Journaling is one of the most rewarding and therapeutic writing exercises you can engage in. Not only can your personal journal act as an outlet for your daily frustrations, it can also serve as a place for you to articulate your hopes and dreams. [1]
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Expert Source
Grant Faulkner, MA
Professional Writer
Expert Interview. 8 January 2019.
But how do you start writing that first entry? Don't worry, that's what we're here for! Even if you're a total beginner, our how-to guide will help you get started with your journal writing.
Steps
Method 1
Method 1 of 3:
Deciding What to Write About
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Journal about your social or romantic life. One of the easiest things to journal about may be your social or romantic life. Ultimately, you'll have very little trouble starting an entry about something you feel strongly or passionately about. Think about starting entries on:
- Your love interests. Write about someone you have a crush on, someone you just broke up with, or someone you're in a relationship with.
- Write about things you did or are planning to do with friends. For example, if you and your friends have a big party planned, write about it.
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Write about your personal thoughts. Perhaps the most therapeutic subject to write about is your deep personal thoughts. These might be thoughts you don't want to share with someone else, but might feel comfortable writing in a journal. [2] X Expert Source Grant Faulkner, MA
Professional Writer Expert Interview. 8 January 2019. Start entries on:- Your hopes and dreams for the future. For example, write about your vision for your life in the future.
- Personal doubts. For example, reflect on doubts you have in yourself or in your own abilities. If you think you're a clumsy person, write a little on the topic. It might help you gain more confidence.
- Individual fears. For instance, write about your fear of death, fear of loneliness, or fear of never loving someone. [3] X Research source
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Reflect on your professional life and aspirations. A great way to get started journaling is by using it as an opportunity to write about your professional life. This should be a relatively easy journal entry to start, as you'll have plenty to talk about. Write about:
- Where you want to be in five, ten, or twenty years.
- Big projects going on at work.
- Frustrations you have with coworkers or management.
- Ideas you have for how to do your job better or to make your business more efficient.
- A business you might want to start in your spare time. [4] X Research source
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Write with your audience in mind. When deciding what to write about, you'll need to keep your audience in mind. This is important, as you may be writing for a wide variety of reasons. Some potential audiences include:
- A therapist. If you're writing for a therapist, you may want to focus on issues you discuss with them. For example, if you have anxiety disorder, write about the anxiety you experience on a daily basis.
- Family. If you're writing for your children in the future, focus on subjects that might interest them, like family events or family history.
- You in the future. For example, focus on events that you want to remember in the future, like a great day you spent with your significant other. [5] X Research source
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Reflect on anything you want. Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that its okay to write about anything you want. Ultimately, journaling is your opportunity to explore your thoughts, aspirations, and more.
- Don't stop yourself from writing something because you think someone will judge you. One of the best parts of keeping a journal is that it is a space meant for you alone. Express yourself and write what makes you happy. [6]
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Expert Source
Grant Faulkner, MA
Professional Writer Expert Interview. 8 January 2019. - If you're nervous someone may read your private thoughts, use a journal with a lock on it. You can also journal on your computer and require a password to access it. [7] X Research source
Advertisement - Don't stop yourself from writing something because you think someone will judge you. One of the best parts of keeping a journal is that it is a space meant for you alone. Express yourself and write what makes you happy. [6]
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Expert Source
Grant Faulkner, MA
Method 2
Method 2 of 3:
Framing Your Entry
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Start as a daily log. If you choose to begin your entries as a daily log, you'll begin by recounting what you did at the beginning of the day. You'll likely find that this is an easy and effective way to start writing. In the end, it might lead to more involved journal entries.
- Start off by journaling about monotonous daily activities. For example, write “Today I woke up at 6am and had Frosted Mini-Wheats for breakfast.”
- Use the entry to recount the activities of your day. Cover major discussions you had with family or friends, what you saw on the way to work or school, and even the weather. [8] X Research source
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Begin with a thought. You can also start your entry as a thought. By starting with a thought, you'll set the tone of your entry. In the end, you'll open yourself up to the possibility of expressing your thoughts and feelings.
- Start by writing “I'm happy today.” Continue by explaining why you feel that way.
- Think about starting with a thought and then just continuing your entry as a sort of “stream of consciousness.” Put everything that enters your mind onto the paper. [9] X Research source
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Write your journal as a letter. One of the easiest ways to frame your entry is as a letter. By framing it as a letter, you'll be able to start it and write in a familiar and easy way. In the end, you'll produce natural prose with a solid narrative.
- Start as if you are writing to yourself in the future.
- Write as if you are writing to a friend. For instance, write: "Dear friend, its been a while since I last wrote to you. So much has happened since then."
