JOURNALING IDEAS FOR BEGINNERS

Put down your thoughts and feelings to better understand them.

Why should I start journaling? 

Journaling allows you to unload.  Unload anything that is causing you stress, things you may be having difficulty dealing with, things that bring you joy and ideas.  Many times we are busy looking at what is right in front of us and have trouble seeing things that surround us.  You’ve probably heard someone say, “you can’t see the forest for the trees”. 

Journaling allows many people to feel less burdened just getting things out, even if only on paper.  It may be enough for you to just get it out of your head.  You may not have to do anything else when it comes to that particular issue.  Once you “unload” there is the opportunity to read back what you’ve written.  Are there issues that you need to address?  Can you take steps to address the issue and resolve it?  What ideas can you come up with?

Whether or not what you put down as your journal is something that needs to be resolved, a note for the day or putting an event down that you want to relive at another time, journaling can be free therapy.

Some of you may be tech savvy, but my recommendation is to start your journaling with pen and paper.  When you write down your thoughts and feelings, you connect with them more than you will using a digital platform.  The format you use to journal is a personal decision.

How do you start the journaling journey?

The first and most important thing to remember is that journaling is for you.  Your journal will be filled with what is important to you.  You are the author and reader.  You don’t have to be concerned about what anyone else will think about your innermost thoughts, fears, desires or goals.  So write away.

You pick the time to write in your journal.  I like to write early in the morning when it is quiet in the house.  However, I don’t restrict my journaling to mornings only.  There are times throughout the day I feel the need to put something down. 

If I am away from home and have a thought I want to work through later, I will use an app on my phone to put in a quick note to refer back to when I have my journal in hand.  I also have evenings when I have a lot to say about something that happened during the day.  Every day will be different.  Choose the time that is best for you.  Like me, you may find some days with am and pm entries, while other days only have one.

Another tip for journaling is to not be hard on yourself if you don’t do it every day.  There will be days that are busy and days you just don’t feel motivated.  A good practice for the day you journal after skipping, is to write down what happened on the day you skipped.  If you were busy, what occupied your time?  If you didn’t feel motivated, what was going on that disturbed your spirit?

What should I write in my journal? 

My last point goes to what you might write in your journal.  Your journal is for your benefit.  You can write whatever you want.   Document your journey.  Whether you are going through something new or in your current routine, write it all down. Some choose to journal daily goals, problems or stresses or as a log of the day. You may also choose to have a “brain dump” page(s) within your journal to use weekly or monthly. A brain dumping page(s) is just a place to write random thoughts. 

Finally, remember it’s your journal and you can write what you want to. Whether your journal is to write about your deepest darkest secrets, keep track of your goals or to be a log of your day it is for you and you alone.

Check out the Be Rooted line of journals found at Target. https://www.target.com/s?searchTerm=Be+Rooted+Journals