Many people are averse to maintaining journals. Whether it be the social stereotypes attached, or the hesitance to start in the first place. However, the practice of a journal helps exponentially towards self-discipline, soul-searching and adds to your creative prowess. If you’re on the fence or unsure of how to start, here are 3 simple tips to help you dive in.
1. Invest in Journey
The first step is always the hardest, but the more you invest your emotion and feelings into it, the better the journey will be. A good way to personalize your journal experience is to spend time deciding on the book you will be writing in. Leather-bound, picturesque, or anything that you feel is exciting and a representation of yourself will help you greatly and make the experience fun. Try to avoid having an electronic journal, it deviates from the intimacy of your masterpiece.
2. Wing It
This is not a practice set in stone. The feeling of having to write the same old, same old dated entries every day can prove to be quite monotonous. Mix it up, try your hand at a drawing, or a poem if you’re up to the task. Don’t limit your creativity or content. Free writing is an essential part of having a journal. What may start as random words on a paper, will soon turn into a reflection of yourself. You will be amazed when you read over and will learn more about yourself in the process. The ultimate goal is to learn more and understand ourselves better. So, don’t stifle your persona by adhering to a single style of writing, have some fun!
3. Challenge Yourself
As with any practice, there will be an initial “resistance period”. You will find excuses to skip one day and outright ignore another. This is a great opportunity to polish your self-discipline. Set milestones and accomplish them. Whether it’s a time limit or a word goal, have a challenge every day. Ease yourself into the flow and you’ll see how it becomes second nature to you. That’s when you’ll see the benefits play out in your life.
4.Immerse yourself
Maintaining a journal is a very personal practice. You will discover a lot about yourself along the way and you will see the impact it has on your life. However, to see the results that can be had you must wholly be yourself. Write your personal thoughts, greatest fears, personal desires. Be brutally honest with yourself, a journal is an amazing way to heal and develop. There is magic in those pages, but you must uphold the integrity of what goes on them. It’s you on a page after all.
Do you have any go-to’s to help you deal with difficult days? Share your thoughts below.
