Use a simple paper-bound notebook that you can carry around with you. Try to find something that fits into your bag or pocket. Use a nicer leather-bound notebook if you want to give weight to your thoughts. This can be a great way to make your journal feel special. Keep a text document on your computer, or make a folder for individual entry documents. Consider keeping your journal online as a private or public blog.
There is no right or wrong way to keep a journal of your life. It is your life, and it is your journal! It may help to take tips from other journal-keepers, but ultimately, you will develop your own style through practice. [1] X Expert Source Grant Faulkner, MAProfessional Writer Expert Interview. 8 January 2019.
Write about what you did today or what you plan to do tomorrow. Mention the places you went, the conversations you had, the things you learned, and the things that occupied your mind. This is a space to set down any practical details or information that you want to remember. Write about someone that’s on your mind. Write about the things that are stressing you out or making you excited. Write about your dreams, your plans, your fears, your insecurities. Try acknowledging the fact that you are starting your journal. If you can’t think of anything else to write about, then write about the fact that this is your first journal entry. Write a page about why you’ve decided to keep this journal, what you hope to learn about yourself, and what it feels like to set your thoughts down on paper.
Try writing “Morning Pages,” the creativity tool that Julia Cameron popularized in her book The Artist’s Way. Each morning, before you do anything else, write three full pages, longhand, in a notebook. Don’t check your work or think too much about what you’re writing – just get it out. [5] X Research source Try keeping a monthly check-in journal. At the end of each month, write an entry about the main events that happened. Explain what happened, what you loved, and what you learned. Track how you grow and develop each month.
Notice how your journal entries sounded at a time when you felt sad, stuck, or frustrated in life. Try to catch yourself when you are writing like this so that you can do something about it. Notice how you were writing at a time when you were happy and excited about the future. Think about how you can channel this feeling.
Try not to correct yourself as you write. [7] X Expert Source Grant Faulkner, MAProfessional Writer Expert Interview. 8 January 2019. Don’t sugarcoat anything. Write as though no one will ever read these words.
How would you like to be remembered? Are you proud of who you are? What is a personality trait that you admire or seek in others – and why? Think about something you feel obligated to do, daily or regularly. Why? What is the best advice that you’ve ever received?
