The Complete Guide to Journaling

how to start, why it's worth it, what you need, how i do it, and prompt ideas

picture courtesy of Pinterest

I’ve wanted to write this for a while, but I didn’t know where to start. Journaling is one of the daily practices that has transformed my life and my perspective, helping me grow and serving as a way to unwind, reflect, and manifest. It’s not always easy to get into—I started off writing five pages, hating every single word on the paper, and then throwing the whole journal in the trash to make sure no one could ever read it. Sometimes it’s really fun and creative, but it can also be really taxing because it forces you to sit with your feelings, think about why you are the way you are, and ways you need to improve. The good thing is that journaling looks different for everyone, and anyone can find a way to journal that benefits them. Because I’m so passionate about the way it can improve your life, I’ve compiled a list of things you should know! I’m trying to keep it short and snappy, but we’ll see.

Why should you start?

• It helps you understand your feelings, thoughts, and behaviors.

• It can reduce stress and anxiety.

• It makes it easier to focus on what truly matters in your day, clearing your mind of clutter.

• It’s a creative practice that’s just for you, so you’re free of judgment.

• The more you write, the better you become at expressing yourself.

• It helps you plan and execute tasks effectively.

• It’s a record of your memories that you can look back on when you’re older.

• It helps you feel grounded and grateful.

• It allows you to monitor your growth.

• Writing your goals down makes them easier to achieve and feel more attainable.

• It can help you make more confident decisions by organizing your thoughts.

What you need

• A Notebook (or Journal): Pick one you love, whether it's a simple lined notebook or something more artistic. Some brands I wholeheartedly recommend are the classic Moleskine (a bit expensive, but so good), or LEUCHTTURM1917. If the plain pages scare you, many people start with the 5 Minute Journal, which has daily prompts.

  • You can also write using digital tools. You could use your notes app, Evernote, Google Docs, or my personal favorite, Notion. While it's good practice to write on actual paper, anything goes.

• A Pen (or Pencil): Find a pen that feels comfortable in your hand, or use colored pens to have a little fun with it. My go-to pens are from MUJI, and I’m linking the one I use. I usually go for 0.5mm gel pens, or anything smaller, which are fine enough to look neat on paper.

• Time & space: Set aside a few minutes daily in a quiet space. It’s your me-time, so make sure you’re comfortable!

Types of journaling

This list is endless, but I’m giving you just a bit of inspiration to show how much you can do with one journal. I currently keep a daily one that serves all of these purposes, but I plan on getting more in the future.

• Daily Journaling – Writing about your day, thoughts, and feelings.

• Gratitude Journaling – Writing down a list of things you’re grateful for each day.

• Bullet Journaling – A more complex, customizable system to track and monitor goals and tasks.

• Stream of Consciousness – Free-flow writing with no structure, like I’m sure we all used to do with our ‘secret diaries’ when we were kids.

• Art Journaling – Combining drawings, written entries, stickers, collages, etc.

• Dream Journaling – Writing about your dreams as soon as you wake up.

• Travel Journaling – Documenting travel experiences, with pictures, memories, tickets, etc.

• Affirmation Journaling – Writing positive affirmations to boost your confidence and visualize your goals.

And so, so much more.

How to get started

1. Choose where you want to write

   Decide whether you want to write on paper or digitally, and open up a page. The key is to pick whatever feels easier for you to pick up.

2. Set a routine

   Before making something a habit, you might need to plan it in advance. It can be in the morning or before bed, but it can also be whenever inspiration strikes. The most important thing is to stay consistent so it becomes a fundamental part of your day.

3. Don’t stress about making it perfect

   Start simple and jot down whatever’s on your mind. It’ll feel like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders. Write down what you want to remember from the day, how you feel, or random things that are on your mind. For example, my journal when I was seventeen starts with a list of my favorite things at the time, followed by a page full of my celebrity crushes. It’s really not that deep.

4. Use prompts, if needed!

   If you’re not into stream-of-consciousness writing and it intimidates you, use prompts. You can find them online or come up with your own. While you can avoid certain things without prompts, they help you dig deeper. I’m writing a list of prompts at the end of this newsletter if you want to check it out.

5. Experiment with different styles

   Try out different types of journaling and see which one makes you feel best. It might be messy, but it’s your space, and it doesn’t have to look perfect.

How I journal

Journaling is very personal, and what works for me might not work for you, but here’s a brief overview of what I do. I wish I could insert pictures, but I write in Italian (my mother-tongue), so bear with me. It also changes from day to day, but here are things I’ve been including in the past three years.

DAILY

• Daily To-Do list – A non-negotiable list of actual, manageable tasks that I tick off as I complete them.

