What do Albert Einstein, Simone Biles, Frida Kahlo, and Michelle Obama all have in common? Each of these remarkable individuals has kept a journal to record their experiences, thoughts, and feelings. Why should you start a journal? Journaling is an incredible way to clear your mind, process your day, and better understand yourself. Whether you're brand new to it or just want to switch up your approach, knowing how to start and what to write can make a big difference.
How Starting a Journal Can Help You
From scientists to artists—and everyone in between—keeping a journal can be an important self-care practice. Journaling offers numerous benefits that can transform your daily life:
- Achieve Goals - When you use your journal to write down your goals, you can keep better track of your intentions.
- Track Progress and Growth - If you make journaling a regular habit, you can see how much progress or growth you've made by revisiting previous entries.
- Gain Self-Confidence - Seeing your progress can give you a serious confidence boost.
- Improve Writing and Communication Skills - Writing, like anything, improves with practice.
- Reduce Stress and Anxiety - Sometimes negative thoughts and emotions can run on a loop in our heads.
- Find Inspiration - Leonardo da Vinci drew some incredible invention ideas in his journals.
- Increase Self-Awareness - Writing about your successes and setbacks helps you learn from your experiences. A study of medical students showed that when they wrote about training activities, it helped them identify mistakes, see ways to improve, and feel more prepared for the future.
Kicking Off Your First Journal Entry
Think of your first journal entry as a quick introduction—a chance to get to know yourself on paper. You could write about your current thoughts, feelings, or goals, as well as why you decided to start journaling. What are you hoping to get out of it? Don't overthink it—just write whatever feels natural.
Not Sure How to Start? Try This:
Start with something simple: jot down the date, say hello, or write the first thought that pops into your head. Forget about grammar, structure, or whether it sounds good—just let the words flow.
What Should a Journal Entry Look Like?
The beauty of journaling is that there's no right or wrong way to do it. You might write:
- A recap of your day, including the highs and lows
- A list of things you're grateful for
- Reflections on your thoughts or feelings
- Goals, dreams, or ideas you want to explore
- Doodles, poems, or random creative musings
Make it your own. Whether it's structured or messy, short or long, the most important thing is that it feels authentic to you. That is why you start a journal.
There are Many Types of Journaling
Ready to start but not sure how? Here are different types of journaling options to consider:
Stream of Consciousness
Write down your thoughts as they happen. The words and thoughts don't need to make sense; you're simply capturing your thoughts as they come to you.
Dream Journal
Keep your dream journal by your bedside and write down your dreams immediately upon waking, when they're still fresh in your mind. Over time, you might notice recurring themes, symbols, or emotions that provide insight into your subconscious. Dream journaling can help you:
- Process unresolved emotions or experiences
- Tap into creative inspiration and new ideas
- Practice lucid dreaming techniques
- Understand your deeper psychological patterns
Food Journal
Make a note of what you've eaten each day. This will help you be more mindful about the foods you choose to eat. If you're struggling with a healthy weight-loss journey, documenting what you eat can offer insight into areas you may need to change.
Fitness Journal
Keep track of your workouts so you can stay committed to an active lifestyle. The best part of keeping this type of journal is seeing the progress you made over time.
Gratitude Journal
Before going to sleep, make a list of everything you were thankful for that day, week, or month. This simple practice can dramatically shift your perspective toward positivity.
Sketch Journal
You don't need artistic talent to keep a sketch journal! This visual approach combines drawing with text to express what words alone sometimes can't. Try quick doodles, mind maps, or simple symbols to represent your feelings or experiences. Sketch journaling can:
- Activate different parts of your brain than writing alone
- Help you process complex emotions visually
- Provide a creative outlet for stress relief
- Create a unique visual record of your journey
Day's Events Journal
Keep track of your experiences throughout the day. Whether it's making note of a funny conversation or describing a new recipe you enjoyed, these small moments create a rich tapestry of your life.
To-Do List
Instead of keeping a running tally of to-do items in your head, write them down. You can cross things off as you complete them and get a great sense of accomplishment.
