Keeping a journal or diary is a great way to channel your thoughts and feelings while remembering past events. Before writing, determine the type of journal you want. Then, record your thoughts, experiences, and ideas in a diary. Challenge yourself to write every day to form a new habit.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Getting Ready
Step 1. Prepare a notebook if you want to write a diary by hand
When you hear the word diary, you may immediately think of a notebook and a pen. You are free to choose the book you want to use. Prepare a plain notebook if you want to decorate it or buy an agenda with an attractive design to make the diary look more stylish.
- You can save money by buying a spiral notebook or notepad at a bookstore or stationary store.
- If you want to have a stylish agenda, look at a bookstore or stationary store in a mall.
Tip:
Journaling using a notebook is a great choice if you want to give it a personal touch by drawing pictures, attaching stickers, or putting together a collage of memes, such as movie tickets or parking tickets on the journal page!
Step 2. Use a word processing program if you want to journal using a computer
Many people prefer to type while journaling. Use a word processing program that you are good at. Create a new file every certain period, for example every month or every year. Store all journal files in 1 directory.
- For example, create a new file at the beginning of each month and then save it with a different name, for example, "January 2020", "February 2020", "March 2020", and so on.
- You are free to choose the program you want to use, such as Word, Pages, or Notepad.
- If you save the file on Google Drive, the journal can be accessed from a variety of devices. This way, you can keep a journal using your computer, tablet, or phone.
- Create a blog for journaling if you don't mind other people reading it.
Step 3. Determine the type of journal you want to write
This step helps you use your journal effectively. First, determine why and what you are journaling for. Then, specify the type of journal you want, for example:
- Personal journal to record your daily activities, reflections, and feelings as you go about your daily life.
- Thanksgiving journal to record the things you are grateful for each day.
- Therapy journal to resolve the problem you are experiencing or support the recovery process.
- Travel journal to document the locations visited, activities during the trip, and your impressions of the locations visited.
- art journal to save an image or photo with text. Use an art journal to collect photos, paintings, and/or collages.
Tip:
Use journals creatively to make them more interesting, such as recording personal experiences, making lists of things you are grateful for, and keeping paintings in the same journal.
Step 4. Decide on the topic you want to cover
Staring at a blank sheet of paper without a single idea coming up is often frustrating! Fortunately, there are many ways to find inspiration for journaling, for example by jotting down ideas that come up. If your mind is stuck, apply the following methods:
- Tell us what happened today, for example your experience attending a friend's birthday party or a topic of conversation with friends.
- Reflect on past experiences. For example, share a good childhood memory with your grandpa or a sad moment when you lost a good friend.
- Express emotions or feelings. If you are facing a problem, share the sadness you feel and the change you hope for.
- Tell me your dream. For example, you dream of floating in the air. Write down everything you experienced while flying, what it was like, and what your dream means.
- Write down the things you are grateful for, such as a harmonious family, a favorite cat, a sweet voice, and supportive friends.
- State why you are afraid, for example, if you have a phobia of being in closed spaces.
- Enter keywords to search for inspiration using the internet. For example, "Explain what your favorite movie means to you," "Tell me about your reaction when you saw a ghost," or "Tell me about a fun experience you had while on vacation."
Part 2 of 3: Journal Writing
Step 1. Write the date and location of the incident in the upper corner of the journal page
This step helps you remember the time and location of what happened in your journal if you read it again later. Write the date, month, and year in the top corner of the journal page, then write down the location of the incident.
For example, "March 10, 2020. Sitting at the coffee shop"
Step 2. Start your journal by including an opening, "Hi Diary" or "Hello my friend" if you prefer
Although you don't have to, they can help you write fluently. If you're using an opening word, write it in the top left corner as the first line.
For example, you might write, "Dear Diary"
Step 3. Use the first person pronoun "I" or "I" in the journal
Maybe you are not used to using this word when writing a paper because it violates the rules of scientific writing. However, you are free to write anything in the journal because it is about you. Use the words "I" or "I" to describe yourself while journaling.
For example, "Finally, I had coffee at the new shop this afternoon."
Step 4. Write a journal at will without being corrected
As you journal, jot down every thought that comes to mind. Don't worry about logic, grammar, or spelling of words. Write down everything you want to tell and don't read your writing again. Continue writing to completion.
