How to Journal - The Ultimate Guide
Do you remember when we all used to keep diaries? That feeling when we thought no one in the world cared about our feelings and we would write down our happy and struggling thoughts on paper and that would make us feel great, that little secret diary was our way out of the strange world and that was our personnel therapy, those were indeed the great times, but don't think the world has changed, today people still write down their feelings, emotions, happy and bad days, but the term DIARY has been replaced by JOURNAL. And, my friend, if you miss the days when you could have your own private therapy session with your secret diary, now is a perfect time to start journaling; it will help you deal with despair and anxiety while also bringing you mental and emotional stability. Do you want to learn how to start a journal? Continue reading, this one is for you!
How to Journal?
The advantages of journaling are well proven, but how to write in the first place could be a riddle. So, first and foremost,
1. Figure out which journaling styles work best for you.
Many people choose to keep a physical journal because it allows them to better develop and communicate their ideas. However, writing on paper isn't the only option to keep a journal. It's crucial to identify the approach that works best for you when you first start writing. You might discover that journaling is more fun for you now that you can use a laptop. You also don't have to stick to a single perspective.
2. Choose what you want to write.
You'll need to answer why you want to keep a journal in the first place to find this out. Write down the activities of each day if you wish to keep track of your everyday activities. It's better to tell a story rather than merely summarise your day in order to obtain the most emotional value from journaling. If the notion of summarising your day's feelings sounds overwhelming, start with chunks of the day, such as important events, stuff you're thankful for, and important things you observed around you. It may also be used to express strong emotions such as anger, impatience, or despair. Putting your sentiments down on paper might help you get rid of them from your head.
3. Don't worry about rules.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to journaling. It's necessary to exercise self-compassion and leave your self-criticism at the door when you're writing. Journaling is a place where you may express yourself without fear of being judged. You don't need to be concerned about your wording, grammar, or sentence structure. The only rule was that they had to keep writing with consistency.
4. Take it easy.
So start with the bare minimum, an extremely minimal quantity, so you have no excuse for not being consistent. just don't overwhelm yourself by writing many pages of your thoughts in the starting and then lacking consistency. if you have unreal expectations, you may be discouraged from continuing your journaling practice.
Benefits of Journaling:
While the process of writing things down may appear to be easy, the outcomes are profound. You might be shocked to hear that a notebook is one of your finest wellness assets. Journaling has several advantages, ranging from stress relief to self-discovery. If you haven't journaled in a while, here are some of the great journaling positives that will motivate you to start again.
• An effective therapy
There is a lot of research on the effects of journal writing therapy, and it appears to be beneficial in helping individuals understand and accept their feelings, manage stress, and alleviate the signs of mental illness. Writing things down on paper has been proven to be one of the most effective therapy and it's also completely free! so why not give it a try? Journaling reduces the negative effects of physical stress on your health. When you're stressed, upset, or just nervous, there's nothing like venting your feelings in a journal to help you feel better. You'll gain some much-needed distance from your problems once you've filled up a page or two. Furthermore, To help you relax and de-stress, make writing a pre-bedtime meditation practice. You'll likely learn that things aren't as bleak as they appear, and you'll even notice the positive side. It has aided people in processing emotions, gaining clarity, and releasing their creative potential. However, keep in mind that while journaling is a fantastic form of therapy, it is impossible to write openly unless your diary is completely private.
• Clarity of thought
Even to our closest friends and family, most of us are unable to really express ourselves. We know, or worry, that others will pass judgment on our vulnerable thoughts. We feel irritated or disturbed for no apparent reason at times. How many times have you told yourself that you're not a creative person? Perhaps your creative potential is being hampered by these negative words. Writing in your journal can be just what you need to rekindle those creative flames. Make reviewing and reflecting on previous journal writings a habit.
Types of Journaling
There are many different types of journaling, you can choose any type that suits your taste, Let’s Find out which type is best for you.
1. Bullet Journaling
The bullet journal is one of the most famous journaling techniques. The difference with bullet journaling is that rather than starting with a blank piece of paper, you start with a journal with a dot grid as the foundation for creating beautiful and orderly layouts. Bullet journaling is a technique that incorporates many journaling aims into one well-organized approach. You've most likely seen one of the images of a bullet journal before. They look like a planner with adorable drawings. A bullet journal can be used as a personal planner, but you can also add a lot more to it if you wish. Bullet journaling could be used as a daily diary, a calendar and task planner, a place to ponder and digest information—basically everything you'd do in a conventional journal. Just Don't get too worked up over making it super complex.
