How to write my daily journal

When we’re thinking about how to write my daily journal, the important thing to remember is that it is your journal, so you can write in it however you like! We all tend to be very different when it comes to how we express ourselves. In the next section we look at some reasons why you may wish to write a journal, and your why may also inform your how. Let’s get started with our top tips on how to write in a journal daily:

Choose a journal that appeals to you

This can really help you stay committed to your journal. Some things to consider:Do you prefer a blank page or lined?Would you benefit from cues eg. ‘Today I’m grateful for….’What do you want to get out of journaling? There are many great journals available with specific outcomes in mind which can help you achieve your goals.What size will work best, for example are you travelling?

Decide on a time of day when you will journal

Creating routine helps to form lasting habits. We recommend writing in your journal in the morning if it’s more about goal setting and wanting to create positive change in your life and in the evening if you are more interested in keeping an account of your experiences. You may wish to keep your journal with you so you can add notes and check off achievements as they happen - this is a great way to make journaling a part of your life and keep your journaling habit on track!

What do you write in a daily journal? - Write without judgement

Your journal is just for you so write truthfully and freely, giving yourself a space where you can be truly authentic. When we allow our true voices to be expressed we validate ourselves, a real act of self love. This is an awesome way to reparent your inner child, in your journal all of your feelings, wishes and struggles can be heard, accepted and loved.

Don’t be too hard on yourself

If you miss a day, or two, or maybe even a week or months, use your mindfulness practice to get started again without unnecessary shame or frustration. When you realise you’ve stopped journaling, simply dig out your journal and write something down and keep doing this. As we’ve mentioned, the journal is just for you so no one is checking. It’s good to be accountable for positive habits you want to create, but it’s never good to bring shame and stress into your life. Journaling, just like meditation and mindfulness, isn’t about being ‘perfect’, it’s about acceptance of yourself and where you are in each moment.

Set yourself up for success

You may not have a mini novel to write each day, and you may have days where you don’t really achieve any momentous goals, life is like that for most of us. Set yourself up for daily success by being ok with writing something simple each day. Some good examples are:Did you meditate?Did you exercise?How do you feel today? (Energetic, happy, sad, lonely etc etc)Did you read/listen to a podcastMany journals set these small but important goals out as check boxes so you can just check them off but you can just as easily write them as a sentence in a blank journal, or sketch yourself meditating. Remember, when you don’t feel like doing a lot or you don’t have a lot to say, you’ll feel accomplished if you just do a little. It always feeds our self worth when we commit to our healthy habits.

The benefits of journaling - Why is it good to write in a journal?

You may have more success keeping to your daily journaling habit if you have a strong reason for wanting to do so - let’s take a look at benefits of keeping a journal.