A Beginner’s Guide to Journaling

So, your friend (or therapist) has recommended that you give journaling a try, and you have no clue how to start. Maybe you are even feeling nervous about the process, worried that you’ll somehow do it wrong or unlock some secret part of your psyche that has been repressing all sorts of thoughts and feelings.

Every influencer recommends a rigorous journaling practice – one that consists of hours of solitude per week, deep in thought, tapping into some higher level of consciousness. I bet you have a coworker who raves about their morning coffee and journal time, and you probably wonder how they go about maintaining that habit. You’ve probably heard the word “journaling” 10 times this week without even realizing what exactly is being described. Your neighbour probably journals, too.

All jokes aside, journaling really is a fantastic tool to increase your ability to self-reflect. Regular journaling can assist in managing stress levels. It can also serve as a mindfulness practice to let you tap into how you are currently feeling. Journaling can help develop a greater understanding of your own emotions, how they are expressed, what triggers and calms them, and which ones you want to experience more often. It’s also a wonderful place to just vent out all the big thoughts and feelings, fears and worries, and even hopes and wishes you might have within you that you aren’t necessarily ready to share with your loved ones.

It’s no wonder therapists recommend journaling so much.

I have a love-hate relationship with journaling, personally. I will journal every day for weeks in a row. And then suddenly I will stop. It doesn’t take much for me to stop. Sometimes it is as small as I put my journal in the wrong spot one day, and that was enough to wreck my streak. Sometimes I’m just feeling too emotional to force myself to sit down and be even more emotional while writing those emotions down on paper. Once that streak is broken though, I have a very hard time getting back into it.

I always try to walk the walk if I’m going to talk the talk when it comes to therapy and coping skills. For someone who recommends journaling so much to their clients, I should probably look at my own journaling practices to see how I can improve.

Here are my top five tips (and changes that I plan to implement for myself) to develop a simple and consistent journaling practice.

1) Make journaling a more pleasurable experience.

If you are already feeling apprehensive about journaling, it doesn’t hurt to make the process more pleasurable. The less uncomfortable journaling feels, the more likely you will be to actually do it. Making journaling more pleasurable can look different for everyone. Some might find that a fresh new, beautifully bound journal makes the experience more enjoyable. Some people are very particular about pens, and having an ergonomic pen to hold that has nice ink flow might just make your day (this is me – I really like good pens).

If you are on a tighter budget and need to make journaling more enjoyable without spending extra money, there are other additions or changes you can make to your journaling practice. Light a candle or diffuse some essential oils if you have those available. Invoking the senses, particularly smell, is shockingly effective at making us feel happier and more comfortable. Pair your journaling time with a warm and cozy drink, or maybe even a little snack. The drink and/or snack must go together with the journaling, otherwise it’s just eating. And then the journaling is still not as enjoyable as it could be.

If writing with pen and paper really exhausts you, or if you have dyslexia or another processing disorder, there are many online journaling platforms available that are either low-cost or completely free. If you have access to a phone or computer, most devices come with some sort of document software that allows you to type and save your content. Using a writing medium that suits your abilities and needs is a great way to make journaling more pleasurable.

2) Set a timer when you journal.

Everyone seems to be under the impression that effective journaling takes an hour, or more, per entry. This is not the case. Effective journaling can be done is as little as five minutes.

If you have never journaled before, set a timer. Set a timer for no more than 10 minutes, and then sit down and start your journal entry. Most people can handle journaling for 10 minutes. If this feels like a really long period of time for you, try just five minutes. Stick with this amount of time for a few entries, and then reevaluate before you increase the timer.

Knowing that you have a timer set is really reassuring to people. 10 minutes really doesn’t sound like that much time, and most people can find a 10-minute block in their day, or even week, that they could dedicate to journaling. Give yourself permission to throw your pen straight across the room as soon as that timer goes off. Well, not actually. But you know what I mean. Once the timer goes off, you’re done journaling, and you can carry on with the rest of your day. No need to finish whatever sentence or thought you were on. If you want, you can pick it up again when you sit down to journal next.

3) Follow journal prompts.

A lot of clients tell me they don’t know what they should be journaling about. This is where journal prompts come in. Journal prompts are short phrases or sentences that give you a topic to write about for your journal entry. Some of them can be simple and fun like, “How can you relate to the most recent movie you watched?” Some of them are a little more intense, like, “Describe the most grief-inducing experience you have ever gone through.”

Most seasoned “journallers” can write freely without a prompt, but when they are given a prompt, it is almost like a wonderful treat. You get to turn the part of your brain off that is searching for something lengthy enough to write about for 15-20 minutes. I have a list of 60+ journal prompts that are written in a very specific order with people who are new to journaling in mind. For now, this list is only a handout for my clients. If you think you might like to speak with someone about some of your potential journal topics, and receive that handout, I’m currently accepting new clients.

4) Stack your journaling with another habit or part of your routine.

Most people find it easier to develop a new habit if they stack it with something else that they are already doing. It is much harder to try and create an entirely new routine from nothing and force it into your day. It is easier to remember to floss right after you brush your teeth, because the items are right there together and you’re already in the bathroom. It’s harder to remember to floss after every meal because most people don’t carry dental floss around with them all day.

Take a moment to think about your daily routine, or even weekly routine. No one said you must journal every day to experience the benefits of journaling – weekly journal entries are a great start. Do you take time every Sunday evening to look at your calendar and prep for the week ahead? Maybe you could squeeze a 10-minute journal into that pre-existing routine. Do you wake up early and have coffee every morning and normally scroll through social media apps? Maybe you could drink your coffee while you write in your journal for 10 minutes. Then go to the social media apps.

5) Be patient with yourself.

Be patient with yourself as you get started with journaling. It’s easier to start a new habit and routine by building it very slowly. Even if you think you could handle journaling daily for 20 minutes, start slowly and see how that goes first. It’s always easier to dial up the intensity of your routine than it is to fall backwards.

If you are going to commit to a weekly journaling practice, every Sunday evening, stick to it. Even if Sunday evening comes and you forgot to journal, as soon as you remember, grab your journal, and just write, “Oops, I forgot. I acknowledge that I forgot and am going to try again next week.” You’ll have your weekly entry. Your streak will be maintained. You’ll have an entry that acknowledges the slip up, but also creates a sense of accountability to try again the following Sunday.

If you made it this far, I just wanted to say thank you for reading. I wish you the best of luck for your future journaling practice!

Disclaimer: If you are in need of support, Callisto Counselling is accepting new clients. Reading blogs on a counsellor’s website is not an appropriate or effective substitute for legitimate counselling services. The author of this blog cannot be held liable for reactions to content posted on a public mental health blog.