Journaling is easy. Grab a pen and paper, or hop on a computer, and write down what\u2019s on your mind. If that\u2019s too vague, write down what you plan to do today, or what you\u2019ve already done. If you really need a push, find a prompt by Googling \u201cjournal prompts\u201d and you\u2019ll have enough material for a lifetime.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There. That\u2019s it. That\u2019s how to journal. Easy, right? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Understand that there are many different types of journals. There are goal journals, travel journals, gratitude journals, prayer journals, food journals, just to name a few. But all journals provide an outlet to record activity and revisit it later. That\u2019s the common purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before you pick a journal type, think about your goal. Are you wanting to simply dump your thoughts and ideas? Are you tracking your progress with something? Are you wanting to practice writing? Maybe it\u2019s a combination of several things. Whatever you choose to achieve with your journaling, let that dictate your platform and routine (more on both of those things below). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Regardless of the type of journal you have, you should experience some benefits right from the start. The first thing you may notice is more clarity with your thoughts. That\u2019s because you\u2019ve taken the time to process what\u2019s on your mind, which can also help you deal with stress. In this way, journaling is essentially a form of therapy. If you\u2019re journaling about goals or plans, you\u2019ll start to think deeper about your intentions, and how you live each day.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Keeping up a regular habit of journaling will provide even richer benefits. For starters, it will become easier for you to let go of your thoughts. You\u2019ll sit down to write and things will just flow. What took you thirty minutes your first week of journaling, may only take you ten after you\u2019ve done it for a year or so. Don\u2019t misunderstand, you aren\u2019t aiming to speed write. However, the quicker you can process your thoughts, the more thoughts you can put down in any given amount of time. The act becomes more productive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Basically there are two ways to journal. One is analog, using paper and a writing utensil. The other is digital, using a computer, tablet, mobile device, or all three. It\u2019s good to commit to one platform so all your journal entries are in one place. However, you may have several different types of journals, so it is possible to do both analog and digital at the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t mistake picking a platform for choosing to write or type. The line between analog and digital it getting fuzzy. You can write with a \u201cpencil\u201d on a digital device, so it is possible to have both handwritten and typed journal entries within the same digital platform. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
My primary goal with journaling is to grow. Since I have solid handwriting and enjoy analog journaling, that was my platform for years. But then I realized I was pouring my soul into my writing and rarely revisiting it. For me, rereading my entries is what produces the most growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So I asked myself, why spend so much time processing my thoughts and feelings to never again revisit that work? I eventually switched my main journal to a digital platform, which allows me to easily see what I\u2019ve written in the past. Over time, I\u2019m able to see trends emerge. I see that in January every year I\u2019m more optimistic. I see I\u2019m more creative in the winter and more distracted in the summer. Knowing these things allows me to live more self-aware and intentionally address issues that may otherwise go unnoticed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you want to experience the most benefits from journaling, you need to write daily. I recommend finding at least ten to fifteen minutes per day when you can focus on processing your thoughts. Engaging in this activity consistently over time will benefit your life greatly. And, don\u2019t forget to explore several different types of journals and see what works for you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Journaling is easy, fun, rewarding, and healthy, so get started. Experiment. Enjoy the discovery that comes with recording and revisiting activities that matter to you. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Journaling is easy, fun, rewarding, and healthy. Here’s some info to help you get started on your own path of discovery.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2226,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[41],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2231","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-betterment","is-cat-link-borders-light"],"yoast_head":"\n