Thinking about beginning to journal but you’re unsure of how to start? Keep reading for tips on how to begin your journaling journey!
As someone who has been journaling since I was old enough to write proper sentences, it still surprises me when someone is unsure how to start themselves. The context of what’s in my journals and what they look like has evolved over the years. However, writing is something that has been a constant in my life. My very first journal from a scholastic book-fair, had Britney Spears on the cover, and what I thought to be the COOLEST feature. The purple journal came with a heart shaped lock and a matching key (HOW COOL… am I right?). I was 7 and definitely referred to it as my diary but, like the context of my writing, that has changed.
My journals today look very different, but that can be one of the most fun aspects of journaling… choosing what you want to write in. You want to write in a notepad? No problem! A quill and a Harry Potter style notebook? No problem! You still want that pink fluffy diary… NO PROBLEM. The journaling world is your oyster, begin your journaling journey today!
A photo captures a moment in time, and helps to cherish memories… a journal entry can do just the same.
I really believe journaling can help with personal development and self-awareness. Not only is writing your thoughts and feelings down therapeutic, but you can also look back at how you felt and become more aware of your behaviours and feelings. This can help with self-reflection and help determine if it’s time to make a change to your lifestyle or keep living your best life. I’ve noted before in previous articles how I have impulsive tendencies, writing really helps get out those feelings of impulse and controls them without acting on them and regretting it later. This could mean writing a letter to someone on how I felt at the time about a conflict, a love interest, or maybe how someone motivated me positively at an impactful time in my life.
I especially find this helpful with wanting to share opinions on social media, with the click of a button we can post something that we may regret afterwards in the heat of the moment.
The number one question I get that baffles me is “Casey, what narrative do you write in?” Sometimes I have to pull back and remember writing doesn’t come naturally to everyone. When I first started taking writing journal entries seriously, it did not come as easily as it does now. When I say serious journal entries, I mean my little purple diary didn’t only consist of games of MASH, I was actually documenting what was going on in my life or my feelings at the time.
In the beginning, the perfectionist in me struggled with making the entries perfect, the writing was neat, but trying to overcome the overwhelming feeling of “what do I write about?” was still there. I used to write something then throw it out later and overtime I learned to leave those “messy” entries, and sometimes those are the ones I love to re-read and look back on the most.
The best part of keeping a journal… There are absolutely NO rules.
You can journal in whatever narrative you want, your journal could ultimately be endless games of MASH, and it doesn’t have to be neat and consistent. If you like structure and consistency, then yes, have all of your entries neatly written out, show consistency by dating your entries, and writing in chronological order. Or maybe you’re more of a free spirit and want to scribble thoughts on a page and then come back to them two weeks, two months, or two years later… that is totally okay.
My writing has evolved from games of MASH, notes about my elementary school crushes, to an outlet when I was a teenager in high-school and the perfectionist in me wrote out consistent and neat entries, and now I feel like I have reached a balance that fits who I am as a person. Some days the entries are dated, printed neatly, talk in depth on what is going on in my life, or how I feel at the time in first person narrative. Other times I open a random page and go with the flow, I will write out a fun list, things I am grateful for, current music I am listening to, or just random quotes or lyrics that mean something to me at the time.
So, if you’re considering beginning your very own journaling journey here are some of my own fun tips and advice.
Choose a journal!
Choose a journal that excites you to write in, you find aesthetically pleasing, or has a fun theme you enjoy. My journals now are usually a neutral colour with a soft shell cover, approximately 12” x 8” in size, and have ribbon style bookmarks to make it easy to find old entries or to mark where I left off last.
The rules are… there are no rules for your journaling journey!
I think this piece of advice is the most important. Don’t let what you think you need to write about overwhelm you. Try not to think about it too much and just put your pen to paper. If you want structure, then write with structure, if you want to scribble random thoughts, then do that, or do both! I normally write in first person narrative, but that is another thing you can switch up too. Keep it messy, keep it clean… whatever YOU want. Begin your journaling journey, go at your own pace, and make it yours!
Have fun with your journaling!
I can’t stress this enough, no one will journal if it feels like a chore. Just write what excites you or do things that you find are fun. The other day I wrote out every artist I’ve seen in concert and then proceeded to write out a “concert bucket list”. I got inspiration for this entry based on a conversation my roommates and I were having about music and the best concerts we’ve ever experienced. It got me thinking how many musicians/bands have I watched perform and who else I want to see.
If you are still struggling there are so many great journals now that come with writing prompts… they may help you kick off your journaling experience! My favourites include… The Me Journal, One Line A Day, 3000 Questions About Me, and 52 Lists Of Happiness.
Continue journaling & reflect!
REFLECT, REFLECT, REFLECT! I find it enjoyable, and as I stated earlier, I feel it really does help with personal growth and self-awareness. I have entries that I go back to and read what I wrote over ten years ago. It’s a really cool feeling reading an entry I wrote so long ago about something that happened that I can’t quite remember correctly. I think reflecting even if it’s hard in the moment can only benefit you and your future self.
If after reading all of this it still seems overwhelming to begin a journaling journey, that is totally okay, maybe you prefer other outlets to deal with your emotions and feelings. Journaling may not be for everyone, but I wanted to help those who were considering it that maybe needed a little push. I hope this article has inspired at least one person to start their own journaling journey, if so best of luck to you!
For those who are looking for something a little different after reading this article maybe fun meal prepping, or reading is more your style? Check out our other articles to help with all of those activities.
