Pen to Paper: A Beginner’s Guide to Journaling
I’ve followed dozens of self-improvement trends over the years in my quest to continually improve my time management, self-awareness, and overall mental and physical well-being. A few have stuck, most haven’t, but there’s one habit that stands out as easily the most valuable: journaling.
I’ve actually journaled for over a decade at this point. My journal started out as a place for logs of what I did each day, but quickly turned into so much more: my therapist, sounding board, dream diary, and more.
Over the years I’ve developed practices that have made the habit even more valuable, and it’s become my biggest tool for self-growth.
The Foundation
A journal is like your best friend. It’s a refuge for the thoughts that you might not have the courage to say out loud (at least, not yet) and a place to work through the tough things you’re feeling.
To start journaling effectively, you have to be 100% committed to honesty with the most important person in the world: yourself.
It sounds easy – your brain houses your own thoughts, after all – but when you put pen to paper, it often turns out to be difficult. It’s difficult to admit your shortcomings on paper and see them written out in front of you. It’s difficult to admit when you failed. Yet that honesty is incredibly important for making your journal into everything it should be.
So, with that commitment, you’re ready to get started.
The Routine
Like any self-improvement technique, building journaling into the daily routine is a key piece of building consistency. In The Creative Habit, choreographer Twyla Tharp talks about her routine to practice in the gym every morning, and it starts with calling a cab. In fact, calling the cab is the routine - as long as she completes that piece, she knows she’ll make it into the gym and practice.
You need to find your cab, whatever that may be.
Maybe it’s the cup of coffee you make in the morning. Maybe it’s the first time you sit down at your desk. Maybe it’s setting your alarm and plugging in your phone for the night. Find what works to remind you to journal, and it’ll eventually become automatic.
I love the mornings: the cool air, quiet phone, and early sunlight. So my cue is sitting down at my desk in the morning, before I log on for work.
Find your cab.
The Practice
Journaling is a practice and, like a new sport or creative hobby, you’re going to suck at first.
It’ll feel awkward, you won’t know what to write about, and it’ll be weird to try to talk to yourself about your emotions.
As you get started, guided journaling can be a great way to dig beyond the surface level and get the reps in. You can either buy a guided journal or - my preferred option - find a list of prompts online.
Going over your day in order can also be a great starter for journaling. Stoic philosopher Epictetus said of his journaling practice, “I examine my entire day and go back over what I’ve done and said, hiding nothing from myself, passing nothing by.” This is a great method, as long as you go beyond the surface level - dig into how each task made you feel.Whichever method you choose – guided or free-form – just be sure to practice going deeper and digging into your emotions, no matter how uncomfortable it feels.
The more honest you are with yourself, the better your emotional intelligence will become. You’ll be better able to recognize feelings and the reasons behind those feelings, and that will in turn help you make better decisions.
The Benefits
I wouldn’t recommend a practice if I didn’t find it invaluable in my own life. And that’s absolutely the case with journaling.
Over time, you’ll start to see patterns develop. You’ll notice more of which things make you happy and which don’t. And those patterns will help you calibrate your time and priorities to do more of what you love.
But the skills you develop journaling transfer beyond the page. As you get used to noticing your emotional state in writing, you’ll start to do it throughout your day. You’ll pay more attention to how you’re feeling and be able to react and regulate accordingly.
You’ll start to use your journal to generate ideas or explore dreams, to come up with solutions to problems you’re facing, and to better understand yourself, your goals, and your emotions.
The great part is that it’s close to free to start. Any old notebook and pen you have lying around work just as well as a $50 leather-bound, elegant journal. Just pick up the pen and start writing.
