Habits: Starting to Journal
I love writing, but it hasn't always been this way. I fell in love with writing in high school after years of struggling with it - I could never seem to translate my thoughts to paper. But with practice and repetition, I improved over time.
So naturally, journaling always seemed great in theory - to log memories, think through processes, manifest goals, etc. But in reality, I had a hard time staying consistent and had a half-hearted desire for the ritual. I say "half-hearted" not because my intentions weren't genuine, but because I never gave myself the structure or framework to succeed.
I didn't have a vision/goal for how long an entry should be, what it should be about (prompt-driven vs free flowing, and if prompted - the same or different every day?), how often I would write when I would write -- the list goes on.
As of late, I have been inspired to be more habit or ritual-centric, and a part of this process I have decided is going to be starting a journal - most likely a gratitude journal to start, less so about the details of day-to-day.
So naturally, I dove into research to find a simple yet productive means of starting.
Here are some of the journals that I thought would be the most helpful for myself and hopefully you!
Let me know in the comments if you enjoy journaling or if there is a journal you like that isn't included below.
The journal that I chose and why:
While I had heard great things about the 5-minute journal, I liked the idea of the additional prompt that this one includes. I also was curious and intrigued by the introduction section consisting of a 70-page, research-backed breakdown so that I could learn more about the overall concept and studies supporting it.
Here are others that seem equally worth trying depending on what you're looking for and what may work best for you:
Pros
Prompt-driven
Lined
Art/Colorful imagery
Cons
Not largely prompt oriented
Other
$15.29
Fairly open-ended
Pros
Cute exterior options
Goal-oriented
Heath focus (nutrition, sleep, activity)
Cons
Not largely prompt-oriented
Not all lined
Other
$35.00
Lots of questions to answer/areas to fill
Not a quick task
Pros
Simple
Gratitude-oriented
Efficient (2-ish minutes/day)
Weekly Question
Cons
Primarily gratitude
Minimal space
Other
$11.56
Female-focused
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