Top 3 Journaling Tips for Beginners
By: Rachel Marilyn
Tags: Journaling, Getting Started, Consistency, Personal Development, Journal

Some Friendly Advice on Getting Started & Staying Consistent

Let me get you in on a little secret:

Journaling is a habit.

A habit that has all kinds of benefits for your mental health and overall wellbeing. And just like any other habit, it takes time to become consistent. Sometimes we look at other people who seem to have it all figured out and wonder, ‘how do they do it?’ How do they find the time and energy to keep up with a daily journaling practice?

Well, it turns out to be a lot easier than you’d think to keep up with a journal.

It’s all about making your practice work for you.

So, if you’ve ever had trouble starting or staying consistent with using a journal, then it’s time to grab a pen and write down these three simple tips.

Tip #1: LET GO OF THE EXPECTATIONS

This is crucial. Whatever you think journaling is or should be, let go of that idea. Personally, having unrealistic expectations prevented me from getting started or staying consistent, because the idea could never live up to what I thought or pictured journaling to be.

I don’t know about you, but I spent a lot of time looking at Pinterest and watching bullet journaling videos on YouTube, which are great for creative inspiration, but also really intimidating.

So, don’t let yourself get discouraged by comparing yourself to others.

Tip #2: GIVE YOURSELF A PROMPT

Okay, so I think this is the real key — because there is nothing more intimidating than looking at a blank page and not having any idea where to start. In the beginning, I would often just write about what I did that day or a random thought that popped into my mind, or what I was planning to have for dinner. Which is all totally fine, but after a few days or a few weeks, I would stop writing. It was difficult to stay consistent writing without a purpose or intention.

So, give yourself something to write about.

Here are some examples:

Start with a quote . I still do this today and find it’s one of the easiest places to start. Even if you just write the date on the top of the page and a couple quotes from that day that resonate with you, that’s a great way to get started.

. I still do this today and find it’s one of the easiest places to start. Even if you just write the date on the top of the page and a couple quotes from that day that resonate with you, that’s a great way to get started. Gratitude. Now this is a prompt I give myself every day. It’s so important to express gratitude, even if it’s just for the little things. It’s such an easy way to get yourself into a positive mindset and it helps put your life circumstances into perspective.

Now this is a prompt I give myself every day. It’s so important to express gratitude, even if it’s just for the little things. It’s such an easy way to get yourself into a positive mindset and it helps put your life circumstances into perspective. Ask yourself a question (or 2 or 3). In the beginning, I would ask myself tons of questions, and often I wouldn’t even answer them. At least not right away. I think it’s really helpful to just get BIG seemingly unanswerable questions out on paper. It makes questions like, “What do I want to do with my life?” less intimidating when you see it written out.

Tip #3: JUST HAVE FUN WITH IT.

At the end of the day, journaling is one form of self-expression. So, allow yourself to get your thoughts out there, draw some cute (or not so cute) doodles. Vent about your day or take notes. You can use it to plan, to write grocery lists, or keep track of daily, weekly, and monthly goals.

For me, I use my journal as a Tool. A tool to get to know myself a little better, a tool to reflect, to inspire myself to keep going, a tool to let go and release fears and doubts.

So really, you’re the one who decides what to do with it.

Journaling is a wonderful tool anyone can learn how to use. Building new habits takes time, so trust the process and allow yourself to enjoy the time you spend writing in your journal.

I promise you will discover new things about yourself along the way.

Remember, let go of expectations, give yourself a prompt, and have fun!