If you’re new to journaling, here are a few ideas of types of journals to keep to get you started.
I’ve gotten some awesome feedback from folks letting me know that they too enjoy journaling and have seen a huge change in their lives from before they started. I’ve also had a lot of people share that they aren’t sure what they would write about every day.
Well I’m here to tell you that the possibilities of what to write in your journal are endless! Everyone has their own idea of what a journal should be; or what it looks like to them.
Here are 7 different types of journals to keep.
Gratitude Journal // This is what my 5 minute journal is, basically. In the morning I write 3 things that would make the day great and 3 things I’m grateful for. At the end of the day I write 3 things that did make the day great and 1 thing I could have done differently to make it a better day. It’s fast and makes me really reflect on my day and what took place. A gratitude journal is a great way to reflect on your day, your life, think about your future and really focus on the positive.
Stream of consciousness journal // This is the type of journal most of us young girls kept. It was blank and we’d write whatever was on our minds. Boys, friends, wrongs that were done to us. I think a stream of consciousness journal is fantastic if you want the freedom to write whatever it is you like. It’s a blank canvas for your thoughts and can really be cathartic for you to get those thoughts down on paper!
Prayer Journal // I know lots of people who keep prayer journals. I’ve heard there are many ways to keep one, including writing out your thoughts to God, people who you want to pray for, or even versus from the Bible and other sources of spiritual inspiration.
Creative Journal // A journal where you draw, doodle, color, paint, whatever artistic thing you want to use it for. It’s a great way to get the creative part of your brain working and can bring about a ton of inspiration.
Meditation Journal // With a meditation journal, you write down your meditation experience right after you do it. This practice helps you reflect on your meditation and see how it’s supporting you. You could also write in the journal before you meditate, to help clear your mind of any thoughts that may inhibit your meditation time.
Memories Journal // This is a journal where you write down everything you want to remember from that day. I’ve known people to do this for their children, then give them the journal when they graduate from high school. It’s a great way to get those special memories down on paper.
Bullet Journal // This one is new to me, but from my research it sounds like a great way to organize your thoughts on paper. You write down topics you want to focus on in an “index” of sorts, then each topic gets a page. You have a page for the future (future events possibly), monthly goals/tasks, shopping lists, illustrations, etc. You decide what topics you want to include in the journal. Then for each topic you have 3 bullets: task, event and note. This helps keep track of where you are for each topic. You can also migrate tasks at the end of each month. Move daily tasks to monthly and cross out irrelevant tasks. There are symbols for each area as well. It may take a while to get used to this type of journal, but it sounds like it could be a great resource.
[Tweet “Lost for what to write about? These 7 types of journals should give you some inspiration.”]
If you haven’t started journaling yet, what’s stopping you? You can spend as little or as much time on it as you have. Just the process of journaling is so cathartic and can really bring a change to your mindset and outlook on life.
What type of journal do you keep, or want to keep?
I love this. I keep a journal- and my three girls journal at nighttime. I hope they keep the habit up- thanks for a great post! XO
I am so intrigued by the Bullet Journal! I haven’t given it a shot yet, but maybe I will someday.
I am setting a new goal each month in 2016 and writing in a Gratitude Journal is one that I am considering for later this year. Everyone says that they are so wonderful and can really change and shape a wonderful, grateful attitude!
Yes! I can’t say enough good things about journaling Emily. Writing in my gratitude journal has really changed my outlook on life and my attitude. I hope you do pick up a journal and start writing!
Funny memory about journaling: in 2nd grade, we had to keep a daily journal that we wrote and colored in everyday in the morning. I had NO idea what to write about, but I had just learned to draw a butterfly, so I wrote about butterflies every. single. day! This is a great list to get people started in journaling! You listed topics I wouldn’t have even thought of.
Great post, Tiffany! I loved my gratitude journal that I did before, and figured if it was good for me, it might be good for the rest of my crew too. So, I actually went out and bought all 5 of us a journal, and so far so good. I’m loving that they have to sit down each day and remember the good things that happened in their day. They are only required to write down 1 thing they are grateful for, and 1 good thing that happened, but if they want to write more they can. I’m hoping it makes us all look at our days differently (more positively) and helps us remember our blessings.
