I’m gonna let you in on a secret. I used to suck at keeping a daily journal.
Almost every single one of my new entries would start with “sorry I haven’t written in a while…” I also used to have so many empty journals collecting dust on my shelf. Never in my life had I actually fully filled a journal.
That was the case, at least until just a few years ago.
In college, when I first got started on my personal growth journey, was when I finally got the habit to stick.
And in less than a year I finally filled up one of my journals.
Journaling has now become one of my favorite ways to start my day. After making a cup of coffee, it’s the first thing I do in my morning routine.
It helped me realize that I needed to drop out of college. It helped me get gain clarity on my goals and dreams for my life.
Journaling can help you in so many areas of your life (but more on that in a second).
If you are new to the world of journaling, this is article is designed to help you get started. You’ll learn how to start a journal from scratch, the different journaling methods and strategies, and how to make it into a habit.
Or maybe you’re like me – you like the idea of starting or ending your day with journaling, but for the life of you, can’t make it into a daily habit.
Well, I’m going to let you in on a few secrets that will help you start the habit and keep it. So you can finally fill one of those countless empty journals around you house.
I’ll warn you, this is a long and detailed post, but I know you’ll get a lot of value from it. I would recommend pinning this article so you can come back to it again.
I’m so excited to welcome you to the world of journaling.
Pin it to read later ?
How to Start a Journal: Find Your Why
The first step to start journaling is really simple. All you need is an empty notebook and a pen.
Yep, that’s it.
Well, I guess there might be a bit more to it.
Firstly, I recommend you dive deep into why you really want to start a journal in the first place.
Just like when you get starting building any new habit and routine, you need some way to keep you motivated, and that’s why I always recommend coming up with your “Why Statement”. This why statement should clearly articulate the reason or purpose behind why you want to build this new habit.
Start my asking yourself the following questions:
- Why do I want to start a journal?
- What do I hope to get out of it?
- What do I want to accomplish?
It’ll be much easier to build this new journaling habit if you understand WHY you actually want to do it. Once you have an answer, write it out as a full sentence like this:
- I want to start journaling to better understand my thoughts and feelings and gain more clarity
- I want to start keeping a journal on a regular basis to document my life and my memories.
Once you’ve done that, write it on a post-it or piece of paper that you can stick on the inside of cover of whatever you’re going to journal in. Read this statement every day to remind yourself why you are trying to build this into a habit.
Do you have your why? Awesome, now let’s actually get started.
The Benefits of Journaling
There are so many benefits of journaling.
My favorite benefit is that it allows me to slow down in this stressful and ever-changing adventure we call life.
As you realize how beneficial it is to journal daily, you’ll want to do it first thing every morning.
Here are some more journaling benefits to get you motived to start your journaling journey:
- Gain clarity and focus
- Increased productivity
- Improves your mood
- Makes you more likely to chase your goals
- Boost confidence
- Increase self-awareness
- Decreases stress and overwhelm
- And sparks creativity
There are No Rules When Journaling!
The best part about journaling is there are absolutely no rules.
You don’t have to be a good writer or have good handwriting.
Allow for mistakes, grammar errors, and messy handwriting. It’s all you.
Just let your stream of consciousness flow freely.
One of the main points of journaling is to learn how to express yourself in a carefree way when no one is watching.
There is no judgment in your journal because it’s your journal!
Different Types of Journals
Alright, now for the fun part. Let’s figure out which type of journaling you should start with.
Remember that you aren’t marrying this type right now. Pick one form to test out for a couple of weeks and then you can evaluate whether you want to stick with it or try a new one.
Every person will journal differently and the type of journaling you decide is best for you will be based on your WHY.
Remember how we discussed your why just a bit ago? Use the answer to those few questions to help you figure out what type of journaling will be best for you.
Here are 9 types of journals to choose from:
Bullet Journal
Bullet journaling has grown a lot in the past few years. Many people use it as a journal for productivity and goal setting. The overall concept was invented by Ryder Carroll and is best described as a mindfulness practice disguised as a productivity system. Head to Pinterest to see examples, there are tons of them over there.
