Like many women, I play a variety of roles in my daily life and I spend a lot of my time dealing with other things and people. The only way to keep my sanity through these various responsibilities is to take a little time every day to think my own thoughts. I can’t always leave and sit in a coffee shop by myself — although that would be perfection! — so I have to find ways to fulfill that “me-time.”
One way to fulfill that time is through journaling. I look forward to putting the boys to bed at the end of the day, sitting down with a hot cup of tea and breaking out one of my journals. In fact, I believe that this is so beneficial in my life that I feel everyone should be doing it! Journaling is such a simple activity that everyone can participate in and it leaves you feeling like your thoughts went somewhere. There’s this sense that if you write it down, it will happen. So why not give yourself a place to dream, think and plan?
I want everyone to be successful at journaling so I wanted to share some tips today to help you start journaling, improve your journaling or just encourage you to keep journaling!
1. First, find a journal that jumps out to you.
I love to touch journals before I buy them — I flip through the pages, look at the cover and compare it to every other journal in the aisle to make sure this is one I want to commit to using. You can find journals practically anywhere but my favorite places to look are Target, World Market and Hobby Lobby. I don’t have a preference in style and I find that my journal selections reflect the mood I’m in at the time of purchase.
2. You have to find pens or pencils you love.
I prefer Sharpie pens because the colors are beautiful and the pens are perfectly inky. You may prefer something different but the point is to find one you like. Keep the pens in the same place every day so you aren’t having to search for them when you’re ready to write. If you have pens you love and know where they are, you’re more likely to actually use them.
3. Don’t give yourself the same prompt every day.
It may not be realistic to always write about the events of your day. My days may be eventful but I don’t always want to write about them. Instead, just sit down and write whatever you are feeling that day. It could be a recap of your day or maybe a dream you have. You can list things you want to do around your home or ideas for your future life. Maybe you could journal about your favorite scripture, song, or sermon you’ve had on your heart. Some journal entries could be poems, doodles, or lyrics. By giving yourself a huge window you won’t feel trapped when you sit down and realize your trip to the grocery store isn’t worth writing in your book.
4. And finally, feel free to decorate your journal!
I love using Washi tape to make borders, doodles to give it personality, and fun handwriting fonts to make it more beautiful. I usually enjoy decorating my journal entries just as much as I do writing in them.
And as mentioned earlier, I accompany my journaling with a hot cup of tea. My favorite is chai tea with a tablespoon of sweetened condensed milk. The combination is divine and it helps get my creative mind flowing.
I am also including some other fun journaling tips to help you and I hope you pick up a journal and start the writing journey. You won’t regret it!
✿ Follow The Reset Girl on Instagram for beautiful journal layouts that will inspire you.
✿ Dawn Nicole Designs has some excellent tips for creating beautiful hand lettering fonts.
✿ And if you are completely blank and need a prompt to help you out, The Girl Who Loved to Write has some fun ideas!