Journaling is often lauded as one of the most effective ways of boosting our mental health and wellbeing, but for many it can be an intimidating process to initiate, and it is difficult to know where to start. Here are a few tips which may make journaling seem more appealing:
- Buy a pretty notebook –it may sound a little contrived to promote more materialism and consumption right now so this is not a necessary step, but I have always found that if I want to get back on my journaling grind, buying a new notebook or just starting a fresh one is the way to go. I recommend art galleries and museums for their beautiful designs- they often have a great selection in their gift stores and it also means you are supporting the arts! Now that you have your new notebook you will be itching to christen it with your writing.
- To start, just write about your day – it’s easy to feel pressure to write something particularly special or worthy when you’re journaling, but there is no need to be performative! If you’re struggling to find something to say, literally just start by writing what you got up to in the day i.e. I woke up late, had some hash browns for breakfast, went to my politics lecture etc. You’ll find that other additional things you want to say about your day’s events will start popping into your head as you go and you can flesh out your journaling with your thoughts and anecdotes.
- Read some inspiring books which are in a journal format or have a strong narrative voice – I personally find that the times when I want to write most are when I have read something particularly well written or with a really strong voice. For example, one of my favourite books ‘Any Human Heart’ by William Boyd really inspires me to want to write. You can emulate the role of the narrator but for your own life, romanticise it! If you are ever in a bit of a rut with journaling I would recommend just re-reading your favourite books.
- Make lists or personal goals – if you can’t think of anything in particular to write, a good way to start is just writing lists of things you want to do or achieve, or improve about yourself. It’s a great way to introspect and journaling can be a good method of articulating feelings that you’re having during the day but aren’t able to express. Another thing you could do is write the trendy ‘what I’m grateful for’ lists- they’re popular for a reason! It does make you feel good to express gratitude and appreciation for things in your life, particularly because it’s not something that’s usually at the forefront of our minds as we move about our day. You can also just make lists if you want to write just for the sake of it- ‘what desserts I wanna eat in the next month’ kind of thing.
- Keep your journal close to you – put your journal and a pen on your nightstand so that when inspiration strikes you can immediately act on it! Whenever you’re bored and mindlessly scrolling on your phone, counteract the brain rot by writing in your journal. It’s also a great activity to do on your commute and you can make it even more entertaining by listening to music whilst you do it!
“writing diary blog – Credit to informedmag.com” by Informedmag is licensed under CC BY 2.0.