Keeping a journal doesn’t have to be a complicated task. You don’t have to buy an expensive set of pens, an inkwell, or an influencer-approved bullet journal. You also don’t have to sit by candlelight while a storm rages outside your window to start journaling. You don’t have even need a new notebook (though that fresh-journal feeling can be motivating).
You don’t need anything except a plain notebook, the writing tool of your choice, and somewhere to start.
Reasons to Start a Journal
Journaling can be surprisingly helpful if you’re struggling with depression or anxiety. Putting your thoughts down on paper can help get you out of negative cycles in your head. The mind is the epicenter of unpleasant thoughts and emotions, so getting out of there for a bit can be a refreshing restart. You can also learn a lot when you’re able to see your worries on paper. This makes journaling an excellent method to help relieve stress.
Journaling can also help you calm down and organize your thoughts. Keeping your journal private is a great way to communicate with yourself and fight back against the stress of social media.
Journaling for the Future
If you’re already journaling as a habit, you know the weird and distinct pleasure of reading your own words years later. It’s exciting and enlightening to see how you’ve grown and changed over time. If you’re not already journaling, start your journal now, so you’ll have it to read later. Seeing your growth is a valuable tool for personal development and great motivation in itself.
Journaling for Priorities
Journaling can be an excellent tool for determining what’s most important to you. If you take time to list your priorities and think through what you want for the future, you’ll be empowered to organize your days and, ultimately, your life.
Getting caught up in day-to-day tasks and responsibilities can sometimes obscure what’s important to us. Journaling is an excellent tool for keeping your perspective aligned with your big-picture goals.
Journaling for Writing
If you want to be a writer, journaling is a must. It’s the easiest way to practice your craft. Sometimes you don’t have an idea for a novel, story, screenplay, or essay. Still, most people always have something to say about their own day. By journaling about your thoughts and feelings, you still get your writing practice regardless of whether you’re bursting with ideas. Journaling also helps build the habit of sitting down and writing for a certain amount of time every day, which is a struggle for almost every writer. Plus, you might just land on a new idea for a screenplay or story while writing your latest journal entry.