I’ve always loved journaling. I find it relaxing to get my thoughts from head to paper. Writing in a journal comes in various forms for me, from recording travel experiences to releasing stress during cancer treatment to helping manage goals and ideas. There are so many great possibilities for a journal! This post will share how to get started journaling so you can enjoy it too.

Benefits of journaling

When I first decided to create my Today I Choose products, the affirmation card deck was my first idea. They were so fun to write and design, and tied in with my personal “Today I Choose…” mantra. However, I quickly realized that an accompanying journal could help many people because journaling is such a great benefit!

Writing in a journal can help you process emotions and prioritize various things occurring in your life. In fact, research shows that journaling can help reduce stress and anxiety. It can also help manage trauma and challenging situations.

I’ve kept a journal through most of life, particularly the major parts of my journey. Cancer treatment, my dad’s death from cancer, my marriage/divorce, relationships, career decisions, travel experiences and more. I like going through past writings too. It’s pretty therapeutic to read the growth I experienced through situations, recognize what I faced and handled, relive great travel moments and more.

And you don’t have to be a writer to use a journal! There are no hard rules to writing in a journal. But sometimes it can seem intimidating to get started. So I want to share some easy tips to get started. Because I really believe that everyone can benefit from journaling!

How to get started journaling:

Do what works for you.

There are no rules for writing in a journal. You can focus on a specific topic for your journal, such as travel logs, gratitude posts or an overview of your day. It can also be as simple as making lists. No, seriously, list journaling can be very helpful. Perhaps you want to list your ideal travel destinations, next steps in facing cancer treatment, wins of the day or things to be thankful for that day.

Be truthful.

Your journal is for YOU. No judgement or opinions will be provided by others (unless you choose to share and ask for feedback, which is up to you!). Being honest with what you’re feeling and facing can help you genuinely process, reflect, make decisions and release any negative emotions holding you back.

Write regularly.

I like to journal before bed time as it helps me ‘unload’ what’s on my mind so I sleep better. Choose a time that allows you to be consistent because doing something regularly helps make it a habit.

Set a timer.

To help you be consistent with writing, block out an amount of time that doesn’t seem overwhelming. Start with a 10-minute block and if you’re aware that you could use some more time, extend the time block. Try to stay within a time frame that you’ll be able to maintain, otherwise it may be start to feel like too much and give you an excuse to stop writing.

Free write.

Don’t worry about what you write, just write! I sometimes will sit down to write about one topic and then find myself going on about something totally different. But I obviously needed to clear my head on that particular topic!

Check out my new special journal!

These are just a few of the many ways on how to get started journaling. If you’re looking for a great journal to help you get started, I’d be honored if you selected my Today I Choose journal (with writing prompts and colorful inspirational quotes)! These also make great gifts. Subscribers to this blog also get an exclusive discount so sign up today for your savings!