Journaling has played such an essential role in my self-care/ gratitude/trying to figure out my life journey. I encourage everyone to journal because if for nothing else, you can look back and recall memories and feelings you may have otherwise forgotten!
I think journaling can seem intimidating to start because there are so many different ways to journal and it’s easy to get discouraged if you miss a day or two. Just like any habit, journaling takes dedication and persistence. However, if you’re able to stick with it, it is the best way to become more in-touch with yourself. Throughout our lives, and even in just one day, so much happens it is literally impossible for us to remember everything we have ever felt and experienced. Journaling is an opportunity for you to reflect and connect with your deeper self every single day. If you want to start but aren’t sure how, try these three methods and see which one you like the best!
Guided Journal
Guided journaling is a great introduction to journaling because it does the hard work for you! You don’t have to stress about what to write about or if you’re even doing this whole journaling thing right at all- just answer the prompts! There are thousands of guided journal prompts for you to check in with to get started! Here are some of my favorite:
Gratitude Journal
Gratitude journaling is something I always go back to on my blog and in real life. It is actually insane how much practicing gratitude can change the course of your day. It is so simple, but writing down what you are grateful for every day helps you to attract more blessings and feel more fulfilled throughout the day. Each day write down 10 things you are grateful for. It doesn’t have to be huge, life-altering things, start small like “I’m grateful I have a warm bed to sleep in, I’m grateful for hot showers and my soft towels.” If you run out of things you feel grateful for, fake it! Pretend you feel grateful for things in your life and eventually, you will actually feel that gratitude.
Stream of Consciousness Journaling
Stream of consciousness is my favorite way to journal. It’s what I’ve been doing for about three years and has made such a difference in how I view every aspect of my life. Stream of consciousness journaling is essentially just writing down whatever you are thinking and feeling. Whatever comes into your mind, write it down! It doesn’t have to make sense or be coherent.
Most of the time, our thoughts are so jumbled in our heads that we can’t process them or make sense of them. Writing them down helps to clear your mind from all these thoughts and most of the time, you’ll be able to see your own patterns that explain why you’re thinking what you’re thinking. If our thoughts are on the pages in front of us, we are forced to process and make peace with them. Stream of consciousness journaling is a great way to document how far you have come and feel proud of all you have made it through.