Loving my 5 Minute Journal! Only a week in and it’s helped me change my thought process and focus on the positives in life 🙂
I keep a stream of conversation/memories journal and I’m so glad I do! I don’t write in it as often as I should, though. Love these!
I think blogging is in a way my journal, but I’ve been wanting to start a bullet journal!!! Considering I love lists, this is probably my favorite one! xo, Biana –BlovedBoston
I really want to start journaling and have even printed out “gratitude journal printables” because I have read so much about it and the wonderful positive effects it can have on your life! I recently started keeping a journal in Evernote for funny stuff my daughter says. I am always near my computer, and not always near her baby book. Whatever works right!?
xo
Annie
Hey Tiffany! I’m so excited to have stumbled upon your blog. It’s beautifully designed and I love the topics. I’m a very new blogger and this is very similar to what I would like to do. I’m so glad you posted this! I have been wanting to journal more and I love these options. Pinning this!
Thanks so much Lauren! Journaling has really been life changing for me. I can’t say enough good things about it. I hope you’re able to find a style that works for you!
I am all about writing in journals…and buying pretty ones ; ) I recently found my 2nd grade journal and found so much wisdom and hilarity in my anecdotes hahaha. As a high school English teacher, I have students do freewriting stream of consciousness exercises every once in a while; it’s something I used to do myself. Great ideas of different ways to keep journals.
I know right?! I try not to just buy new journals all the time, haha! That’s so awesome you found one of your old journals! I can’t imagine what mine would have said, oh my.
I was almost afraid to read this because I knew it would make me want to get another journal 🙂 I am kind of obsessed with bullet journals on instagram & pinterest and wish I was more creative so I could make one of my own– I love how much you can customize them!
This is awesome! I hadn’t even thought of some of these before! I think my planner is sort of a journal for me, and then I also have a personal journal for recording big things and then a memory journal for each of my kids. It’s so important to keep records for our kids and to help ourselves remember things!
I LOVE this Tiffany! I have started gratitude journals and not been consistent with it but you’ve encouraged me to start again!! And I’m keeping a foster/adopt journal now 🙂 I used to keep a dream journal as well.
Very cool! I love journaling — I’ve kept a stream of consciousness/memories journal most of my life.
I like to keep a grateful journal, writing down everyday three things from my day. Love some of your ideas. Thanks for bringing this to my party today.
I love my grateful journal as well Michelle. It’s a great way to change your outlook on life I think.
Well you know me… I love journals. My favourites are my joy journals (joy journal is much like a gratitude journal). I have a creative journal too but I let it fall by the wayside for the last little while.
I’ve been meaning to start a prayer journal – I really should get on that!
Thanks for sharing!
xoxo
I love keeping journals. I have several. Unfortunately, I am not organized so they all are blended together now. LOL 😉
PS I would love for you to link up this post at Literacy Musing Mondays : http://maryanderingcreatively.com/leaps-of-faith-in-writing-and-creativity/
Oh my gosh, love these ideas!!! I had never thought about a meditation journal but that’s so brilliant. My favorite kind of journals to keep have been the gratitude and stream of consciousness journals; they’re so helpful. Definitely going to try out the meditation journal, I always feel so clarified and happy after meditating so it’d be a perfect time to journal. Awesome post Tiffany!
Hi! 🙂 I keep a diary (I believe it counts as Stream of consciousness journal you mentioned), a bullet journal (in whitch I keep a gratitude log so I stopped writing my gratitude journal separately for now), a weekly review journal, a line a day journal, random lists journal, creativity journal, book log journal and some more 🙂 I don’t write in them all every single day but I have fun journaling all sorts of things, I am sure it’ll be fun to read them after few years! 😉
Wow! That is a lot of journals to keep! Good for you! Journaling is a great way to spark creativity and so much more.