- Get creative and craft your letter/entry as if you are writing to a famous person or someone you wish you knew. [10] X Research source
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Embrace the bullet approach. Another way to start an entry is by bullet listing different things that are important to you at that moment. That way, you won't have to pressure yourself to write in-depth about any one thing.
- Start at the top of the page and write a word or phrase that is important to you. If you want to add more, do so.
- Leave yourself a couple lines and write down another word or phrase.
- Continue down the page until you've exhausted ideas about things you could write about.
- Feel free to fill in the bullets whenever you want. [11] X Research source
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:
Determining When to Write
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Write at a planned time. One way many people approach their journal is by writing at a planned time every day. [12] X Expert Source Grant Faulkner, MA
Professional Writer Expert Interview. 8 January 2019. That way, starting an entry will be as simple as sitting down at a given time and writing.- Many people who journal regularly like to journal right before bed at night. This way the experiences of the day are fresh in your mind.
- Think about journaling in the morning. It might be relatively easy for you to start an entry right when you get up. [13] X Research source
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Journal whenever you have time. For a lot of people, it's hard to find the time to start a new entry every day. Thus, you can take the approach of beginning an entry whenever you have time. This way, you won't feel as if you are forced to produce a new entry every day.
- Journal on weekend mornings or evenings when you have time.
- Think about starting entries on holidays or days off from work.
- Start an entry when you feel like it.
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Make entries when you have a major life event. One way to approach journaling is to only create an entry when you have a major life event. This way, when you do journal, it'll be very easy to start because you'll have an important issue or event to write about. Major life events might include:
- The birth of a child
- A wedding or divorce
- The death of a loved one
- The start of a new job
- Moving houses [14] X Research source
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionWhy is it so hard to start writing?Grant Faulkner is the Executive Director of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and the co-founder of 100 Word Story, a literary magazine. Grant has published two books on writing and has been published in The New York Times and Writer’s Digest. He co-hosts Write-minded, a weekly podcast on writing and publishing, and has a M.A. in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University.A lot of people have obstacles between themselves and the page, and those can be emotional obstacles or psychological obstacles. People may not feel confident or they may feel somebody is going to make fun of them. Try to remember that in keeping a journal, you're just expressing yourself. You're not worrying about anyone ever reading it, even yourself. You don't have to worry about if its worded or phrased perfectly.
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QuestionWhat if my mom asks me to unlock my diary, or even bring it to her? I'm not allowed to write about my love interests.Community AnswerKeep a decoy diary. Write a few entries every so often in it (fake entries of course), and if your mom asks for the diary, give her the decoy. Keep the real one in a notebook that doesn't look too much like a diary (if you want to decorate it, decorate the inside instead of the cover). Hide the real diary very well.
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QuestionWhat if I don't have any time to write in my diary/journal, but want to start/continue it?Munachimso IbetoCommunity AnswerYou could write it before bed, or on days off, make a schedule or try to create time for yourself. It's not a problem. You could even write it in the holidays (if you have enough time)!
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References
- ↑ Grant Faulkner, MA. Professional Writer. Expert Interview. 8 January 2019.
- ↑ Grant Faulkner, MA. Professional Writer. Expert Interview. 8 January 2019.
- ↑ http://tinybuddha.com/blog/10-journaling-tips-to-help-you-heal-grow-and-thrive/
- ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/dailymuse/2012/07/18/6-ways-keeping-a-journal-can-help-your-career/#5c6c4f337499
- ↑ http://tinybuddha.com/blog/writing-letters-to-your-future-self-love-who-youll-become/
- ↑ Grant Faulkner, MA. Professional Writer. Expert Interview. 8 January 2019.
- ↑ https://www.freelancewriting.com/journal-writing/6-tips-to-keep-diary-private/
- ↑ http://tinybuddha.com/blog/10-journaling-tips-to-help-you-heal-grow-and-thrive/
- ↑ http://tinybuddha.com/blog/10-journaling-tips-to-help-you-heal-grow-and-thrive/
- ↑ https://daringtolivefully.com/journal-prompts
- ↑ http://bulletjournal.com/get-started/
- ↑ Grant Faulkner, MA. Professional Writer. Expert Interview. 8 January 2019.
- ↑ https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/241280
- ↑ http://www.youbeauty.com/life/journal-trauma/
About this article
Article Summary
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Journaling is a great way to vent and get to know yourself better. You can journal about your day, your social or romantic life, or just whatever you’re thinking about. There are many ways to begin a journal entry. You might address yourself, like “Dear friend,” or “Dear journal.” You could also start with a thought on how you’re feeling, like “I feel happy today.” If you’re having trouble finding things to write about, try writing out bullet points with words or phrases that come to you at that moment. To learn how to make journaling a daily habit, read on!
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