“How To” Journal Writing: Is Journaling Selfcare? (2023)
Table of Contents:
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What is Journaling? Types of Journaling Determine Why You Want to Journal Will Journaling Help Me Finding the Right Journal How to Journal Writing First Page Now it's time to Journal |
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You may think to yourself, I want to journal, but I don’t know how. Or, you may be thinking what type of journaling should I do? Well, you will find the answer to those questions.
You will also be guided through the “how to” journal writing so you can answer those questions. In this post, you will also learn what is journaling, the types of journaling including memory keeping, creative exploration, self discovery journaling, and reflective journaling.
You will also uncover why you want to journal, whether journaling will help you, how to find the right journal for your needs and how often. After reading this post you will be able to stop thinking about journaling and start actually taking the first step toward journaling.
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Have you ever been in the car and you heard a quote, a song, the name of a book or something of the sort on the radio that resonated with you. Then as soon as you get to the red traffic light you hurriedly reach for pen and paper to write it down quickly because it’s so good that you don’t want to forget it.
But, then it led to you writing down another idea in addition to that. Maybe it led to another thought and then you begin writing that down as well. If the answer is yes, then you my friend were actually in the beginning stages of journaling!
What is journaling:
Journaling is writing down your thoughts, feelings, and observations in a journal or diary. There are many different ways to journal, but one common method is to use keywords or prompts to help guide your writing. Some people use prompts to journal about specific goals they want to achieve, while others use them to reflect on their thoughts and emotions.
Types of Journaling:
Memory Keeping:
A memory keeping journal is a creative and heartfelt way to keep treasured memories safe.
Creative Exploration:
Creative journaling is a mix of written words and art, all in one place. Doodles and diary entries, colors and poem collections, new ideas, and newspaper clippings… can all find a home on the pages of a creative journal. There are really no rules when it comes to the creative form of journaling.
Self Discovery:
A self discovery journal is a way to learn about yourself and uncover thoughts you might not even know you had.
Reflection and Mental Health
Reflective journaling is most often used to record detailed descriptions of pieces of an event or thought. For example, in your reflective journal you may answer the questions: Who was there? What was the purpose of the event? What do you think about it? How does it make you feel?
Determine Why You Want to Journal:
Many people journal for different reasons. You may decide to journal for fun, journal for self discovery to find out what you really want out of life, even for healing and therapeutic purposes, as well as setting goals for yourself.
To start journaling your goals, you could try setting aside a specific time each day to write down your goals and reflect on your progress towards achieving them.
You might also try using prompts or keywords to help guide your writing, such as "Today I will accomplish _____" or "What steps can I take to achieve _____?
Will Journaling Help Me:
Journaling can be very helpful for any one that chooses to do it. When you are a beginner, it will be best for you to choose one type of journaling that fits your number one goal so that you don’t get overwhelmed or confess yourself and potentially make things too complicated, unnecessarily.
If you pick one type of journaling from the start, you will be more likely to stick with it so you can develop the habit of journaling. Remember, it can take anywhere from 18 days to 254 days to develop a habit.
So the key to making journaling a habit and a part of your regular self care is to be consistent and create a routine or schedule for journaling.
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Finding The Right Journal:
When you decide that this may be a self care activity that you want to begin, you should begin searching for the right journal. You can decide which style of journal will work best for you by considering the type of journaling that you are doing.
If you are leaning more toward fun, decorative, and creative journaling, you will want to find a journal with thick, quality paper and one that is larger in size. You will want to do this to be sure your journal can hold photos and stickers that you may include.
If your journaling goals are focused more on being reflective and exploring self discovery, then simply a journal with lighter paper for writing will be a perfect and just right for you.
You will also want to get a notebook that is smaller in size when you are just starting out. It will be easier to fill up and could be motivating for you to continue in your daily journaling.
“How To” Journal Writing: How Often Should You Write
To get started with journaling, you might try setting aside a specific time each day to write in your journal. You may want to start simply journaling your thoughts and feelings about the events of the day.
You could also try using prompts or keywords to help guide your writing such as "What am I grateful for today?" or "What was the best part of my day?"Some people find it helpful to journal every day, while others prefer to journal on a weekly.
I encourage you to choose a day and time at least once per week especially if your goal is to journal for self discovery or reflection. If you do, you will better be able to see your growth over time.
You may find it difficult to track your progress if you only journal sporadically or you might even underestimate the growth that you have had because the reference isn’t there. Infrequently journaling , if you are doing it as a practice for self care will not truly benefit you as may expect.
Ultimately, the frequency with which you journal is up to you and what works best for your needs and goals.
Your First Page:
Make this journal your own! Use your first page to set your intentions for the journal. Jot down your goals, make a journaling schedule and your reasons for starting this self care activity.
Your first page sets the tone for the remainder of the journal. You can always refer back to this first page once you begin to review your goals and track your progress.
You should do this so that you can hold yourself accountable for your self care and ensure that you are giving yourself the time you need. It's a small habit that can take you a long way and have huge rewards if you choose to begin.
Now It’s Time to Start:
Journaling is simply a way to give yourself time for relaxation and calmness by putting your thoughts, feelings, and ideas on paper. It is a form of self care. Remember, you are creating and establishing a habit to commit to yourself.
You must commit to daily self care so that you give yourself the opportunity to develop sustainable and transformational habits in order to be all that you are capable of being. Nourish your soul and revitalize yourself because you deserve it.
Here are your next steps to get you going on your journaling for self care journey:
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In this post you learned the “how to” journal writing. Now you no longer have to think, I want to journal, but I don’t know how and what type of journaling should I do?
You now have the tools to answer those questions and more! You now can stop focusing on the “how to” journal writing so you start writing. After reading this post you are able to stop thinking about journaling and start actually taking the first step toward journaling.
If you want to learn more about journaling, check out Nae from the Youtube Channel, Nae's Laugh -Journaling for Beginners.