The BEST Way to Journal is the RIGHT Way For YOU!
Journaling is the process of writing down your thoughts and feelings for the goal of deeper understanding and clarity. If you have been battling with overthinking, anxiety, or feelings of overwhelm, I encourage you to try daily journaling for 30 days. There are different styles of journaling so it’s important to find a style that fits your needs and is low-maintenance. Morning pages, free-writing, and bullet journaling are just a few ways you can build a daily writing discipline and get the benefits of journaling.
Whether you're new to journaling or you are trying to automate the habit that so many successful people swear by, this post will help you understand what it means to journal and make it easier to decide which method of journaling is right for you.
What is Journaling and Why is it Important?
Journaling is the process of writing down your thoughts for further understanding and clarity. If you have been struggling with overthinking or anxiety, journaling is the perfect tool to have in your toolbox. On the other hand, you may be an excited go-getter, struggling to bring your ideas to fruition because of a lack of organization. Journaling can help you organize the thoughts and ideas in your mind, which allows you to execute more purposefully and in alignment with your goals.
If you are looking to be more disciplined, journaling is a great habit that builds self-discipline and will make you a better communicator. Journaling is as simple as free-writing, or pulling out a notebook and writing every thought that comes to mind. Journaling can have some structure as with morning pages or bullet journaling. The integration of a journaling habit isn’t one size fits all, but the self-discipline you build with consistency is priceless.
Morning Pages
Morning pages, popularized by Julia Cameron and commonly discussed on this blog are a great way to incorporate journaling into your daily routine. The concept calls for three pages of long-hand writing in a journal first thing in the morning. By doing morning pages every day, you clear the mental clutter that can include emotional traumas, work stress, or personal problems you are struggling to overcome.
If you want to have a productive morning, starting with morning pages is a great habit to build. Imagine how effective you could be if you didn’t have the issues of last week floating around your head. This is also a great option for those that couldn’t get into a stillness meditation. Purging the thoughts that are bouncing around your head can have a similar effect to meditating for 15-20 minutes.
Read this post for more information on getting started with morning pages.
Bullet Journal
Bullet Journaling, or BuJo as it's commonly referred to, is a great way to start purposeful journaling. Bullet journals can be calendars, habit-trackers, task lists, weekly plans, and more. Bullet journaling is a method of concise journaling designed to be both flexible and keep you productive. If you are interested in using a journal to track your personal growth and goals, a bullet journal may be a great option for you.
Bullet Journals can be DIY, perfect for those that could never find a journal that fits their aesthetic. You can design the layout of each page so it's completely unique to you and your needs or you can purchase the official bullet journal available on the official BuJo site.
Start any new goals recently? Use a bullet journal to track your progress and consistency. Check out this post that includes over 20+ designs for creating a habit tracker in a bullet journal.
Free-Write
The simplest way to start journaling is just to free-write. Write whatever comes to mind, the way it comes to mind. Free-write journaling is a practice of finding freedom in flexibility, regardless of what you write or its potential incoherence. Free-writing is a lot like cleaning up a room that hasn’t been cleaned in years. The goal is a clean and clear space, but to get there you have to get rid of the trash, analyze if the things you have been keeping are worth the clutter, and straighten up everything else. Free-writing is a process of clearing the mind, but much like cleaning, sometimes there is too much to tackle in one sitting. One session of free writing might include you addressing problematic thought patterns while another is focused on reinforcing positive philosophies and beliefs.
Final Thoughts
Journaling is a great habit to have, especially if you consider yourself to be a disciplined person. If you’re looking to get better at communicating yourself clearly or achieving your goal, you need to start journaling. Journaling is not one size fits all so it’s important to find a style of journaling that works for you. Free-Write journaling is great for those moments you need a good brain-dump session to sift through the confusion in your mind. Bullet Journaling is perfect for those that like tangible records of their goal progress and habit consistency. Morning pages are a structured way to incorporate the best of the different types into one daily ritual. It's not important what method of journaling you use, only that you are journaling consistently.
