There’s a book on the shelf in my office called You’re Going to Be a Dad. I bought it before my daughter was born, trying to prepare myself for fatherhood in any way I could (what a naive sentiment that feels like now).
The book walked me through every stage of pregnancy: what my wife would be experiencing, what support she might need, what I could expect as the due date approached. I bought it over three years ago, when becoming a father was something thrilling and terrifying and totally new. At the time, the title felt like a warning. You’re going to be a dad, mate. Time to step up. Better get ready while you can.
But this morning, I caught sight of the spine again; now as the proud, exhausted, joyful father of a two-and-a-half-year-old (going on eighteen). And the title struck me in a completely different way.
It felt like a mantra. A choice. A declaration.
I’m going to be a dad.
Not just in name. But in action. Over and over again, moment to moment. A role I choose to inhabit with intention and love.
Today’s journal prompt:
What part of your life once felt like something happening to you, but now feels like something you choose?
Is there a phrase or title in your life that deserves to be reframed into a mantra? What would it look like to live it out more fully, day by day?
Happy journaling.
Dave Bawden is the founder of This Journaling Journey, where he helps people (especially men) use journaling to rewrite their personal myths, reconnect with meaning, and define success on their own terms. He writes at the intersection of self-authorship, narrative identity, and everyday philosophy.