2. Journal Prompts
Have you ever been compelled to write anything but couldn't figure out where to begin? Journal prompts, also known as writing prompts, are writing suggestions that allow you to focus on what to write in your journal. Prompts are a great approach to learning more about yourself. They're also useful when you don't know what to write about. If you find that writing about general themes isn't enough to get you started, journaling prompts are a great place to start.
3. Gratitude Journal
Write down all the nice things in your life. According to research, practicing thankfulness on a regular basis can boost happiness, well-being, and even physical health. Writing down everything you're grateful for might help you feel more fulfilled in your life. Keeping a gratitude journal is a great method to develop the practice of being happy while also having a central repository of all the things you're glad for that you can go to whenever you're feeling sad. We have a tendency to become engrossed in the mess of our daily life. As a result, we lose sight of what really counts. A gratitude journal can help you remember how fortunate you are. Gratitude writing is also appropriate for children, making it an enjoyable practice for the entire family.
4. Freeform journal
One of the most successful and simple kinds of journaling is FREEWRITING. The goal is to write for a set amount of time (typically ten minutes) or to fill a set number of pages, and not to stop until the timer goes off or the pages are completely filled. It helps to purge your head of all the 'stuff,' allowing for more breathing room. The fundamental advantage of freewriting as a journaling technique is that it teaches you not to alter your words or your ideas. You could also discover that writing sloppy handwriting offers you a new writing voice, which can be handy when you're trapped on a project or need to add more depth to a scene that you might otherwise hurry.
Digital vs. Physical
One of the most important decisions you'll have to make is whether to use a physical journal or a digital service. It's important mentioning that writing on paper has been practiced for thousands of years. While we realize the benefits of switching from applications to pen and paper, there's also a lot of value in digital journaling. The art of journaling is still up and well, owing to a plethora of fantastic apps that make digital writing a snap. Even yet, some folks prefer to keep a paper journal. So, which is the preferable choice? that we'll never know, but we do know that whichever format you choose, there are advantages and disadvantages to consider. Let's look at how one or the other may make your journaling experience as exciting and important as ever, based on your tastes.
Why consider Digital Journaling?
There are many different digital journaling choices to choose from. You may begin writing on Google Drive, Notion, Evernote, and other similar platforms.
A digital journal offers automated reminders on a regular basis, A digital journal provides regular reminders and allows you to write at any time as long as you have access to a digital device.
Digital journaling allows you to browse through previous writings or tag them in a way that makes them easier to find later.
Including a picture or two in your posts with digital journaling is as simple as uploading it from your smartphone.
Provides greater security and secrecy. We may add encryption to our digital journals to keep our most honest ideas to ourselves, ready to be shared only when we wish to.
Cons:
Digital journals have the potential to be less personal. Rather than your handwriting, all of the text is in the same beautiful typeface. When it comes to a conventional journal, nothing equals personalization, no matter how great your digital journaling service is.
You won't be able to journal in locations without an internet or cloud connection because most digital journals require it.
While digital journals make backups simple, be wary of proprietary formats—if you can't back up or export your journal and an online service you use goes down, you lose all of your data.
What about Physical Journaling?
Paper journals offer their own set of advantages. You can begin writing in a notebook, an art book, or guided journals; the possibilities are endless!
Many people find physical journaling to be a good way to balance out their internet time. It's crucial to take a break as someone who spends a lot of time online every day.
Rather than merely writing everything down, it pushes you to think about how you're feeling.
It helps people find out and concentrate on what's essential in their life by improving memory and knowledge retention.
Journaling on paper is far more expressive. You can quickly doodle, sketch, make graphs, and do other things with a pen. It doesn't have to be just words.
Because a paper journal never runs out of battery like a phone, it may be used indefinitely. All you have to do now is get your journal out and start writing without thinking about where you'll recharge it afterward.
Cons:
• A journal might be misplaced or damaged, and then all of your entries are lost forever. There are no backups or substitutes.
• Your privacy may be compromised since anyone may read your thoughts.
• Paper journaling takes a lot more work than its digital version, and it might be difficult to find the inspiration to write when you're tired, upset, or stressed.
Conclusion:
Whatever perspective you choose, journaling is fantastic, and you should get started right now. Choose whichever option you believe would work best for you, and switch it up if necessary. First and foremost, optimize for habit formation - this is the most crucial factor to consider in the long term. Overall, sitting and documenting your thoughts, whether in a real or digital notebook, is a fantastic approach to externalizing your sentiments. It's great to look back on writings from previous years and recall a wonderful occasion, as well as learn from the past.
Happy Journaling!