Journaling 101: The What, Why, When, Where, and How to Journal

Journaling is the art and practice of writing to yourself.

Some people say that journaling is an adult version of “Dear Diary,” but it’s so much more than chronicling your day. It’s about getting to know yourself. It’s a form of self-care and quiet, reflective time.

It can be cathartic, enlightening, relaxing, or healing, depending on what you need.

Keeping a journal has many benefits, but the key is to find the methods and benefits that best suit you. It’s got to be a personal journey that doesn’t depend on what anyone else has to say about it.

WHY to Journal

Some of the documented benefits are improved language and reasoning skills, increased awareness, and improved consciousness. Much like a food diary that helps increase awareness of what you’re eating, a journal can help you be more aware of what you’re thinking and feeling.

And that can have a profound impact on your mental and physical health. Dr. James Pennebaker, author of Writing to Heal, tells us that he’s actually seen patients improve their immune systems with journaling.

You don’t have to do or be anything special to benefit from keeping a journal, and you don’t have to be famous to record your life and adventures. Think of this kind of expressive writing as a way to practice self-care and self-love. It can be a wonderful path to emotional, physical, and psychological healing.

Newbie Questions: If you’re new to journaling, you might not know where to start, what to write about, or even how long you should write. Journaling is very simple, and there aren’t any hard and fast rules. Let your inner guidance show you what you need.

Here are my personal, favorite tips for a more successful journaling experience.

WHEN to Journal

Time of Day: Start by picking a likely time of day that you can routinely write in your journal uninterrupted: lunch break, evening after the littles are in bed, or morning time before the rush begins. Don’t be afraid to experiment with this because it might take a while to find the perfect time.

Personally, I can’t journal at night because it gets my creative juices going and no amount of counting sheep will help me sleep after that. But nighttime might be perfect for you.

Frequency: How often you should journal is up to you, too, whether daily, weekly, or whenever you feel the urge. There are no set rules. I personally go through seasons when I journal routinely for months, and then I don’t journal for weeks.

Are you starting to see that this is something special that you do for yourself? That’s why you’ve got to do it your way.

As you’re developing the habit of journaling, remember that starting any new habit takes time. It’s great to strive for consistency and self-discipline, but be patient and kind with yourself, too. Resist the urge to attach to any specific outcome, and under no circumstances should you turn your journaling into a self-flogging opportunity. Just explore.

Length of Time: How long you journal is up to you. Set your timer for 15 to 50 minutes depending on your available time and the topic. Research suggests that after 50 minutes, it may be helpful to take a break. Get a drink of water, get up and stretch, use the restroom.

WHERE to Journal

Remember to set the mood. Choose a conducive environment like a favorite chair or park. Get comfortable. Letting your ideas and feelings flow is tough if you’re physically uncomfortable. If appropriate, put on music, light a candle, and have a cup of tea. You’re important.

HOW to Journal

First, ask yourself if you’d rather use paper and pen, typing, or verbal recording. Paper and pen engages your brain differently than typing, which is why I strongly suggest it. You can even try journaling on your phone with an app like Penzu.

There is something very creative and engaging about the physical act of writing on paper. You can make squares, circles, arrows, faces, and other symbols to express yourself more fully.  Be prepared to color, tape, or glue objects into your journal – some of my best journal posts are the messiest.

Get Creative. Using colored pens and markers helps to get the creative juices flowing. Stickers, receipts, ticket stubs, leaves, cutout pictures, and hair ties all make fun prompts and add dimension to your journal.

I once used a rubber band that I taped into my journal to talk about how people are like rubber bands. We stretch, and sometimes we return to the original shape – but not always. Sometimes, people snap!

I have glued in ticket stubs from events and journaled around them. I once used the grocery receipt for our Thanksgiving dinner to journal about it after the fact.

You can invest in beautiful designer journals and pens to make yourself feel special and set the perfect mood. (Just don’t be afraid to mess up the inside in the course of creating and letting your imagination flow.) A plain steno pad and pen can work just fine, too!

My advice: Avoid using pencils unless they’re colored pencils. Otherwise, it’s too tempting to stop and erase things. Trust me on this one.

Make an error? No problem – put a line through it and move on.

Journaling is more of an art, a free flow of communication with one’s inner self, than an essay for the English teacher.

WHAT to Journal

Write whatever comes to mind. Elaborate on each point. Remember that your journal should be written for you and you alone.

Don’t care about spelling, grammar, or punctuation, but do try for complete thoughts or sentences.

Try writing slower. This isn’t a race. Leave more space around the edges and in between thoughts.

No matter what comes to the surface, make it okay. This is “you” time.

One of the biggest obstacles beginners face is to know what to write about. That is normal. Don’t be afraid of a blank page.

Instead, consider reflecting on the day, week, or month. Think about things you’re grateful for or wisdom you’ve learned. You can freeform and write about whatever comes to mind. Or, you can use journal prompts.

Journal Prompts: These are ideas that you can use to springboard you into your writing. Simply write down random subjects as they spring into mind spontaneously. Or, write down a list of topics you’ve gleaned from reading or life experience.

Shoot for at least a month’s worth of prompts and put them in a Mason jar, box, bowl, basket, or wherever you want them. When you’re ready to journal, just pull out a random prompt and write.

I use a pretty vase that I got from my mother-in-law. If I randomly think of a good prompt, I write it down and put it in.

Below is a list of 15 journal prompt ideas to help you along.

If you would like a list of 365 Journaling Prompts, you can find a form at the end of this article to request your free journaling prompts. YES, that is a whole year’s worth of prompts! These prompts are good for new and seasoned journal writers alike.

Some people might encourage you to use journaling time for confessions or admitting wrongdoing. I do not.

As an alternative, if you choose to, I strongly encourage you to either make forgiveness part of the journaling equation or include a plan for repairing the wrong.

Here are 15 starter prompts to help you on your journey:

1. Dear 10-years-in-the-future me …
2. My top 10 … are …
3. My favorite place(s) to visit were … because …
4. I most worry about … because … 
5. My earliest childhood memory is …
6. 10 things that make me happy are …
7. My 5 all-time favorite movies are …
8. If I could have dinner with anyone, alive or dead, it would be …
9. My favorite subject in school was …
10. My number one pet peeve is …
11. If I could go back and change any one thing in my life, I would change …
12. My best quality is …
13. The quote by author Richard Bach, “Argue for your limitations, and sure enough they will be yours,” means …
14. What was great about this week was …
15. A career that I would never want is …

Want more prompts? Get 365 free prompts …  see below.

And, if you’re short on time, consider the 5-minute journal at: The Five-Minute Journal.

Time Well Spent: As you can see, journaling can be a valuable pastime for you. There is something about disciplining yourself to take care of YOU that is very healing. You’ll get insights, ideas, and possibly some very profound effects.

Most of all, you’ll get to know the most important person in your life: you. And loving yourself makes you secure enough to spread love to others.

What was your favorite idea from this article? Do you journal, and if so, what are your What’s, Why’s, When’s, Where’s, and How’s?

Love,