Morning Pages
The idea of Morning Pages originated from the book “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron, and the main idea is to do stream-of-consciousness writing. The morning pages are usually done in the morning when our brains are the most creative. No thinking allowed, just start writing until 2-3 pages are filled.
Gratitude Journal
This one is pretty self-explanatory. Many people recommend starting and ending the day by writing what you are most grateful for. If that doesn’t resonate with you, try asking yourself what made you the happiest today.
Dream Journal
Dream journals are devoted to your dreams. They can be dreams you have while you are sleeping or what you daydream about throughout the day. Either way, write down a few sentences every morning about a dream you had or what you dream of for your future self.
Brain Dumping Journal
A brain-dumping journal is the only type of journal that I’d say you should keep with you at all times. It is meant to be a place for you to jot down any new ideas whenever they come to you so you don’t forget about them.
Scrapbooks
Not many people think of the scrapbook as a journal type but it’s more than just a place for photos. You can gather memories, dreams, or create mood boards. Basically, a scrapbook is where you can gather a bunch of images and put them together in an artsy way that’s just you. And you can write about the images to add a story to each page.
The Dear Diary Journal
The most basic and common form of journaling. I probably don’t need to explain it. But for just a quick explanation, I like to think of the dear diary journal like you are telling your future self about anything you want. What you did that day, what you hope happens if you do something. Basically anything.
Guided Journals
If you still don’t know where to start, you could try a guided journal. The most popular one out there is the Five Minute Journal. It only takes 5-minutes every day to fill out. I’ll talk more about it soon.
When to Journal
It can be really easy to just toss your journal off to the side and save it for a rainy day, but most of the benefits we talked about earlier come from daily journaling.
It can be hard to implement at first if you are new to it. The best way to start a habit is to do it in small doses.
You don’t have to journal for a whole hour or aim to fill a whole page.
If you make a habit overwhelming, you will never actually start it.
Instead, start with setting aside just 1 minute every day to journal – just to start with.
Write about anything.
A minute isn’t a lot so the excuse of ‘I don’t have time’ won’t exist.
I would also recommend you journal at around the same time every day if you can. That way your brain can associate a time with a habit which will make it easier to be consistent.
You can also link it with an activity you already do – like drinking your coffee or right after you give your pet breakfast.
Whatever it is, linking journaling to an already existing habit will make it a ritual of your daily routine.
Journaling Supplies
Like I said at the beginning, you really don’t need a lot to start a journal. Just a notebook and a pen.
However, you can make journaling more appealing if you have a pretty journal and your favorite pen to write with.
Here are some supplies ideas to get you started:
Pretty Journals
Pens
Whiteout
Fun Stencils
Inspirational stickers
Famous Guided Journals on Amazon
The Five-Minute Journal
This is an un-dated guided journal that will boost your happiness in just 5 minutes a day. Each page includes thoughtfully designed prompts that include: gratitude, prioritizing your day, 3 amazing things, inspiring quotes, daily affirmations, and end of the day self-reflection. The Five-Minute Journal is known as “The Simplest Way to Start Your Day Happy”.
The Best Journal Ever
The Best Journal Ever is a guided 3-in-1 journal that includes a place for gratitude journaling, habit tracking, and monthly reflection. This undated journal has enough pages to get you through 6 months without needing to buy another journal. Each daily page includes a place to track your sleep, an inspirational quote, gratitude, affirmations, and a half-page for daily journaling.
A Year of Zen: A 52-Week Guided Journal
A Year of Zen Guided Journal combines the practices of Zen Buddhism with journaling to help you live mindfully, gain clarity and perspective, and let go of stress and worries. This journal includes journal prompts for every day of the year that inspire self-exploration, reflection, and mindfulness that will help you live a happier more fulfilled life.
The Untethered Soul Guided Journal: Practices to Journey Beyond Yourself
This guided journal is based on the New York Times bestseller The Untethered Soul. It offers new practices for inspiration, freedom, and joy. The exercises and prompts included in the journal are paired with the original passages from the book. The prompts will help you to live more in the present moment, and achieve lasting joy and self-realization.
