STEPS TO GETTING STARTED
Many of us do not consider ourselves natural writers and so it can be difficult to know what to put on the pages of our journals or even where to start.
We will explore this shortly but, especially if you are new to journaling, make the following preparations.
BUY YOURSELF A JOURNAL OR DIARY THAT YOU ARE GOING TO ENJOY USING.
Ask yourself the following:
SIZE – Do you prefer something pocket sized to carry around with you all the time or do you like to write in something a lot larger. There is a great choice of sizes and shapes on the market today. You may even go for something unusual like a square.
INTERIOR – Should it be wide lined, college lined, graph paper or even unlined.
EXTERIOR – Will you enjoy the feel of a plush leather cover or have more fun with a soft-bound book with an inspirational or colorful image on the front.
FIND A SPECIAL PLACE TO KEEP YOUR JOURNAL
KEEP YOUR BOOK PRIVATE
IDEALLY FIND SOMEWHERE COMFORTABLE WHERE YOU WILL DO YOUR WRITING
HONOR YOUR WRITING WITH A DECENT PEN
COMMIT TO BEING CONSISTENT
The next step is to think about why you want to keep a regular diary and what you want to record. Here are some common topics writers like to track to help you. Make a note of those that apply to you and any other ideas you have whilst reading the list.
Daily thoughts/emotional state
Life events and moments
Relationships and family
Goal setting and progress
Gratitudes and appreciations
Personal health and fitness achievements
Releasing worry on the page
Significant conversations
Frustrations and challenges and what to do about them
Prayers and wishes for others
Memories sparked during the day
News and Events
Dreams and ideas
Inspirational quotes and sayings
Life lessons learned in the day
Finally, select one of the following three writing styles that fits you best.
RANDOM FREE-FLOWING THOUGHTS
SET YOUR OWN CHOSEN TOPICS
USE A GUIDED JOURNAL
1. RANDOM FREE-FLOWING THOUGHTS
Firstly date the page if you are using a blank journal
Close your eyes, relax and think about how you feel and what you are thinking right then
Start writing and begin sentences with phrases like “I feel” and “Right now”
Write naturally and quickly (without stopping if you can) for 5-10 minutes
Remember there are no rules or someone waiting to check your composition or grammar
Be honest and truthful about how you are really feeling
When you have finished, read what you have written, add more thoughts if necessary and note any actions you might be planning to take
2. SET YOUR OWN CHOSEN TOPICS
Using the list of common topics previously discussed, write down your own personalized questions to answer every time you write.
Alternatively, if there are a large number of subjects you want to choose, write them down on pieces of paper. Then put them in a bowl and pull one or more out at random every day.
3. USE A GUIDED JOURNAL
If the first two methods seem to much for you then let someone else set the questions.
You can purchase “guided” journals where the question prompts are pre-printed on each page. There are so many subjects available to choose from these days e.g. Gratitude Journals, Goal Setting Journals. They are not expensive so you could have more than one and rotate them. Just search for topics online on sites like Amazon.