How to write a Journal?

Do you have a dusty corner in your bookshelf filled with some of the prettiest journals you picked up to capture your thoughts? Are they still untouched or do they have a few pages filled in only to have been abandoned later? No, this isn’t a guilt trip. I was pretty much in the same boat about a year ago and would have continued on the same path had I not rediscovered my love for journaling and the therapeutic value it brings to my life as an adult navigating the corporate world.

The fast-paced nature of our lives today has led to people feeling overwhelmed with all the information targeted at them. We are consuming data faster than our brains are able to assimilate it. We are also working in highly competitive environments, which adds to the stress, and while we usually turn to social media to decompress at the end of the day, it can sometimes have an adverse impact.

Now, I am not pitching journaling as a silver bullet to all your problems, but it does go a long way in helping you process your thoughts at a comfortable pace and while this may not be the ideal method to start journaling and it definitely isn’t the only method to do so, this is my method.

Why?

Like Simon Sinek, I urge you to start with WHY. If everything is going great, why do you need to journal? Do you want to have a chronicler of your life? Do you want to build a better connection with your mind? Or, like me, do you also have too many thoughts and would like to revisit some of them every now and then?

Knowing your why is the key to making this habit stick.

What you need?

A beautiful journal

(Trust me, you can go all in and buy the prettiest one since the intent is to keep it for a long time. Don’t buy any if, like me, you already have some on your shelf)

A good quality pen

(Invest in a good pen that will be kept inside or right next to your journal at all times. Make it special)

A beverage

(Nothing sets the mood for writing like a good cup of masala chai/coffee. It also helps you build a routine around your habit)

When should you write?

Ideally, early morning/Late night when you have the time to yourself to be able to think and pen down your thoughts.

Exception:

Whenever you are overwhelmed OR Looking for clarity

Where?

I prefer a desk/table since it helps me feel purposeful and gets my thoughts flowing.

Sometimes, I go out and write on a park bench or near a lake, or just on the bare ground in the sunlight. Basically, choose a spot that makes you feel at peace.

How frequently?

Though our teachers used to encourage us to write daily, it never stuck, so I try not to force myself.

I try to sit in the mornings to pen down my thoughts, but the frequency varies it could be only once in one week or sometimes twice a day. It depends on how my thoughts are during a particular period.

What?

Now finally coming to what you should write. Don’t know where to start, here are some of the things you could write about

How are you feeling today?
What is an idea that you would like to work on?
Is something bothering you?
A story
Epiphanies

It can be anything since this is your safe space.

I hope you get inspired to start or re-start your journaling journey and, through that process, develop a better relationship with yourself. Happy Journaling!