Anyone who knows me personally knows that I keep a pretty colorful and dense bullet journal. I just started this journal in the summer of 2018, but I have found that throughout the months I have been using it, I can journal as a way to relax before bed, de-stress and keep my life organized.
Here is a glimpse of my bullet journal. As you can see, the layout and format of my pages have changed as I have developed my own journaling style. The current sections of my journal include a monthly habit tracker, a monthly mood tracker, weekly calendars with a
to-do list, gratitude section, highlights section, and my goals for that week. Usually at the end of every month I include a page of mementos from experiences with family or friends. I like to get creative with my pages by color coding and adding stickers.
I'll admit that keeping up with my journal is not always easy, but the benefits are tremendous. I choose to keep a journal because of the mental clarity it provides me and because it gives me a way to document my struggles and achievements, relationships, and my emotions.
Studies have shown that the emotional release from journaling lowers anxiety and stress, and improves physical health. Journaling is a perfect mindfulness activity because you are encouraging your mind to be present.
If you want to start a journal and you're not sure how, don't worry! There is no right or wrong way to journal.
Here are some steps you can take to steer you in the right direction:
1. Find a journal
This may seem like an easy step, but finding a journal that you like is crucial. You can choose between a spiral notebook, composition notebook, lined journal, blank journal, bullet journal, etc. Select something that matches your style and personality.
2. Create a habit
Pick a time of the day that you want to dedicate to journaling. I usually work on my journal within an hour before I go to sleep for the night. Start by journaling for 5 minutes a day, and add on minutes as you get more comfortable with writing in your journal. Creating a habit of journaling may take a few weeks so be patient!
3. Decide what type of journaling you want to do
I have decided to do a bullet journal because I can doodle, color, and write in it. Other styles of journaling include specific topic writing, free writing, gratitude journals, list writing, and quick journaling. See each journaling method explained below in detail.
- Specific Topic Writing: You might want to focus on one topic in your life such as your education, your career, or your weight loss journey. To start a journal like this, you may want to begin your entries with a standard template to help you track your progress over time.
- Free Writing: A free writing journal is an unstructured personal narrative that helps creative thoughts flow. You can choose to limit yourself to a specific amount of pages or time, or you can choose to keep writing until you have nothing left to say. Begin your journaling session with a prompt.
- Gratitude Journal: Keeping a gratitude journal helps you direct your thoughts to the good things in your life. You can write in it whenever you experience something you are grateful for, or you can journal a list of things each night that you were grateful for throughout that day.
- Free Writing Journal: A free writing journal is an unstructured personal narrative that helps creative thoughts flow. You can choose to limit yourself to a specific amount of pages or time, or you can choose to keep writing until you have nothing left to say. Begin your journaling session with a prompt.
- List Writing: Writing and maintaining a list of something is a useful strategy when you are keeping a journal. Lists can be completed in one sitting or throughout a longer period of time. Some examples of lists that you could journal about include personal achievements, books that you have read, new recipes you have tried, things you have done to help other people, habits you are trying to avoid, a bucket list, people who have influenced your life, etc.
In my bullet journal, I keep a to-do list, a list of books I want to read, a list of movies I want to see, and places I have travelled to.
- Quick Journal: If you like the idea of journaling, but you're scared of the commitment, try writing just one or two sentences each day.
- Bullet Journal: Bullet journals are a tool for tracking the past, organizing the present, and planning for the future. This is my favorite method of journaling mostly because it's so versatile. I can jump from my habit tracker to my weekly calendar, to my list of movies to watch and back. A bullet journal is something anyone can do, even if you don't like to draw or doodle. To see a comprehensive guide to bullet journals, click here.
4. Don't give up!
Once you start journaling, try a few different styles to see what feels the most comfortable for you. The key is to make journaling practice a daily habit. The longer you journal, the more you will enjoy the benefits.
If you need any journal inspiration, check out these Instagram accounts:
- Journal Writing Inspirations @thedailywriting
- Art Journal Inspiration @inspiringjournals
- Bullet Journal Inspiration @bullet.journals
Let me know what journaling style you like best and why!
Happy journaling!
XOXO, Sophie
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