Journaling is one of the most powerful practices for personal growth.
I’ll admit that wasn’t my initial motivation. I started journaling (capturing my experiences in a notebook) because I was forgetful. Specifically, I would forget the mean things my older brother did to me. I didn’t want to let it pass. It seemed an unjust thing to do. I was about 7 years old and discovered that writing things down helped.
Journaling is still one of my primary writing practices. It’s the one practice that has contributed the most to my well-being. The simple act of writing on a regular basis has created clarity and awareness. It was a safe haven to share my innermost feelings when I had no one to confide in. It was my trusted companion when I felt alone and isolated.
Throughout the years, I’ve tried different methods and formats. Journaling long hand is the most consistent but there have been times I’ve used my computer. I remember during my twenties temping at various law firms in New York City and how I’d store my daily journaling on floppy disks. I’ve since transferred them to my cloud storage but I still have access to that writing.
That floppy-disk-to-cloud journey taught me something: the format matters less than the return to the page. There are more ways in than you might think.
One of my favorite things to do (especially if I’m feeling ungrounded and shaky) is to read through some old journal entries and see that I’ve addressed similar issues before. I can see the same worries showing up years apart and see, in my own handwriting, that I got through them.
There are so many different kinds of journaling, and you don’t have to be a writer. Here are some of the ones I’ve run across:
• Daily journaling: Write down what happened during your day, what you’re feeling, and anything else on your mind. Don’t be rigid about this. There have been periods where I’ve opted out of journaling. The important thing is to pick up the practice, especially during tough times.
• Gratitude journaling: Focus on what you’re grateful for in your life. If you’re going through a rough patch it’s a great practice to start and end your day. It will shift your energy fast!
• Dream journaling: Capture what you remember from your dreams. (Over time you can identify patterns to explore, like my tidal wave dreams when I was dealing with recovering childhood memories.)
• Best/Worst case scenario journaling: Write down your worries or concerns. Identify worst case scenario, if it’s likely to come true, what parts you can control and what is out of your control, etc. (No wallowing in doomsday scenarios. This gives you a solid grounding on what’s yours to do.)
• Goal setting journaling: Write down your goals and track your progress. (This was one of the secrets to my most prolific period. I created so much because I would map it out in writing first)
• Letter journaling: Writing unsent letters to yourself or others to work through issues, mistakes and more. It gives you the opportunity to offer apologies and forgiveness to yourself and others. This is great, especially when you can no longer communicate with someone. I’m still waiting to do this with my mom who passed a few years ago. I’m not sure I’ve forgiven her yet.
• One line journaling: Write one single line each day. It might be to summarize your day or to just remember one good thing about it. I’ve never done this one because frankly one line is never enough with the way my brain works.
• Brain dump journaling: Get all your thoughts and feelings out without any filter or editing. Oh yes, a personal favorite. I wrote a blog post about it: Journaling: Mind Dump or Evolutionary Tool.
• Reflection journaling: Write about and reflect on your day, the things you experienced, your work and home life, relationships, friendships, and anything that happened throughout the day. I’ve gleaned many insights from this journaling practice, especially around a 30+ year relationship with my on again/off again ex.
• Bullet journaling: Make lists of whatever you want to talk about. It could be your favorite ways to relax, your best money saving tips, etc. This is great for minimalists.
• Art journaling. Create visual representations of your thoughts and feelings. This could be done through drawing, doodling, collages, painting or whatever art form you prefer. I’ve incorporated doodling into some of my journaling. It’s interesting what shapes pop up.
• Free write journaling: Set a timer for 5-10 minutes and freely write whatever comes to mind. Some folks recommend 20 to 30 minutes for this but err on the side of less is more. Anyone can find 5 minutes to free write. One of the insights I got from this was all about my habit of over giving.
• Morning pages journaling: Straight out of The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, take a little time each morning to write. It gives you the opportunity to start your day with more clarity and focus. (This is one of my faves!)
The best part? You can mix and match. Depending on the day, situation, and time available, you might select the journaling practice that best fits your need. This isn’t about perfection it’s about proximity to your best journaling practice.
Try one of these practices for a week. Notice what you discover. I guarantee insights and aha’s will show up, especially during non-writing time (like walking, showering, etc.)
After many years of journaling, so much has changed, especially me!
