All About JOURNALING!
Hey there guys! I've been meaning to do a blog post about journaling for a while now, and I finally have the time to sit down and write up a draft on my journal. So here it is! I have a really old blog post about journaling as well if you'd like to read through it (it's pretty outdated, but hopefully it's still helpful to some of you! Click here). Without further ado, let's begin!
NOTE: This blog post will be in the form of a Q&A. These are the questions I often receive from you guys, so I'll be addressing them first and foremost! If you have anymore questions, let me know down in the comments, and I will get back to you ASAP!
What type of journal do you use?
The brand of my journal is "Kokoro". It's a Japanese brand notebook, and I got it at Kinokuniya while I was in Jakarta. I'm not a fan of blank notebooks, simply because my handwriting turns sloppy without lines to guide me xD so I always keep a look out for ruled journals/notebooks. They also help me structure my blog post drafts better!
What do you write in your journals?
I used to only write daily entries in the past, but now I use my journal to organise and draft blog posts too! I mostly write my book reviews in my journal before I put them up on my blog :) My journal is a sporadic little thing really! I write whatever I like in it. My journal is the one place I go to whenever I feel overwhelmed (aka I could be overly excited, anxious, happy, grateful, or even sad). Writing in my journal helps clear my head and calms me down!
Do you use specific journals for specific things?
Hmm I guess so. I use journals based on convenience. I have a similar notebook that's about the size of my hand, and I do use it when I'm travelling for a bit or heading out for a short while. But this rarely happens, so I still bring my daily journal everywhere with me more often. The little journal is mostly filled with spur of the moment thoughts, quotes, and pretentious (not to mention angsty) poetry xD Otherwise, I only have ONE main journal, which I use for pretty much everything!
* below are pictures of my little journal :3 *
How often do you write in your journal?
It depends. I only reach for my journal when I have lots of things running through my mind. I only write when I feel like it :) There are be moments where I would write on a daily basis (because I'm feeling it), but there could be days where I have no need for journaling, because these are times where I like to surround myself with people, instead of isolating myself with my own thoughts.
I really want to start journaling but don't know how. Any tips?
Only start journaling when you feel like you're ready to. Believe it or not, journaling doesn't have to be a 'commitment'. You don't have to spend hours looking for the perfect journal or take your time writing an aesthetically pleasing looking entry. But you need to have the passion for writing and creating.
I recommend starting small. Bring scraps of paper around or an old notebook with you wherever you go. Write on those first, and if you feel like you're ready to keep a hundred page blank journal, then invest in one!
I feel like lots of people have this short burst of motivation to journal and then just give up after a few days. The key to journaling is to keep it personal, and be proud of it no matter what you do with it. Don't journal just 'for show'. If you wish to share your journal entries within a platform, then you shouldn't be afraid to show the media your messy entries and scribbled pages. People quickly lose interest in journaling because of the time and effort it takes to make their pages look pretty. It becomes a chore to be consistent with writing beautifully and decorating, which brings me back to what I said earlier - to only reach for your journal when you want to. Not when you have to. Journaling should be something you look forward to, something that inspires you and makes you feel better. It shouldn't be something that demotivates you mentally and physically on a daily basis.
Journal prompts?
Ahh I don't think I have any good ones xD But I do love to write down the lyrics of songs that I would currently be obsessed with, and add some doodles here and there to make it look fun. I also like to write about past entries and good memories that I never got to talk about - and stick a few trinkets on the page :)
How to make time for journaling?
I like to journal before I go to bed, and in the morning before I do my assignments or head to work. I use my reading time to journal, so it's a sacrifice between reading and journaling for me, which I'm not complaining - because I love to do both! You just have to bring yourself to sit by your desk, take out your favorite pen, and start writing. I know lots of us are guilty for saying we don't have time, when we actually do. We just choose to laze around catching up on Youtube videos and Netflix instead :P But for those who are always out and about, constantly drowning in uni work and have little spare time for themselves, then I suggest you bring your journal/scrap paper everywhere with you. Often I find myself drowning in my own thoughts in class, so I just take out a piece of scrap paper and start word vomiting. I've done this several times in class. You just never know when you need to word vomit, you know?
Going back to squeezing some journaling time in your busiest times, what i also like to do is write my thoughts down on my 'notes' app on my phone, and then transferring them to my journal when I have the time. Maybe this does not have the same effect as writing in my own journal at the time when I needed to, but it's just a matter of preference. I personally like to see my own thoughts in my journal :)
Do you have any other tips in general with regards to journaling?
This might sound cliché, but have fun with journaling! Don't make a big deal about your handwriting or bleeding pages or messy entries. I think the best journals are the ones that are full of essence - lots of thought and emotion. And you know how our thoughts and emotions are. They're sporadic and all over the place, which is what your journal should look like. It should be a representation of your own mind palace :)
I hope this post is somewhat helpful to anyone out there who's been meaning to start a journal. Good luck, and do let me know how you guys go about your own journaling journey <3