20 of My Best Tips For Better Journaling
Journaling can be a powerful tool for self-reflection and growth. It can help you make sense of what’s going on in your life, identify problems, and find solutions.
Journaling can also be used as a tool for managing stress or anxiety but it's important that you find a journaling habit that works for you. Some people like to write in their journals every day, while others only do it once a week.
Find what works best for you and stick with it!
I tend to do a combination of both. I write a sentence or two in my gratitude journal and 10-15 minutes in my personal journal every day. I also have a Memory Journal that I update weekly. I use this more like a scrapbook with lots of photos, stickers, decorative paper, and washi tape.
The 10-minute rule is an easy way to keep journal writing on track and make it a habit.
It’s simple, all you need to do is set aside 10 minutes each day and write about anything that comes to your mind. Like a stream-of-consciousness entry. The idea behind it is that by giving yourself this short amount of time, you are more likely to make it a habit because the task doesn’t seem too daunting.
There are hundreds of tips and tricks I could list here but I really wanted to share the ones that I think you benefit from the most. So here’s a look at 20 of my best tips for better journaling:
Don’t worry about using proper grammar, full sentences, or punctuation. This is for your eyes only so just let your thoughts flow.
Journal in the same location every day. This might be your dining room table, your bed, or your favorite coffee shop. Choose a place you feel safe and comfortable.
Write every day, no matter how you feel. Write when you’re sick, when you’re happy, when you’re sad, and when you’re tired or hung over. Just write!
Keep your journal in a secure location to ease your mind about writing private thoughts.
Don’t censor your thoughts or feelings. Just write it as you see, think, or feel it.
Create a Gratitude Journal for all the things you are grateful for. When you’re feeling lost or down, read through it to brighten your day.
Record more than just your thoughts, include your feelings, and the sights, sounds, and smells around you. What color was the sky Did you smell fresh-cut grass? What was the person wearing?
Include more than just words. Photos, drawings, stickers, poems, quotes, scriptures, mementos, song lyrics, and more can be added. Anything YOU want!
When trying to solve a problem, write it down in the third person so you can see it from a new perspective.
Journal about anything that is important to you; people places, ideas, books, poetry, etc.
Get creative. Add fun, silly thoughts to your journal. You don’t always have to be serious. Have fun with it and you will want to do it more often.
Make a list of your favorite journaling prompts to help when you feel you have nothing to write about.
Consider writing “top Ten” lists. for example, the top 10 things I worry about, the top 10 things I love about myself; etc.
Use your journal to document your bucket list(s).
Document any lessons you’ve learned.
Journal about your most secret thoughts and ideas.
At times you may want to conduct a total mind dump. When this happens just start writing. Don’t worry if it makes sense, just write everything that comes to mind. You’ll feel like a new person getting those thoughts off your mind and you can explore individual pieces of your writing at a later time if you feel like it.
Be authentic. Journaling is for your own well-being. Don’t be scared to share your core values, your joy and love, your spirituality, creativity, fears, likes, and dislikes.
Never miss more than a day or two of journaling at one time. It could create a stall that might last much longer.
If you struggle to journal, try a different method. If you’re currently using a pen and paper, see if an app will work better for you. Change the time or location that you journal and see if that helps.
BONUS TIP: Leave room for a table of contents. Once your journal is complete, you can add any notes that will allow you to quickly find what you’re looking for.
JOURNALING SUPPLIES I RECOMMEND
Even though you only need a pen and paper, here are some of my favorite journaling supplies if you want to check them out:
I like to use a few different notebooks for journaling but my favorite is this Leuchtturm1917 Softcover. I prefer the squared pages but you can also get the dot grid, lined, or blank formats.
If you would rather use a spiral binding, these notebooks are the best! I love that they come in a three-pack so I always have an extra one on hand. These are also a squared format but I think they are available in lined and dot-grid too.
To be honest, my go-to pen is a simple, classic black Bic but when I want something a little fancier I use either use these Muji Gel Pens or these Micron Sakura Pigma.
Get creative with your journaling and add some Washi Tape, Stickers, or if you’re artistic you can draw your own doodles.
Sometimes I like to add photos to my journaling and over the years I’ve tried a bunch of different printers. I started out using this Fujifilm Instax Mini but it wasn’t very practical to carry around all the time. Since the quality was so much better when I use my phone for pictures I decided to splurge on the Canon Ivy Mini Printer. It connects directly to my phone through the app and easily prints on 2x3 sticker photo paper that I can add right to my journal page instantly.
I hope today’s post inspires you to pick up your journal and start writing! Here are a few Everyday Journaling Prompts to get you started.
I’m so happy you stopped by today! Thanks, ❤️
BEFORE YOU GO:
Here are a few more journaling posts you might like:
Printing Tips:
THE ULTIMATE LIST OF PRODUCTS, APPS, TOOLS, AND RESOURCES I USE ON A DAILY BASIS
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