If I were stranded on an island, one thing that would make my list of things to take is a journal. A journal is like another person who is there just to listen. There’s no interruption. There’s no judgment. It’s simply something there that organizes thoughts the brain cannot.Â
The whole process of journaling is very therapeutic to me. I visit a nice stationery store with walls upon walls of decorative books of blank lined paper. I get to write my name and information if it loses its way. I get to choose how it is written and set the expectations of its use. I understand that journaling is not for everyone but I hope that with a little guidance, the fellow reader can feel more confident in the task.Â
- Finding a Journal
The main guidance I have with buying a journal is to make sure it suits you. Most times a journal can last for extended periods of time and it is important that you enjoy looking at it every time you pick it up. I always recommend something timeless, but equally, something that represents your personality. As sizing goes I like a journal around the dimensions of 5”x8”. Depending on where you plan to write, a portable journal is the most practical.
- Your Constants
Every time I get a new journal I immediately add my constants. These are sections of writing I refer to often in times of sadness or when I have completed a new life goal. For example, my holy grail constant is “Things That Help Me Get Out of a Rut”. Many times I find that I am aware I’m in a funk, but I have zero ideas about what to do. With this section at my disposal, I have a ready list of things I can try to break my haze. Another section I keep is all of the “Books I’ve Read”. I like that I can keep all of them housed together and see how they grow from book to book.Â
- What to Write
A rule that I follow is “In times of distress, pick one way to distract and one way to express”. Journaling is always my opted way of expressing myself. I commonly recount the events of the week or day and explain how they affected me emotionally. In these entries, I find that my subconscious feelings start to rise and that my thoughts are suddenly organized. Writing in this format also gives me a way to look back at memories. At the end of each entry, I do write a varying “List of Three Things”. A familiar list is “3 Things I’m Grateful For”. Often I feel that list can become redundant and mix in some alternatives. I like to write “3 Things That Took Confidence For Me”. As humans, we all have times of embarrassment or uncertainty, and this list reinstills a sense of self-assurance.Â
- Overcoming a Journaling Funk
One of the biggest things that made journaling hard for me was the feeling that I needed to journal every single day or every single week. If I wasn’t consistent, I would get mad at myself and think I needed a new journal completely. In reality, you don’t need to be faithful to the journal, the journal needs to be faithful to you. It is there to serve you. Write every two years if you want, just make sure to set the expectation that the journal is meant to be used in a way that is beneficial to you, your timing, and your needs. Another area that definitely gets me in a funk, is rereading and finding the memories grim. To counter this feeling, it is essential to write in times of happiness as well as darkness. The memory aspect of journaling doesn’t work if you only recount times you were upset or times when you were angry. Though it may not feel important at the time, future you will be happy that you decided to write about a silly moment or a generally positive day.