Shadow Work Journal
This deeper form of journaling helps you explore and integrate the aspects of yourself you typically avoid or repress. In a shadow work journal, you might:
- Reflect on triggering situations and what they reveal about you
- Explore childhood patterns that still affect your behavior
- Question your immediate reactions to challenging situations
- Write letters to aspects of yourself that need healing
Decision-Making Journal
When facing important choices, a decision-making journal helps clarify your thinking. Document:
- The decision you need to make and options available
- Pros and cons of each possibility
- Your gut feelings about different choices
- The eventual decision and its outcomes
- Reflections on what you learned from the process
Journaling with a Purpose
If you're journaling to work through something specific, here are a few ideas to guide you:
- For Anxiety: Write down what's making you anxious, identify patterns or triggers, and brainstorm coping strategies that might help. Use your journal as a safe space to release those thoughts and reflect.
- For Processing Trauma: Focus on your healing journey. Write about the experiences, emotions, and progress you're making—but approach this with compassion. If it feels overwhelming, consider seeking support from a therapist.
- For ADHD Management: Use your journal to track your daily routines, plan tasks, and experiment with techniques that improve focus and organization. Note what works best and adjust as needed.
When Journaling Feels Like a Chore
If you think you hate journaling, it might just mean you haven't found the right style yet. Mix it up:
- Try bullet points or doodles instead of long paragraphs
- Use prompts to spark ideas
- Keep entries super short—even a sentence or two works
- Write for just a few minutes at a time and see how it feels
Journaling is personal—there are no rules, so don't stress about doing it perfectly.
Quick Journaling Ideas for Busy Days
If you're short on time, formats like the 5-minute journal are a great option. Start with a quick list:
- Three things you're grateful for
- Three things that would make today great
- One positive affirmation
At the end of the day, jot down a few wins and one way you could improve tomorrow. It's simple, effective, and keeps your mindset positive.
If you're stuck staring at the page, try free writing. Put your pen down and write whatever comes to mind—even if it's, "I don't know what to write." Let your thoughts wander and see where they take you. Or, focus on a specific topic: your dreams, a recent challenge, something you're excited about—the possibilities are endless.
Identify Patterns and Recognize Progress
One of journaling's most powerful aspects is its ability to show you how far you've come. When you regularly document your thoughts and experiences:
- Identify Growth Patterns - Periodically review entries from 3, 6, or 12 months ago.
- Celebrate Progress - Create quarterly "reflection entries" where you acknowledge specific ways you've grown.
- Break Limiting Cycles - Journaling helps identify recurring patterns in your thinking or behavior.
- Develop Emotional Intelligence - Regular journaling strengthens your ability to name and understand your emotions.
- Cultivate Self-Compassion - Practice rewording critical thoughts with the same kindness you'd offer a friend, gradually transforming your relationship with yourself.
Starting a Journal Made Simple
A journal is just a place to record your thoughts, experiences, and feelings. It doesn't have to be complicated. Some days, it might be a quick one-liner like, "Had coffee with an old friend today—felt so good to reconnect." Other times, you might write pages exploring something on your mind.
Your journal is more than just pages filled with words—it's a living document of your journey, a trusted confidant, and a powerful tool for transformation. There's no single "right way" to journal because the most valuable approach is the one that resonates with you personally.
Remember that consistency matters more than perfection. Your journal doesn't judge or have expectations—it simply offers a sacred space where you can be completely, authentically yourself.
So pick up that pen, open to a fresh page, and begin wherever you are. The simple act of showing up for yourself in this way is already a profound form of self-care. Your future self will thank you for the gift of these recorded moments—the struggles, the triumphs, and all the beautiful ordinary days in between that, together, tell the story of your life.
Journaling is an incredible way to clear your mind, process your day, and better understand yourself. Whether you're brand new to it or just want to switch up your approach, knowing how to start and what to write can make a big difference. Let’s explore some easy tips and ideas to help you dive in.
Start a journal as soon as you can 😸