Journaling is something that I’ve wanted to try for awhile, largely due to the benefits I’ve heard about it being a great way to help you make decisions about certain things in your life.

Aside from the benefits, I need to know a little more before I start.

So, if like me you’re interested in journaling but curious about how it can help you, would like to know how to start, and are after ideas on what to journal about, then this post should be able to answer all your journal related questions and inspire you to start.

WHAT IS JOURNALING?

Journaling is the practice of writing down your thoughts and feelings about things happening in your life.

You may journal everyday, or you may journal when something in your life has affected you and you want to think about how you can overcome it, or you want to understand it better.

You can spend a lot of time journaling, or hardly any time at all.

You can write a lot, or very little.

There are no rules when it comes to journaling, it’s about setting some quiet time aside for yourself so you can process your feelings towards what it is you’re writing about. For this reason, journaling can be a great form of self-care.

Related post:
30 ways to schedule self-care into your daily routine

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF JOURNALING?

 Journaling has many benefits, some of which include:

• Helping you to look at the bigger picture of your life
• Allowing you to come up with solutions to something you’re unsure about
• Increasing your self knowledge as you can better understand how you feel about certain things
• Providing a way for you to look back at how you handled certain situations, and what you can do better if it happens again
• Giving you somewhere to release your emotions and thoughts, thereby reducing stress and anxiety
• Helping to establish order in your life during times of overwhelm

JOURNAL SUPPLIES

 The only supplies you need to start journaling are:

• If you like the idea of writing your thoughts down, then all you need is a notebook and pen
• If you prefer to journal digitally then there are any apps available with a security component to them so no one can read your journal
• Other digital options include Evernote, Google Keep, or the notebook that comes with your phone
• You may decide to journal via your phone’s voice recorder

WHAT TO JOURNAL ABOUT

There are many things that you can journal about, but the best way to do it is to just start.

If you’re scared to start journaling then perhaps start by doodling, writing random words, or even list topics you’d like to journal about. Just starting to write something will provide you with the motivation you need to keep going.

Some things you can journal about are:

• What matters to you?
• What do you want to achieve this year?
• What issues did you face today and how did you handle them? Could you have handled them differently?
• What would your life look like, how would you feel, and what might happen if you:
  • Return to work after maternity leave?
  • Decide not return to work after maternity leave?
  • Leave your current job?
  • Start your own business?
• What issues are you currently facing, and what options do you have to solve them?
• What are you grateful for today?
• What goals would you like your family to accomplish this year?

There are also a wide variety of journaling prompts available online to encourage you to start journaling, here are some you may like to look at so you can get started:

• 30 journaling prompts for self reflection and self discovery
• The ultimate list of self discovery journaling prompts

HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU JOURNAL?

There aren’t any rules on how often you should journal, it’s a personal choice.

You may decide to journal every day so you feel more comfortable doing it.

You may decide to journal only when something happens that you want to process or think about further.

What you journal about, and how often you journal is entirely up to you.

Journaling is a great way to seek clarity on anything you’re questioning, and a fantastic way to connect with your feelings and thoughts.

Are you new to journaling, or already journal and have some journaling tips?