Become your most productive self by learning exactly how to start a journal with these easy, beginner guide to journaling!
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All through my life, I always tried to start a journal and always ended up quitting after a few weeks or a month max. I didn’t know what I was doing wrong or why I always failed, but it just kept happening time and time again.
Until I figured out a journal and a system that actually worked. Since then, I have filled almost 4 complete journals and am still going strong.
So how did I do it? I learned the right type of journal to start and the best tips to start it! And that’s exactly what I am sharing with you today!
This post is all about how to start a journal!
Why you should start a journal
The benefits to journaling are literally endless depending on the type of journal you are keeping. You are able to better track your progress and goals, as well as reduce stress. Plus, you are literally keeping a document of your entire life, which is so cool to look back at years down the road.
How to start a journal
Now that you know the why, let me tell you the how. Starting a journal is a super easy process, with only 3 steps!
Step 1: buy a journal or set up a digital journal
First you need to decide if you want to write in a physical paper journal or if you want to use a digital journal. There are endless options for either, so it is really up to your preference.
If you are going digital, find a good platform that you love. For some amazing suggestions, check out this article with the 11 best digital journals.
If you are looking to use a paper journal, find one that you like and go ahead and buy it.
Depending on the the type of journal you want to start will affect what type of journal you buy. But don’t worry, we’ll get to that later!
Step 2: decide when you want to write
Once you have somewhere to do your journaling, next you need to decide when you want to write/type in it. You don’t need to plan or schedule this too much, but it’s good to have a general idea to better hold yourself accountable to journaling.
Maybe you are going to journal every morning when you wake up or right before you go to sleep at night. While the exact time may vary depending on your day, it’s a general idea of when you will journal every day.
Of course, if you are more the person to just journal when inspiration strikes, that is perfectly fine as well!
Step 3: start writing!
Now that you got all that out of the way, the only thing left to do is start writing! If you need some help in this department, it is best to figure out what journal you want to start to help get the words flowing.
Types of journals to start
Bullet journal
A bullet journal is one of the simplest journals you can get and you basically have the option to turn it into whatever you want. When you buy this journal, it is simply little dots all over the pages.
Every page is your canvas to document whatever you want! You can write notes to yourself, use it as a planner, track your habits, and more. There are so many bullet journal articles and inspiration out there if you think this is something you would like.
click the image to get this journal from amazon!
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Dream journal
A dream journal is exactly what it sounds like: a journal that you write in about your dreams. For this journal, you want to write right when you wake up when you remember your dreams best. Over time, you will have a collection of all of your dreams!
Gratitude journal
Gratitude journaling has become very popular recently. In short, gratitude journaling is writing about what you are grateful for. But, you can go as basic or as complicated as you want with this type of journal.
On the more basic side, just get a blank page journal and start writing about whatever you are grateful for. On the more complex end of the spectrum, there are specialty journals for gratitude journaling, such as the Five Minute Journal.
Regardless, gratitude journaling is meant to improve your mental health and increase your positivity!
click the image to get this journal from amazon!
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Creative journal
A creative journal is less words and more art. But, that doesn’t mean you have to be good at art to start this journal. Whether you are a Picasso in the making or just a pro at doodling, a creative journal may be perfect for you.
Goal journal
A goal journal is meant to specifically track your goals and habits. Like the gratitude journal, you can either buy a blank page journal and fill it in as you prefer or buy a journal specifically for goals.
Diary Journal {my personal journal}
A diary journal is just a blank page journal that acts as a diary of sorts. When I say diary, I don’t mean something you wrote down your secrets in when you were 10! Instead, it’s just a place to document your days, share your feelings, and work through problems.
Personally, this was the first type of journal that I started and since then have filled almost 3 whole journals. For a diary journal, I just use a blank page journal and write as much or as little as I want each night.
This type of journal is good for people who don’t want to be too structured. You can write whatever you want whenever you want. It’s completely up to you!
click the image to get this journal from amazon!
(I’ve bought this journal three times and it is by far my favorite one!)
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To Do Journal {my personal journal}
The second journal that I started was a to-do journal. It’s not so much a journal and more a collection of lists. If you are anything like me and need a to-do list to keep track of things, this is the journal for you.
Again, I just got a blank page journal and started writing! Each day that I want to make a to-do list, I just write the date at the top of the page and start my list. Then I repeat this every day.
I also use this journal to write my weekly reset.
click the image to get this journal from amazon!
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Brain Dump Journal {my personal journal}
The last journal that I use is what I coined a brain dump journal. Basically, it’s just a blank page journal that sits on my desk and is used for whatever I need it for.
Sometimes I use it for blogging notes, sometimes I use it to write reminders to myself, sometimes I use it for school work.
While it is very “all over the place” because it is used for so many different things, I cannot survive without it!
Other than these 8 types of journals, there are also dozens more that you can try if you are interested! Check out this list of 20 journals to keep. And remember, you don’t just have to choose one! On a regular basis, I am writing in 3 different journals at once because they are all used for different things.
Supplies for journaling
When journaling, you can be as complicated or basic as you want. Realistically, all you really need to journal is a journal and a pencil. But, you can also have more fun with it and use extra supplies! Here’s a list of all the basic journaling supplies that’ll take your journals to the next level.
- journal
- pencils
- colorful pens
- highlighters
- white out
- stickers
Remember, you can use as many or as few supplies as you want.
You can also change it up based on the journal. For example, in my diary journal, I only use a journal and a pencil. But, for my to-do list journal, I use colored pens, highlighters, and more.
What should you write?
I’ve got a very vague answer for this question: write whatever you want and write whatever feels natural. I am not going to tell you what you should be writing in your journal because that defeats the whole purpose of starting a journal in the first place.
Depending on the type of journal you start, what you write is going to be different. But, it will also vary based on the person and based on the day. Just write whatever feels natural to you.
If you are stuck and can’t seem to write anything, try using some journaling prompts to help get your ideas flowing.
Tips for journaling for beginners
Date your entries
Depending on the type of journal you are using, you might be able to date your entries. If you can, you definitely should! Not only does this keep everything a lot more organized, but when you look back at your journals in the future, you know when you are writing.
Write naturally, honestly, and quickly
When writing, don’t write what you think you should write and not what you want to write. It is YOUR journal, so be honest with yourself when writing.
Another tip is to write quickly as a way of preventing yourself from over-thinking what you are writing. Of course, don’t rush when you are writing, but also don’t overthink every word you write.
Use journaling prompts
Like I said before, journaling prompts are a great way to help you write, especially when you feel like you have writer’s block. There are thousands of journaling prompts for any type of journal you are keeping, so find whatever is best for you.
Keep it private
The only way you are going to be truly honest with yourself in your journal is if it is private. Your journal is a “your eyes only” type of thing. Try not to go around showing and sharing with others.
Start small
If you are first starting to journal, start small. While I use 3 journals on a daily basis, I started with just 1 and worked my way up to 3 as I saw a need for them.
If you start with too many in the beginning, you are going to burn out and start to resent journaling very quickly. Pick 1 type of journal to start with in the beginning and see how you like it. Then, you can get more after a few weeks or months.
Don’t make it obligatory
One of the biggest mistakes I made when I tried to start a journal was making it obligatory and structured. While it worked for about a month, I started to get bored and ended up stopping after a short time.
When I tried to start journaling again, I used a different approach: write whatever you feel like whenever you feel like it. While I did need some self-discipline to make sure I actually wrote, the system lasted for years instead of months.
Just have fun with your journal. It is supposed to be reducing stress and bettering your lifestyle, so don’t make it something that you are constantly worrying about.
This post was all about how to start a journal!
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