Journaling is a great form of expression, as well as a great way to get off of technology. It can be an emotional expression when used for mood tracking and writing out anxious thoughts. Or take on a fun artistic form because you can create different drawings, use fun-colored writing materials, and include different decorative materials such as stickers and pictures. Journaling is also a nice way to reflect on life. At the end of each week, I look back on and write about what I did. At the end of the year, I’m hoping to go back through and reflect on things that happened, whether they were good, fun, or even bad. Below is a list of different journaling forms and some materials to get started:
Journaling Forms
Bullet Journaling
This format combines multiple aspects of journaling into one. Typically, this type uses dotted grid paper, but any can be used. It is a very organized way of journaling, with people combining mood trackers, calendars, task lists, and other entries all into one journal. People often do specific themes for each month of their journal making it very artistic and a creative outlet as well.
Junk Journaling
This form of journaling is similar to a scrapbook, just at a smaller scale. People who do this type of journaling typically collect mementos from their daily life to later scrapbook and write about. These things include pictures, receipts, stickers and so much more. People will often use these scraps to make a recap of their day or weekends as a reflective mento.
Reflective Journaling
This form is probably the most classic. Reflective journaling entails reflecting on thoughts or feelings or on days or weeks, depending on user preference. People will often do daily reflections on their days and what went on, as well as how it made them feel. If you struggle with mental health and feeling out of control emotionally, this is often a recommended way to help understand your emotions. Reflective journaling is also a great way to have a keepsake of your year.
Materials
There is a variety of materials that can be used for journaling that most people already own. Crayons, markers, colored pencils, and colored pens are simple materials most people already have around their house. Washi tape is a fun addition to materials, as it is decorative tape that can also be used to decorate letters and cards. I also recommend getting a sticker book rather than buying multiple sticker sheets. A good quality marker I recommend is the Zebra Mildliners Double-ended Marker. They are sort of on the pricey side for markers, but I like them for their vibrant colors and different sized writing tips. The more you find yourself journaling, the more your collection of materials will grow and expand.