• 3 things I’m grateful for – I do this especially when I’m feeling sad. They can be very simple, but it’s so good for your mindset.

• Affirmations – These look different for everyone. For me, it’s usually writing down mantras, “I am” affirmations, letters to myself, etc.

• One thing I want to remember from the day

• Stream of consciousness – If I feel like it, I write unfiltered thoughts about how I’m feeling and where I’m at.

MONTHLY

A reflection of the past month that includes:

• Goals I reached / Goals I didn’t reach

• What I learned

• One word to describe the month

• Highlights

• Low Moments / Challenges

I also include a page for monthly favorites: movies, albums, books, clothes, beauty products, drinks, recipes, activities—anything and everything I liked and want to remember. I get very obsessive with things I enjoy, and it’s so fun to look back at what changed and the phases I was in.

For the new month, I fill a page with:

• Goals

• Intentions

• Big things coming up (exams, dates, birthdays—anything important to note)

• How I want to feel by the end of the month

• More of / Less of (I draw a little table for this, like an “ins & outs” list for each month.)

The only tips you’ll need

• Stop judging yourself. Who cares if you read it in two months and think you were stupid? That’s the beauty of journaling! You get to see how much you’ve grown. Honestly, I feel bad if I read an old journal and don’t think I sound a little dumb. Take that as you will.

• Don’t feel pressured to make it a habit. Even a few sentences can make a big difference. And don’t beat yourself up if you only pick up your journal once a month or even once a year. You don’t need a fancy layout, and it doesn’t need to look like anyone else’s journal.

• Make a playlist. Nothing sets the vibe like a curated playlist that gets you inspired to write.

• Include something visually pleasing. Add mood boards, collages, cutouts from magazines, stickers—anything that makes your journal fun to look at and uniquely yours. The more you personalize it, the more you’ll grow fond of it, in my opinion.

• Track small wins. Start by listing little victories each day (e.g. making your bed, calling a friend, or sitting down to write). Seeing those written out can motivate you to keep journaling.

• Set a time limit if you’re stuck. If free-flow writing feels intimidating, give yourself just five minutes. Write as much as you can without overthinking, and see how liberating it is.

• Pretend you’re interviewing yourself. Ask the questions you wish someone would ask you, and answer them honestly. It’s fun, and a great way to connect with yourself.

• Write to someone if writing for yourself feels hard. Treat your journal as a letter to someone—a best friend, an old flame, or even your future self. That’s too scary for me, so I stick to writing for myself, but some people swear by treating their journal like it’s a character.

• Be honest. You already wear a mask around other people, so I beg you not to bring it into your journal. If something needs to be said, write it down. Burn the page later if you must! But don’t alter the truth just because you’re worried someone might read it in the future. I’ve done this before, and it will make you feel worse.

Prompts!

For people trying to get into journaling:

• Describe your ideal day, from morning to night.

• What’s one thing that made you feel good today?

• Have you learned anything recently that you want to remember? If so, what? Write a way to incorporate that lesson into your life.

• What’s one thing you wish you could tell your past self?

• What’s a favorite childhood memory you’d like to relive?

• If you had a theme song, what would it be and why?

• Write a bucket list of things you want to do before you reach a certain age or milestone.

• What’s your death row meal?

• Write about your favorite place in the world and what makes it special.

• Give today a title, like it’s an episode of a tv-show.

For advanced journalers that have tried anything:

• Write about a recurring dream you’ve had, and what you think it means.

• Describe your day like it’s the first chapter of a novel where you’re the main character.

• Imagine you’re interviewing your favorite version of yourself. What questions would you ask, and how would they answer?

• What’s one secret thing no one knows about you? Why are you hiding it? What would someone need to give you to reveal it?

• Write about the 5 things you’d save in a fire.

• Write a love letter to something unconventional (a mug, a candle, a bag, etc.)

• Write a list of things you would never do in your life. Look back at it in a few years, and see if anything changed.

• Who would play you in a biopic about your life? Why?

• If you could press ‘pause’ on one moment of your life, which would it be?

• What’s something you think people misunderstand about you?

---

Okay, here’s to hoping this was exhaustive! Are you a journaler? If you have any tips, tricks, prompts you love, or questions, leave them in the comments. We can all help each other. Now that we have the beginner’s guide out of the way, I want to write about journaling more, so let me know if it’s something you like to read about. I really encourage you to try it out because I’ve never felt more at peace with myself than when I started writing consistently. I could barely figure out my likes and dislikes before journaling, and though it won’t fix all of your problems, it’s a good place to start. I’ll see you next week. Much love. x

---

A little reminder: if you become a paid subscriber before the end of January, you get 50% off for a year! It’s 2.5$ a month, or 25$ for 12 months of full access to my publication and an extra newsletter a month. 🤎