So, you’re thinking about starting to journal? Nice choice! Journaling is a great way to not only record your story but also to help you de-stress. However, sometimes you might find yourself looking at your new journal with a blank page staring back at you, and you just have no clue how to begin and how to keep your new habit going.
Getting into a new habit is doable, but it takes time. The old adage used to be that it took 30 days of consistency to form a new habit. However, newer research shows it can take a bit longer than that. You just need to keep showing up and trying—consistency is key! So, let’s talk about a few ways to help you start and keep going with your new journaling habit.
Journaling Tip #1: Get Creative with Journaling
While words are important, journaling doesn’t just have to be about writing. It needs to be about expressing yourself in a way that feels right for you. If you don’t do this, getting into the journaling habit might be even harder. So, don’t be afraid to think outside the lines when it comes to your journal. Try using pretty colorful pens or markers to add personality to your pages, draw doodles or full-on sketches to illustrate your thoughts, and even experiment with fun lettering styles.
Want to make it even more special? You can attach keepsakes like ticket stubs, photos or dried flowers that remind you of meaningful moments. These little touches can turn your journal into a personal scrapbook of memories, moods and ideas.
The best part about journaling is that there’s no set-in-stone way to do it. You can write, draw, make collages or do whatever makes you happy! Get creative, make it messy and most importantly—have fun with it!
Journaling Tip #2: Come Up with a Routine
As we talked about, the most important thing about new habits is consistency. However, consistency really doesn’t look the same for everyone. Some people journal every day, some do it once a week and sometimes maybe every other day. There’s no right answer—just think about what works best for you.
So, why is a routine important? Creating a routine is important because it helps turn journaling into a habit rather than a chore. When you set aside regular time to write, it becomes something you look forward to. Whether it’s five minutes with your morning coffee or a cozy Sunday evening ritual, building a routine makes it easier to stick with journaling long-term.
So, how do you do this? Start small and keep it really simple. You’ll be surprised how quickly those little moments of writing can add up to something meaningful.
Journaling Tip #3: Get a Journal with Prompts
One way to keep your journaling routine a little more simple is by getting a journal that isn’t blank. Did you know some journals come with prompts? That’s right. Journals with prompts can help you target specific things to write about. This way, it’s not always on you to come up with topics or decide what to write about when you might already have decision fatigue from your day. This form of journaling is cozy and can feel like you’re checking in with a friend rather than just writing to yourself. It can help you get going too, even on days when it might be hard to keep the journaling habit you’re trying to develop.
Journaling Tip #4: Think of Your Purpose for Journaling
So, another big question to think about is what kind of things do you want to journal about–and what’s the purpose of your journal? It can serve all kinds of purposes—it just depends on what you want to focus on! Here are a few ideas to help you get started:
- Preserving Your Family History: If you’re hoping to record your family’s story and legacy, our Legacy Journal is just what you need. It gives you a guided way to reflect on and preserve meaningful moments for future generations.
- Documenting Your Baby’s Milestones: Who doesn’t want to capture every moment of their children’s journeys? If you want to write about them and their milestones, our Childhood Memory Book makes it easy to record memories from birth to age 18. With simple prompts, you can quickly document those unforgettable milestones.
- Celebrating Your Love Story: If you’re looking to chronicle your relationship, our Anniversary Journal is a must-have. From how you first met to your 70th anniversary, this thoughtful book includes space for photos and prompts to highlight the best moments each year.
- Capturing Your Adventures: Do you love to travel and capture every memory? Our Travel Journal is perfect for documenting your adventures. With space for photos and prompts to help you record the best details, it’ll help you remember every destination, from hidden gems to breathtaking views.
- Traditional Journaling: Maybe you just prefer a blank canvas for journaling. This can be a great way to record your thoughts. So, in this case, get a blank journal. They’re perfect for writing, sketching or simply getting your thoughts on paper however you like.
No matter what your focus is, there’s a journal to match your goals and make starting this new habit a little easier. All of these journals (except the blank ones) also include prompts, like we talked about above!
Journaling Tip #5: Find an Accountability Buddy
One last really good way to get into any kind of habit is to do it with a friend. Maybe that’s your sibling, your best friend or a parent—someone who you are close to that will call you out when needed. Schedule a time once or twice a week to check in with each other about your new journaling habit. If one of you has missed the mark a bit, the other accountability partner can offer encouragement advice, or maybe they just need to bluntly tell you to get going again! No matter what kind of encouragement works best for you, having someone to help you can make a huge difference.
So, are you ready to start writing? Getting into a journaling habit doesn’t need to be complicated or hard. All you need to do is find your purpose, get into a routine, be creative and maybe even enlist the help of a friend or loved one.
As you start your journaling journey, be sure to check out our large collection of journals!