For a budget friendly option, look for a spiral notebook or composition book in the school supplies section. If you want a fancy journal, visit a bookstore or the office supplies section of your local department store.
For instance, you might create a new journal document each month. Your folder might include saved files titled “January 2020,” “February 2020,” “March 2020,” etc. Any word processor will work. For instance, use Word, Pages, or Notepad. If you choose Google Drive, you can access your journal from all of your devices. This means you can write entries on your computer, tablet, or phone. If you don’t mind making your ideas public, try keeping a blog.
A personal journal to write about your daily life, your thoughts, and your feelings about what you’re going through. A gratitude journal to record the things you’re grateful for each day. [2] X Trustworthy Source Greater Good Magazine Journal published by UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, which uses scientific research to promote happier living Go to source A therapy journal to help you work through an issue or to support your recovery. [3] X Trustworthy Source University of Rochester Medical Center Leading academic medical center in the U. S. focused on clinical care and research Go to source A travel journal to document the places you go, what you do on your trips, and your impressions of the places you visit. [4] X Research source An art journal includes images, sometimes along with text. Draw, paint, and/or collage inside your journal.
Describe what’s going on in your life. For instance, you might write about a party you went to or a conversation you had. Reflect on a memory. As an example, write about a great day you had with your grandparent or the time you lost a friend that you still miss. Explore your emotions or feelings. If you’re going through a hard time, write about how sad you feel and what you hope will change. [6] X Expert Source Catherine Boswell, PhDLicensed Psychologist Expert Interview. 29 December 2020. Record your dreams. For instance, let’s say you had a dream that you were flying. You might write about the experience, how it felt, and what it might mean. List what you’re grateful for. As an example, you might list off your cat, your family, your singing voice, and your group of friends. Explore something that scares you. For instance, you could write about your fear of closed in spaces. Use a writing prompt, which you can find online. Try prompts like, “Explain what your favorite movie means to you,” “Describe your response to seeing a ghost,” “Write about dream vacation. "
For instance, “March 10, 2020, Sitting in a coffee house. ”
You might write, “Dear Journal. ”
For example, you’d write something like, “I finally tried that new coffee shop today. ”
For instance, don’t pause and read over what you’ve already written. It doesn’t matter if you’ve made mistakes or gotten lost in what you were trying to say. Your journal entry doesn’t need to make sense to anyone but you.
Write a poem. Draw pictures to go along with your writing. List your thoughts instead of writing them out. Turn a memory into a story. Write down song lyrics that are meaningful right now. Paste in mementos from your day, like a movie ticket, a bus ticket, a flyer, or receipt.
For instance, you might decide to write stream of consciousness. This means writing all of your thoughts as they come to you without worrying if they’re complete sentences are not.
As an example, let’s say you went to the beach. You might include details like, “The breeze felt cool when it struck my face,” “I tasted salt on my tongue,” “I could smell the seaweed that had washed onto the shore,” “A grey mist hovered over the ocean, but I could still see a boat in the distance,” and “The lapping waves lulled me into an afternoon nap. ”
For instance, you might have some days where you just jot down a quick list. On other days, you might write several pages. Let yourself be flexible.
If you have a day that you’re super busy, just try to write down 3 things that happened that day. You might write, “1) I did a lot of work today, 2) I tried the new Italian restaurant - it was yummy, 3) I took a nice walk after dinner. ” It’s okay if your entries don’t look the same everyday.
Write in your journal while you drink your morning coffee. Journal during your commute if you’re not driving. Write journal entries during lunch. Journal while dinner is cooking. Write while you’re watching evening TV. Journal right before you go to bed.
For example, you might journal while you’re waiting at the doctor’s office or while you’re waiting for someone who is running late. If you keep a digital journal, one option is to type your entries into your email on your phone and send it to yourself. Then, copy and paste the entry into your made journal later.
For instance, let’s say you had trouble coping after you lost your job. After you’ve gotten a new job, you might look back over your old entries to help you remember that your worries never came to pass. This might help you stay more positive and resilient when you face rejection again. This can help you delve deeper into your thoughts and feelings. Additionally, it’ll help you see your progress in overcoming an issue.
For instance, you might keep it on your bedside table to remind you to journal every morning when you wake up or every evening before bed. Similarly, you might keep it in the kitchen near your coffee pot so you can retrieve it every morning.
For example, you might hide your journal under your clothes in your dresser. Alternatively, you might slide it between your mattresses. Switch up your hiding place or password every once in a while so that people don’t figure it out.
