Journaling: a beginner’s guide

In this blog you will learn:

• what is journaling

• the benefits of journaling

• how to start journaling (keeping it simple and easy)

• ideas on what journaling can look like for you

• what my current journal looks like and how it helps me

I started journaling a few years ago and it started with writing down 3 things i'm thankful for. I was in season of burnout at work and my mindset was negative. i knew there was so such much good around me, i just needed to be intentional in seeing it. so i started a new habit... daily gratitude. 

Every morning i listen to faith, motionional, or self improvement podcasts. countless times i hear these speakers, pastors, teachers, doctors, entrepreneurs, and leaders talking about journaling. they say journaling is a habit, they do it daily because of the positive impact it has on their mind and they recommend everyone to do it too.

journaling!? really? score! when i heard this, i did a silent pat on the back because journaling is apart of my rhythm too.

When I started journaling years ago i didn’t know the benefits of this practice. I just knew i needed a new mindset and i needed to train my thoughts to think about good things and intentionally fill it up with positive and excellent things.

the benefits of

journaling:

1. reduce anxiety

2. lower stress

3. deepen self awareness

4. boost mood

5. regulate emotions

6. break away from ruminating

7. an invitation for self reflection

8. shift thoughts and feelings

9. improve life contentment

10. change your perspective

(in no particular order)

based on my experience, i can say yes and agree to all of the above!

how to start

journaling

i suggest starting with daily gratitude and then adding more elements to your journaling as you are ready. here are my suggestions based on my journaling progression. i didn’t start with 10 minutes of journaling and a full page of words. I started with 30 seconds of journaling and 3 words.

step one: grab a cute journal of your choice and start with daily gratitude. Write 3 things you are grateful for consistently (on most days or daily if you can). do this for 21 days. 

step two: write your prayer requests. write down your problems, fears, cirstumances, challenges, and worries. pray with full confidence, full surrender, and full trust.

tip: include the date on these prayers.

tip: reread your prayers throughout the year and mark the ones that have been answered. 

step three: Now you have been writing down your gratitude and your prayers. when you are ready add repentance. for me, repentance is an opputruntunty to open up and reflect on my thoughts, words and actions. it is an invitation to acknowledge, confess, commit to change, and ask for forgiveness about anything and everything. 

step four: start writing a daily word anchor.

what is a word achor? a word anchor is your word or phrase for the day.

do you remember sesame street and their letter of the day? this is similar.

pick a good, powerful, encouraging and meaningful word to help guide your thoughts, words and actions. this word should grow you and challenge you. this word can come from a friend, a podcast, a book, an article, church, or the bible. some of my word anchors have been: confidence in god's plans, god's timing is perfect, and  compassion for others. 

step five: start pre-deciding and planning your days.

do you ever feel overwhelmed with all the things you have to do? is your mind a constant list of things to do? start pre-deciding your day. maybe pre-deciding your day is too overwhelming. so just start by pre-deciding your morning. write down your priorities and your flow. and actually do it consistently. make improvements as needed but always keep your priorities. 

this is what my mondays-thursdays look like:

I start with the most challenging thing of my day and knock it out first thing in the morning… my workout.

1. wake up

2. workout

3. turn on coffee, put dishes away from dishwasher while coffee is brewing

4. shower and change

5. makeup and hair

6. pack kids lunch

7. ake kids to school

8. journal time

i do this consistently so now it's a habit, i no longer need to write it down.

currently, i only write my work schedule and my evening schedule (cooking, cleaning, errands, activities, bath time, bed time). 

so basically pre-decide your day (or certain aspects of it). write down your routines, rhythms, to do lists, and priorities. think ahead. this will help you management your time and be more productive.

tip: you tell your day what you will do. no more being too tired to wake up early to work out. if it's a priority, you make room and time for it. if you miss a day, it’s okay just don’t miss two days in a row.

make journaling work for you! there are many topics you can choose to write about. 

your environment is important: get all your supplies primed and ready. you are more likely to journal if your pen is already beside your journal. don't grab your journal from a drawer and then walk into the kitchen to your junk drawer to grab a pen.

get all your supplies ready to go. 

you pick the time: when i first started journaling night time was my best time. everyone was asleep and it was the only time i had peace, quiet and 30 seconds to journal.

now seasons have changed and i can get 10 minutes of journaling in the morning.

i have my journal, books, and pen primed and ready to go in my sitting room. i have a big comfy accent chair, a soft blank, and a nice window. perfect ambiance for me.

tip: carve time and create your perfect environment. 

my current journaling

my journal in my sitting room.

this is the page i use to do my prayers and my plans.

how journaling

helps me:

• see the good in my life

• appreciate people, places and things

• reflect

• make improvements

• make mistakes, learn, grow, and move on from them

• express my worries and fears

• surrender my problems

• actually pray for things that people ask me to pray for

• get anchored to something good

• be intentional in my daily plans

• be intentional in not overplanning

• get things out of my head and onto paper

• write down my day and actually do the things i said i will do

• helps me to remember things (even though i still forget sometimes)

• helps organize my evenings and make time for all the things (cooking, cleaning and sports)

some of my previous journals.

your first step:

grab a journal.

you can shop at favorite local bookstore, target, walmart, amazon or any store of your choice.

here are the journals i design if you want to explore them. I recommend the gratitude journal or the gradual journal if you are just getting started. link

happy journaling! I hope you have found your newest good habit! you will love it!

just take it little by little and

make it a priority.

thanks for reading-Lili