How Do You Journal?: Journaling How-To, Part 1
Journal However You Want
Now that we’ve established what journaling is:
Journaling is capturing your life on the page…
It’s a natural progression to wonder how to journal.
How do you journal? The answer is simple: Journal however you want.
No. I am not being cheeky or blasé. I am quite serious.
I journal in a different way every day and actually I journal in several different ways all day long.
I realize my answers are not very helpful if you have never journaled before, but I am being serious in my answer as to how you journal.
How Do You Journal: There Are No Right or Wrong Answers to the Question
How you journal depends on you.
It also depends on the day.
How you journal depends on your mood… the time you have… what is going on around you… what your goal for journaling is… what has happened… etc.
Therefore, there are no right answers as to how to journal, and there are no wrong answers. How you journal is as simple as capture your life on the page, in whatever manner you want, and when you want to do so. You cannot go wrong. Just put something, anything on the page.
The good news is you can try something different with journaling every single time you come to the page. Needless to say, journaling never gets boring.
How Do You Journal?: Write Whatever Comes to Mind
Journal in any way you want to when your writing utensil strikes the page, whether it is a pen or pencil to a piece of paper, or fingers on a keyboard. Write whatever comes to mind.
Yes. It really is that simple.
How Do You Know: The Longer, Fuller, and More Complex Answer
The truth of the matter is the question of “how do you journal” is as simple as: Capture your life on the page in any way you want. But, there is a longer, fuller, and more complex answer to the same question, which I am sure you might want to know.
Let me level with you here.
Do not worry. I will spend several blog posts answering this question, and will even compile several books in this series to help answer this same question.
But, seriously. Journaling is whatever you choose it to be when you sit down to journal. It’s writing the first thought you have, and then the second, and then the third.
How Do You Journal: There Are Two Basic Types of Journaling
One: By hand on paper (Handwriting)
Two: On a digital device (Digitally)
What Type of the Two Types of Journaling Do I Recommend?
I recommend journaling via handwriting AND digitally.
Why do I say that? There are many reasons.
As to the many reasons, there will be multiple blog posts in the upcoming months which will answer this question.
The simplest answer I can give you is: I recommend writing by hand and via a digital device both. Some days, do one of those, some days, do both. The more you switch things up, the more inspired you are when you journal.
But, if something is working, stick with it. Do not switch it up just because. If your journaling is going well doing one type, stick with that. If you ever feel stuck, try another type.
Journaling is Freeing
Journal should calm your heart, free your mind, and set your soul soaring.
If journaling is not offering you those three things, try switching it up and do a different type of journaling. Or journal about something else (something different).
Journal Every Day
How do you journal?
Journal every day.
Yes. I know. Some would say that it is okay to journal whenever you want. Go for it, if you want to do it that way.
Nonetheless, let me share a secret with you (a tip). The more you journal, the more you get out of it. The more you journal, the more meaning you will receive from it and your life will be a great deal more content, peaceful, and blessed.
Journal every day? Yeah. Please try it. The good things in life aren’t free. They cost. Always. The only costs with journaling are time and the type of journal you choose to do. However, if you journal every day, as long as you can, the more you will get out of it. That’s worth both costs.
Journaling, I think, is the most important thing every single human on being on earth can and should do. Thirty-seven and a half years of journaling proves this is true. Take my word for it.
Give it a try. Try to journal every day, for as long as you are able, for 90 days. See what happens.
Journaling Prompts or Questions:
What do you want to journal? Why?
How do you want to journal? Why?
What part(s) of your life do you want to capture on the page? Why?
Do you want to journal by hand? Why or why not?
Do you want to journal digitally? Why or why not?
Do you want to journal via handwriting and digitally? Why or why not?
What do you want to get out of journaling?
How often do you want to journal?
What do you need to do to ensure you journal every day?
Most Important Lessons of This Blog Post:
~ Journaling is capturing your life on the page.
~ How you journal depends on you.
~ Write whatever comes to mind.
~ Capture your life on the page in any way you want.
~ Journaling is whatever you choose it to be when you sit down to journal. It’s writing the first thought you have, and then the second, and then the third.
~ Journal should calm your heart, free your mind, and set your soul soaring.
~ Journal every day.
~ Let me share a secret with you (a tip). The more you journal, the more you get out of it.
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