Each year, the same pattern emerges. Many people pledge to spend more time outdoors, develop their bushcraft skills or strive for greater self-reliance. Yet, by the time February arrives, much of their initial enthusiasm has faded. This is not due to laziness, but rather because resolutions often do not withstand the realities of the outdoors. The woods present weather, obstacles and real consequences, indifferent to our best intentions.
Traditionally, bushcraft has never been mastered through grand resolutions. Instead, it is learned through forming habits (small actions, repeated regularly and reflected upon honestly). As Kephart observed, bushcraft is a discipline built on consistency and honest self-assessment.
Why Resolutions Don’t Work in the Woods
On paper, a resolution might sound impressive: “This year, I’m going to master bushcraft.” However, such a statement lacks the practical realities of terrain, wind and cold hands.
In contrast, a habit could be: “Three times a week, I’ll spend 20 minutes outside and write down what I notice.”
The difference is crucial. Resolutions often crumble the moment life becomes hectic. Habits, however, adapt and persist, mirroring the demands of bushcraft itself. As Kochanski has noted. In the outdoors, detailed plans often falter, but habits can evolve and continue.
Bushcraft Is Seasonal, Not Calendar-Based
Nature does not reset itself on the 1st of January, and neither does the process of building bushcraft skills. Progress in bushcraft follows a natural sequence:
- Awareness before tools
- Fire before shelter
- Shelter before comfort
- Comfort before confidence
Attempting to “learn everything this year” bypasses the gradual, seasonal approach humans have traditionally used to acquire outdoor skills and isnt a realistic approach. Instead learn some basics and start to build up your skills. Mears emphasises that true learning in bushcraft happens through repetition and by moving with the seasons.
Rather than setting an annual goal, it is often more effective to select a particular focus each month. For instance, one month might centre on observation, another on fire-making and another on shelter construction. This method removes unnecessary pressure and encourages genuine engagement and attention.
The Journal: The Most Overlooked Bushcraft Tool
Long before modern equipment, people relied on memory, honed through repetition and meticulous record-keeping. A bushcraft journal serves as a field log, not merely a diary, as Kephart described. Most entries are brief, noting what worked, what failed and what was surprising.
Sometimes, a single line “Fire struggled in wind. Tinder too fine.” can be more valuable for future progress than any instructional video.
Why Journaling Turns Skill into Experience
Skills can fade if they are not reflected upon, while notes help to preserve and deepen understanding. Journaling compels you to slow down and notice patterns, weather conditions, available materials, mistakes and successes. This reflective process is central to how tracking, firecraft and navigation have traditionally been learned, as Brown Jr. has highlighted.
Journaling completes the learning cycle: experience leads to reflection, which leads to adjustment, as described by Kolb. Over time, your journal develops into a unique and valuable resource, a record of what has truly worked for you in your specific environment.
Build the Habit, Not the Image
Modern outdoor culture often emphasises perfect kit and picturesque campsites. However, bushcraft is not concerned with appearances; it cares only about what works. The individuals who develop real bushcraft skills are not those pursuing aesthetics, but those who consistently practise the same skills, often alone and without recognition, as Mears has pointed out.
Habits do not require an audience. Consistency, not display is what really matters.
A Simple Habit That Sticks
If you wish to begin without overcomplicating matters, consider this simple approach:
Two or Three times a week:
- Spend 20–30 minutes outdoors
- Practise or observe one thing
- Write three lines in a notebook/journal
This is not a resolution; it is a rhythm. Rhythms are sustainable and such repeated observation and practice (often called the “sit-spot” practice) are common across Indigenous traditions worldwide because they are effective.
What Changes Over Time
After several weeks of honest, regular practice, you will notice meaningful changes:
- The woods become more familiar
- You make decisions more confidently
- Tools feel easier to use
- Your confidence grows, quietly and steadily
Eventually, you stop striving to “be a bushcrafter.” Instead, you simply become someone who goes outside, practises skills and learns from experience.
Resolutions are promises to a future version of yourself. In contrast, habits are agreements with who you are right now, someone standing outdoors, paying attention and taking notes. This is the enduring way bushcraft has always been learned.
References & Influences
These works and traditions inform the philosophy behind habit-based bushcraft learning and journaling:
- Kochanski, M. Bushcraft: Outdoor Skills and Wilderness Survival
— Emphasises skill repetition, awareness and self-reliance over gear. - Kephart, H. Camping and Woodcraft
— Early documentation of field notes, practical experimentation and lived learning. - Brown Jr., T. The Tracker
— Highlights observation, journaling and pattern recognition as core wilderness skills. - Mears, R. Essential Bushcraft
— Reinforces gradual skill-building and environmental literacy through experience. - Sit Spot Practice (Various Indigenous Traditions)
— A long-standing method of developing awareness through repeated, quiet observation in one place. - Kolb, D. A. Experiential Learning Theory
— Learning as a cycle of experience, reflection (journaling) and adaptation. - Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics
— Ethical framework supporting responsible, repeatable outdoor practice.
Sparrowhawk Bushcraft 