Use Journal Prompts
If you are still struggling with trying to figure out what to write about, journal prompts can be a great way to get started.
Journal prompts are simple questions you ask yourself and then answer in your journal.
I have tons of different journal prompts on my Pinterest board to help you get started.
Or sign up for my email list below to get a pdf printable of 30 personal growth journal prompts in checklist form to get you started right away.
Other Journaling Tips
Here are a couple more tips when it comes to starting a journal:
- Start slow
- Include journaling in your morning routine
- Use journal prompts
- Just try it and don’t make it a big deal
- Go back and review what you’ve written to learn more about yourself
- Draw, create art, use stickers; it doesn’t just have to be words
- Have fun with it!
Final Thoughts on Journaling
Journaling should not be something you dread doing every day. Please don’t make it feel like a chore.
Journaling is a type of self-care that you do for yourself. Enjoy it.
I hope you found this guide on how to start a journal helpful and that you are excited to start developing your new journaling habit.
Let me know in the comments your favorite type of journaling and how it works for you.
Journaling has truly changed my life and I know it can change yours, too.
Pin it so more people can enjoy?
Are you ready to start your personal growth journey but don’t know where to start? This guide is for you: The Ultimate Personal Growth Guide. Learn the strategies you need to work on self-improvement and become the best version of you!
Famous Guided Journals on Amazon
The Five-Minute Journal
This is an un-dated guided journal that will boost your happiness in just 5 minutes a day. Each page includes thoughtfully designed prompts that include: gratitude, prioritizing your day, 3 amazing things, inspiring quotes, daily affirmations, and end of the day self-reflection. The Five-Minute Journal is known as “The Simplest Way to Start Your Day Happy”.
The Best Journal Ever
The Best Journal Ever is a guided 3-in-1 journal that includes a place for gratitude journaling, habit tracking, and monthly reflection. This undated journal has enough pages to get you through 6 months without needing to buy another journal. Each daily page includes a place to track your sleep, an inspirational quote, gratitude, affirmations, and a half-page for daily journaling.
A Year of Zen: A 52-Week Guided Journal
A Year of Zen Guided Journal combines the practices of Zen Buddhism with journaling to help you live mindfully, gain clarity and perspective, and let go of stress and worries. This journal includes journal prompts for every day of the year that inspire self-exploration, reflection, and mindfulness that will help you live a happier more fulfilled life.
The Untethered Soul Guided Journal: Practices to Journey Beyond Yourself
This guided journal is based on the New York Times bestseller The Untethered Soul. It offers new practices for inspiration, freedom, and joy. The exercises and prompts included in the journal are paired with the original passages from the book. The prompts will help you to live more in the present moment, and achieve lasting joy and self-realization.
Use Journal Prompts
If you are still struggling with trying to figure out what to write about, journal prompts can be a great way to get started.
Journal prompts are simple questions you ask yourself and then answer in your journal.
I have tons of different journal prompts on my Pinterest board to help you get started.
Or sign up for my email list below to get a pdf printable of 30 personal growth journal prompts in checklist form to get you started right away.
Other Journaling Tips
Here are a couple more tips when it comes to starting a journal:
- Start slow
- Include journaling in your morning routine
- Use journal prompts
- Just try it and don’t make it a big deal
- Go back and review what you’ve written to learn more about yourself
- Draw, create art, use stickers; it doesn’t just have to be words
- Have fun with it!
Final Thoughts on Journaling
Journaling should not be something you dread doing every day. Please don’t make it feel like a chore.
Journaling is a type of self-care that you do for yourself. Enjoy it.
I hope you found this guide on how to start a journal helpful and that you are excited to start developing your new journaling habit.
Let me know in the comments your favorite type of journaling and how it works for you.
Journaling has truly changed my life and I know it can change yours, too.
Pin it so more people can enjoy?
Are you ready to start your personal growth journey but don’t know where to start? This guide is for you: The Ultimate Personal Growth Guide. Learn the strategies you need to work on self-improvement and become the best version of you!
