writing—a richly rewarding activity that Freedom Focused enthusiastically encourages ALL human beings to engage in throughout their lives.
Both of these family members have each produced such a prodigious, extensive, and impressive collection of personal journals and other life records that they deserve an exclusive article of their own heralding their monumental lifetime efforts and achievement.
Moreover, others of my siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents have served as models that inspired my father and sister and me in our own extensive and expansive record-keeping proclivities and habits.
ANSWER: The time has arrived to inaugurate a new and exciting literary undertaking: The piecemeal publication of my autobiography.
What is the difference between an AUTO-ethnography and an AUTO-biography, you ask?
The former—an autoethnography—involves a systematic presentation and analysis of one's personal history; while the latter—an autobiography—is simply a presentation of the chronological recordings themselves.
In other words, and put a little more simply: an autoethnography analyzes one's journals; while an autobiography is the journals themselves.
A world famous life coach and motivational speaker — Anthony Robbins — has stated that if your life is worth living, it is worth recording.
"If your life is worth living, it is worth recording."
—Anthony Robbins
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| My DAD: Rex Buckley Jensen with his red-bound journals (1961-1981) |
Today's blog serves as an introduction to four [4] additional articles that will immediately follow it... and many more that will come later on their heels.
The first two (2) of these articles will chronicle the journal legacies of, and pay homage to, two (2) members of my family who have been as diligent and detailed (if not more so) in their personal journaling and record-keeping habits as I have been.
The first of these family members is my father, Rex Buckley Jensen (1943-present).
The second is my younger sister—the youngest of my parent's seven children—Jessie Ruth (née Jensen) Allen (1981-present).
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| My SISTER: Jessie Ruth (née Jensen) Allen with her scrapbooks and maroon-bound journals (1996-2026) |
In granting such exclusive honor upon these two individuals, I wish to note that Dad and Jessie are certainly not the only record keepers in my immediate and extended families.
For example, my paternal grandmother (Dad's mom) had similar record-keeping habits that she clearly passed on to my father, although her means and methods were more epistolary, genealogical, pictorial, and personal history-based than they were daily diary-oriented.
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| JJ's Paternal Grandmother 1919 - 2006 |
One couple in particular—my Aunt Donna (née Nielson) and Uncle Stephen Jensen—have been unusually diligent in producing their own detailed personal histories.
Donna has further completed several additional volumes chronicling the lives and legacies of her parents, grandparents, etc. Such caring creations and labors of love personify the journaling spirit I hope to animate through my work with Freedom Focused and the Self-Action Leadership textbook—A Textbook and Journal for Life.
To all such persons I express my deep and sincere gratitude, honor, respect, and love.
This 317-page personal history was created by my paternal uncle,
Stephen L. Jensen, and published in 2017.
This 320-page work was created by my paternal grandmother,
LaVerda Barton Jensen (1919-2006) in the last years of her life and published circa 2004.
This 156-page work was also created by my paternal grandmother,
LaVerda Barton Jensen in 1975.
This 370-page work from my maternal grandmother's side of the family was created
by The Job Pingree Family Organization and published in 1983.
This 375-page volume from my maternal great-grandmother's family was
produced by my Taggart cousins and published on October 25, 1997.
This 256-page book of life stories about my Mom was compiled under the
direction of two of my siblings: Joseph Ned Jensen and Jessie Ruth Allen.
—Dr. JJ
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA
Author's Note: This is the 534th Blog Post Published by Freedom Focused LLC since November 2013 and the 316th consecutive weekly blog published since August 31, 2020.
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Click HERE for a complete listing of Dr. JJ's Autobiographical Articles
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