This year I began journaling and it’s been incredible to have a guided expression of thoughts and emotions. I started writing about this in my wellness routine post and my post about questions to ask yourself before the end of the decade. I wanted to really dig into the ways I keep journals and what I use all my journals for. There is definitely no need to have 4 separate books for this but I’ve found 2 guided journals I love and keep 2 to create my own.
Daily Journal
I bought the Ban.Do Feel Your Best Wellness Workbook at the beginning of the fall because I wanted a guided journal. This one has a little bit of everything: goals, exploration, relaxation, action and daily/ weekly check ins. The reason I love this one so much is that it covers so many areas. There are pages with advice and information, pages with tear-out cards, questions, and my favorite is the daily check in.
Each day has a spot for all the categories covered in the book and helps me frame my day positively right when I wake up. I have struggled with being pretty negative throughout my life. When I forget to fill out my journal in the morning I feel myself pulling toward negative thought patterns. This one has a morning and night section but I think any sort of daily reflection is a positive thing.
Guided Journal
For this purpose, I wanted to begin the Michelle Obama Becoming journal. Reading her book was so inspirational and made me want to start keeping track of my life as I’m experiencing it. There are deep and more lighthearted questions in here which I love.
Having a journal with only questions can be tricky if you’re in the mood to journal but none of the questions are speaking to you. I don’t have that issue too often with this one because I find it really helpful to have a starting point. It helps me feel like what I’m thinking and writing makes sense, tells a story, and has worth. Try one of these if you want to start a journal but don’t know where to begin.
Free Write Journal
This was my first serious foray into journaling recently. Over the summer I was having trouble making sense of my thoughts so I found it therapeutic to take an old, ugly notebook that I didn’t care about and angrily, happily, sadly, excitedly scribble all my thoughts in as I thought them. Free writing when I was feeling a lot helped me figure out what those emotions were and where they started. I think this is an awesome method if you’re looking for something informal and are having a lot of thoughts floating around.
Create-Your-Own Journal
This type of journal has been so fun for me. I follow a lot of people on Instagram in the wellness community that post questions for reflection, quotes, or advice. Usually I save these posts on Instagram and transfer them to my journal when I have time. I think these are so unique and I have found them truly inspiring because I felt instantly connected to them. In this one, I like to get creative with colors, stickers, drawings and hand lettering. These feel so personal and are ever-changing and growing.
I think 2020 is the perfect time to begin a journal. There is so much on the horizon and a new year is a time of change and rebirth. I pushed off beginning my journal for so long because I felt uncomfortable being honest with myself on paper and a little strange writing such vulnerable and real thoughts out. Despite my reservations, keeping a journal has become so valuable to me and I cherish the time I spend writing in my various little books.