It’s the season for goal setting! Admittedly I’m not one for New Year’s Resolutions since I always have 10-odd goals I’m working toward no matter what time of the year it is. But I can think of one resolution I made that truly changed me as a writer and a person. And that was my decision to start journaling every day.
It All Started When I was 13 . . .
Back in 2001—basically the Dark Ages—a woman I really admired showed me her bin of completed journals. And when I say a bin, it genuinely was a HUGE container filled with colorful, well-loved journals that she had kept since the age of 13.
Being 13 myself, that experience had a big impression on me. The sheer number of volumes alone was impressive, but my young imagination realized that I too could have a bin of journals by my thirties. If I started now . . . why not?
So I unearthed my mostly abandoned journal and started writing. I journaled on and off over the next 18 months, more consistent at times than others. And by Christmas Eve, I filled up my very first journal. And received a new fresh one on Christmas morning.
That Christmas, I decided to make an actual New Year’s Resolution to write in this journal every day for a year.
18 Years Later . . . and Still Journaling
I am now in my thirties myself, and although I’ve fallen behind on journaling now and again, I have written a journal entry for every single day since that Christmas Eve I was 14. My journal collection . . . well it’s grown.
Currently I’m writing in journal #35. Reading back through my old journals is an absolute joy, but journaling has also made me a better and more fearless writer over the years. Looking back, I’m overcome with gratitude that my younger self had the courage to try out this journaling thing even though she wasn’t sure she’d succeed.
When people find out I’m a “hard-core journal person,” they often ask me how on earth I’ve found the time and patience to journal every day. Really I can boil it down to five things that made this goal possible for me and could make it possible for you too:
1. Know Your Reason for Writing
This might sound cheesy, but I’ve had this long-time sentimental notion that someday when my daughter turns 13 I’ll let her read my first journal. And read the next when she’s 14 and then 15 and so forth. Just to know what I was going through when I was her age. That’s been my goal from the beginning: to write an account of my life for my kids to read. Keeping this grand goal in mind has really kept me writing, even on days when I didn’t want to.
I’d encourage anyone aiming for a lofty journaling goal to think about the reason why they’re writing. Is this an account for posterity? A way to process and unwind before bed? Memories to reflect on? A coping mechanism to heal from trauma? Research indicates that journaling improves both physical and mental health, in case you were wondering.
No matter what your reason is for journaling, it’s a great idea to define your mission and remember it often.
2. Choose a Journaling Medium You Love
I’m a staunchly traditional, journal-by-hand kind of gal for many reasons. There’s something personal and comforting about writing down my innermost thoughts in black ink, especially after typing on a laptop all day for my job. Writing by hand has also gifted me with uncanny recall skills. But those are my reasons for journaling by hand.
Here are some other forms of journaling people enjoy:
- Digital journaling—Typed journal entries are fast, practical, and easy to back up. I know many moms with kids who swear by digitized journaling or blogging about their families.
- Vlogging—What could possibly be more personal than recordings of your younger self talking about the events of your life? If acting on camera excites you, this might be your medium.
- Bullet journaling—For the precise and left-brained among us, bullet journaling is built around to-do lists, note taking, and calendar-planning. If you love making lists and doodles, this method might be for you.
- Sketchbook journaling—For the artists out there, sketchbooks are a fantastic way to document your life. Their unlined pages give you total freedom to draw, leave notes, and add dates to document memories.
- Voice recordings—This is a medium I’ve dabbled in and quite enjoy. Most of us have smartphones these days, so why not download a recording app like Cogi and talk about your life while you drive? This journaling style is ideal for people always on the move.
Whatever form your journaling takes, you want this part of your day to feel relaxing and fun, not like a chore. The more you enjoy the experience, the easier consistency will be.
3. Indulge in Great Tools
One of the biggest motivators for me has always been splurging on gorgeous and sometimes expensive journals. What can I say? Collecting and shopping for journals is a blast. If you’re looking for a really great journal brand, here are my top two recommendations:
Paperblanks My #1 pick for journals. I’ve been in love with this Canada-based company for a decade, and I’ve reached a point where I won’t write in anything else. Paperblanks feature historical designs based on the handwriting of famous creators or famous pieces of art. They look amazing, and every single design has acid-free paper and a spine that lies flat for easy journaling. If you try these, you may never go back.
Peter Pauper Press This has also been a go-to journal brand for me with lots of variety and fun designs. Their nature-themed journals are my preference in case you can’t tell. Barnes & Noble carries this brand, so it’s quite easy to find if you prefer to shop for journals in person. I wouldn’t blame you.
But if your journaling is digital, there are other ways you can indulge. Use your journaling as an excuse to buy yourself new equipment like that iPad you’ve been eyeing, a new microphone for recording, or professional lighting for your vlog. Or maybe you’d feel motivated by a swanky pen, a stylish pair of reading glasses, or that ergonomic upgrade for your office space. Whatever it is, investing in your journaling is a great way to jump-start this new habit.
4. Choose a Time of Day to Journal
Once you have a mission, a medium, and fun new tools, it’s time to start writing. One of the biggest things that’s helped me make time to journal is picking a designated time of day. Historically I wrote before bed to unwind from my day and prepare myself for good sleep. These days I journal during a mid-morning break before my day gets away from me.
Whatever time of day you prefer, it really does help to set a pattern of when or where you journal. Maybe that’s picking a time, or maybe it’s journaling when you’re on the bus or waiting to pick up your kids from school. I know a mom who used to keep her journal in the bathroom because it was the only place she could be alone to jot down her thoughts. Whatever helps you achieve consistency!
5. Embrace the One-Sentence Entry
I’ve talked to so many people who desperately want to journal more often. So much that they’re getting crushed under their own expectations of how long and awesome their entries should be. My personal take: allow yourself to write a single sentence. Truly. If you sit down to write in your journal, so tired you’re seeing double, then write down: “Long, long day and I’m too tired to write.” Seriously! There is nothing wrong with acknowledging that “nothing interesting happened today” or “something happened that I’m too sad to write about.” In fact, these are the exact entries that make us sound like real human beings.
For me, the beauty of writing every day is that my journal captures the realness of my life. Not just ranting about truly horrible days. And not just the glorious highs of incredible vacations and my romantic courtship with my husband. My journals do have all those things in them, but they also have the repetitive daily stuff of meals, errands, college studying, boring desk jobs, and quiet evenings alone with my books. THAT stuff is just as important to document as the exciting events.
Giving myself permission to write short, uninteresting entries whenever needed has taken the pressure off my journaling in a big way. If I could point to one habit that’s allowed me to journal daily for 18 years, it’s this one.
In the End, Journaling Is for You
My biggest surprise reading through my journals is how genuinely interesting they are. Most people—me included—think they lead a pretty boring life. Heck, even the famous diary-keeper Anne Frank thought that about herself. But reading old journal entries takes you back to places and feelings you haven’t thought about in years. Remembering even the mediocre days is an absolute delight.
If you have the gumption to give journaling a try, I’d really encourage you to go for it. The journals themselves are a huge reward. The added benefits of a quiet mind and confidence in your personal voice as a writer are priceless. ❧
