My (somewhat controversial) tips for keeping a journaling practice.
Acquire the best notebook and pen that you can afford at the time.
It seems like I’m always hearing the same advice: “It doesn’t matter what you have, any ol’ pen and paper will do.” Frankly, I disagree. A journal is a place where you meet with yourself.
If you were planning to see a good friend, and anticipating a great conversation—the kind that leaves you feeling better and full—would you suggest meeting at the fast food restaurant down the street? I can see arguments for when that might be necessary, but generally speaking, I would want to find a place that was cozy, inviting, kinda quiet, and smells good.
I know that not everyone needs the “nicest” paper, and some are quite content with a simple ball point pen, but I think the most important thing is that you are inviting yourself into the practice by what you use, whatever you use.
If you make it more special, you might come back to it more often, if for nothing else than to make sure you use that precious notebook!
An almost empty page and a page full of writing can be equally meaningless or meaningful.
It’s all about how you meet with the page. I have pages in my journal that literally have one word on them and I know exactly what I was thinking, feeling, and experiencing in that moment. I also have pages of pages of writing that I’ll never need to look at again.
Both types of journaling are beneficial and valuable. Morning pages, for instance, are often full of words that might not mean very much longterm.
But I think we get caught up in making our journaling time “worthwhile” by trying to do enough—whatever that means. My point is that one word might be enough for that day. One minute of journaling is better than avoiding it for a week because you don’t have time.
Words are aren’t even necessary. Placing stickers, painting, doodling, collaging—all equally valid journaling media! Showing up for yourself and being intentional about your time is the goal. Listen to yourself about what you need, and spend time doing that.
Don’t make it a goal to journal every day.
I love goals—I set them all the time. But, maybe because of that, I often get in over my head and begin to resent the things that I am “supposed” to be doing. I find ways to avoid those things until the guilt builds up so much that I find it difficult to begin again. Anybody with me?
Over the past few years I’ve changed the way that I set goals, especially in regards to how many I set, and how I relate to them. I’ve gotten better at letting goals go when they no longer serve me or my purpose.
Instead, when it comes to things that I want to be doing every day, like journaling, I make it easy on myself. I put things where I can get to them easily. I make them super attractive and delightful. I basically make it difficult to say no. I actually want to be in my journals everyday.
This also relates to the types of things that you do or put in your journals. There’s no pressure to do anything that other people are doing or that you think you are supposed to do. Show up as you and meet with the page. (Sensing a pattern?) Do the same thing every day if that lights you up. Try new things until you find something that you want to stick with, or just keep doing different things all the time. I have different journals for the types of things that I like to do in them, and I meet with each of them in different ways. I choose what I’m going to do depending on my mood, or what I feel that I need, or how tired I am…. They are there for me when I need them, and I certainly don’t use each and every one every day, but they are very well-loved.
I hope these were helpful and encouraging. Don't be afraid to start—just begin! (Or begin again. :)