Don't stop writing to read the words you just wrote. Don't worry about your writing being wrong or unsystematic because journals are not written for anyone but you
Step 5. Use creative formatting
Journal writing is an effective means of showing creativity. Use journals to express yourself in creative ways, for example:
- Writing poetry.
- Create an image that matches the text.
- Present your ideas in the form of a list, rather than an essay.
- Write your experience in the form of a story.
- Create meaningful song lyrics.
- Paste a memo, such as a movie ticket, bus ticket, brochure, or receipt that you received according to the date of the journal.
Step 6. Ignore grammar or spelling of words when journaling
Instead of worrying about your grammar or spelling mistakes, you can ignore the punctuation and don't stop writing to check the spelling! Let the words just flow regardless of the rules of writing.
For example, you want to write a stream of thoughts. This means that you will record every thought that comes up regardless of whether the sentence is complete or not
Tip:
It's natural to want to keep a neat and tidy journal. Be patient until you have finished writing your journal before reading and editing it.
Step 7. Complete the journal by recounting the sensory experience in detail to make your story more interesting
Physical sensations involve the five senses, namely sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste. Reveal sensory experiences when recounting current or past events. This step makes the journal more interesting and helps you remember clearly what happened at the time.
For example, if you want to talk about your experience at the beach, write in your diary, "A cool breeze brushed against my face. The sea water tasted salty on my tongue. I smelled the aroma of seaweed drifting onto the beach. Fog covered the sea surface, but I can still see the fishing boats in the distance. The sound of the waves is so sweet to my ears that I fall asleep during the day."
Step 8. Determine the length of the journal as desired
You may target the length of the journal, but you are free to write as long or as short as you like. Instead of writing a full page several times a week, write a few sentences each day. Jot down whatever comes to mind, but stop writing when the story is over.
For example, the last few days you wrote a few short sentences, but tomorrow you tell a long story that spans several pages. You are free to write as you wish
Part 3 of 3: Establishing a Journal Writing Routine
Step 1. Make a commitment to keep a journal every day, even if it's very short
The surefire tip to form a new routine is to do it every day. Many people have difficulty at first so they cannot write regularly. To form a new habit, challenge yourself to keep a journal every day, whether long or short. Over time, you can write regularly if you do this consistently.
- If you are very busy, write down 3 things that have happened since the morning, for example, "1) I got a lot of work done today, 2) I ate a delicious salad at a new restaurant this afternoon, 3) I took a leisurely stroll after dinner."
- The formal journal does not have to be the same every day.
Step 2. Determine the right time to journal so that you do it regularly
Maybe you find it difficult to allocate time because of your busy daily schedule. Overcome this by taking advantage of the time between busy schedules to form new habits, for example by journaling when:
- Drink coffee in the morning.
- Travel by public transportation.
- Rest after lunch.
- Waiting for cooked food.
- Watching TV after dinner.
- Before sleeping at night.
Step 3. Take your journal with you wherever you go
A journaling routine is easier to implement if your diary is within easy reach. That way, you're ready to write when you have free time. Put your diary in your bag or use a word processing program on your phone or tablet so you can write all the time.
- For example, you might write a journal while waiting in line at the clinic or waiting for a friend to show up late.
- If you're journaling digitally, use your phone to type and then email yourself. Then, copy the type in the email and save it in a journal file that you use every day.
Step 4. Reflect on reading the journal if necessary
One of the benefits of journaling is as a means of therapy by reflecting while reading past experiences. Set aside time to read a journal when you are ready to tackle the problem and its impact on your daily life.
- For example, you are very disappointed because you were not hired. After getting the job, read a journal about the incident to remind yourself that the disappointment hasn't gone away. That way, you stay positive and don't give up if you experience the same thing.
- You can use a journal to understand what you're thinking and feeling while evaluating your progress toward solving a problem.
Step 5. Put the diary in an easy-to-reach place if nothing is being kept secret
Depending on the situation you're in, you might not mind having other people read your journal so you don't have to hide it. This condition makes it easier for you to form a new routine.
For example, put your diary or device on the nightstand so you don't forget to write every morning or before going to bed. Another example, put a diary in the kitchen near the coffee pot so it's easy to pick up every morning
Step 6. Keep the diary in a safe place in case anything is kept secret
Maybe you're worried that someone knows a big secret you want to keep close to yourself. To prevent secrets from being exposed, keep the journal in a locked place or protect it using a password.
- Hide the diary under a pile of clothes in the closet or tuck it under the mattress.
- After some time, move the diary or change the password to keep the secret safe.
