How do I start a Journal?
What are the benefits of journaling?
Writing in a journal can be a really beautiful time of the day when you take some time and space for yourself, away from the business of life and just sit in a quiet corner. Do something just for you for a short time, maybe half an hour can be all it takes, even less if you have less time, take 10 minutes to have a short breather and to write in your journal. If you get all tongue tied, or pen tied, then don’t write, instead you can doodle, sketch, draw or just make marks on the page. It’s all valuable and it's all time taken for you to do something quietly and meditative that's just for you. Recharging your batteries, clear some space in your head to reframe issues that have been troublesome during the day and come at them from a new angle.
It’s really great for the brain to get our thoughts onto paper. Have you ever noticed that you sometimes run scenarios and events through your head, over and over and over on a loop? Getting that out of your head and on to paper can help to break that cycle so that you can move forward. I know that I would do this when my husband was going through treatment for cancer.
I would write down the events of the day almost like a logbook so I knew that I wasn’t going to forget that day and I wasn’t going to forget how I felt and all of the things that happened. This also meant that those events were not now stuck on a loop in my brain which left space for other thoughts, like how best to help him and what I needed to do for my toddler and baby whilst also driving 2 hours each day to visit him in the hospital.
What sized journal is best?
An A5 planner sized notebook is a great size for journaling. It is easy enough to take around with you if you like to keep your journal with you. If you journal in something really small like a pocket sized notebook, it doesn't leave you very much room to write on each page. Although if you really only want to make a small note or to journal with just one small comment each day then maybe that could work for you.
Bigger notebooks such as an A4 epic sized notebook could also be a great journal for you if your writing is big or you like to write a lot or maybe you just like to have a big page to spill your thoughts onto.
Facing the blank page
This is a tough one! All the time I get people saying to me “oh but that is so pretty I can't use it I have a stack of notebooks on my shelf that I can't use because I'm scared to ruin them”
To this, I always say the same thing. Please use it! I can make you another one. You’re not going to ruin it! You can get another one.
Maybe you’re worried that you might write the wrong thing and want to change it. Then you’ll hve to cross it out and it will look messy.
If this is stopping you from starting all together then get someone else to do it for you, or spill a little bit of ink on the corner. Maybe splosh your coffee on it. It doesn’t matter what it is, just do something so that the book is no longer pristine and intimidating.
If you end up hating a page then you can still remedy it. You can cut it out, stick something over it or glue two pages together so that it is hidden away.
The key thing is to JUST START! This is your private space to explore, experiment, make mistakes. So just do it and see what happens. Your style and content will change with time as you become more comfortable.
Embrace the freedom of the blank page and see what it gives you.
Journaling inspiration from other journalers
If You’re still feeling a little afraid and not sure where to start, then head to Pinterest for a whole load of inspiration from other journalers. You can find ideas for page layouts, habit trackers, and journal prompts. Journal prompts are particularly helpful if you’re journaling as a self care or mental wellness activity. I’ve listed below a few prompts to get you started
What is the best time of day to journal?
The best time of day to journal is the best time that works for you! Simple as that!. Some people really love to get up early before anybody else and just spend half an hour, maybe with a nice cup of tea, in a quiet place in the house and write in their journal to really set them up for the day. (Wild horses wouldn’t drag me out of bed a moment before necessary, so that clearly wouldn’t work for me - deffo more of a night owl than a lark over here).
Other people like to do it at night so it's a really good way to unwind, and to process thoughts and events of the day. The meditative process of writing can be really relaxing and set you up for a nice evening and a good sleep because you've processed your thoughts and you're not going to bed with my swimming all around in your head.
Journal prompts to help you start
Today I am Grateful For
What happened today that really made me smile?
What challenges did I face today and how did I overcome the?
What did I do today to move myself forward in my goals?
What would I like to do tomorrow to move myself forward in my goals?
Are there any new habits that I would like to form?
How did I do with forming my new habits today?
How are my energy levels today
How did I feel today and why do I think that is?Are there any moments from today that are particularly memorable and why?
What have I learnt today from someone else and how can I use that?
In the end, the ideal time to journal is whatever works for you. If you have a long commute home on the train then maybe that's the best time for you to get your journal out and use it or maybe it's your lunch hour or when you're waiting for the children at a class. The best time to journal is the best time that works for your life. There is no way and no time that you have to journal for it to be correct.
Also - Never beat yourself up if you don’t manage to journal every day. You may not want to journal every day. You may want to dip in and out and not use it as a daily habit. Even the daily journalers among you are not suddenly awful people if you don’t put pen to paper every single day so just cut yourself a break! Do you! Do it your way!