this is just a dump of random advice that i have about journalling as someone who journals pretty inconsistently but still gets a lot out of it!!!!! its cheaper than therapy and really quite fun i love it dearly
buy a cheap notebook that doesnt have that many pages or use a notebook you have laying around. i like using 160pg a5 at most. the thicker the paper is the less pages there tends to be but 80gsm is totally fine and standard don't stress about paper and pens and whatever. use a pen thats comfortable to write with though. use a lined, dotted or grid notebook to make it easier to write!
use some kind of archival ink (ie ink that doesnt melt away in water like the ink in ballpoint pens or disappear with heat etc) i personally dont care and write in gel anyway but if youre not careful w ur journal it might be good to keep in mind
if you're scared about people reading your journal then type it on some diary app with a passcode or biometric or somewhere only you would be able to access, its essentially the same thing i just enjoy the ritual of writing physically and have the luxury of not having nosy people around me. alternatively you could learn hard-to-read cursive or write it in code/shorthand/a language you're learning as ive seen some ppl do!
you dont have to write everyday or write a large amount, but keep it around for when you have the urge to make a ranty post or send a text that you probably shouldnt send, or for when you can't sleep. you can set a routine but i hate those so just write when you can! (ive had my current journal since 2023 and only just finished it GULP)
if you're a yapper, yap like you always do! about literally whatever's on your mind
if you're emotionally constipated and don't speak much, try to write about what's on your mind, even if its vague. eventually you'll get more comfortable and better at expressing yourself even if it'll be awkward for a time
dont be scared to be angry, be messy, be mean and sad and write what you can to the best of your ability. if your hand can't keep up with your brain, type it or dictate it with voice to speech.
put on some music that fades into the background / you can focus to. avoid videos and shows and such because they will defo distract you cuz writing has a much higher attention requirement than drawing and stuff like that
write the date at least, but if theyre important to you then you can write the time, the weather etc. its up to you i dont write anything extra except the date #lazy
feel free to leave an entry open-ended and come back to it later in the day (i do that a lot LOL)
be as open as you feel comfortable to be. sometimes you lie or exaggerate or downplay and thats okay. treat it like talking to a friend or someone you trust or even just talking to yourself if you do that often. it doesnt have to be all philosophical i literally draw in emojis and use abbreviations LOL
sometimes having journal prompts can be helpful! i like to make my own about why i like the things that i do, movie/book reviews, etc but theres loads of good ones out there for specific things like shadow work or self-cbt if that's what you're into!
don't destroy your journal. give it at least a year or two before you decide to throw it out cause you might regret not having it to read in the future guhh... i have so much fun reading my old journals
highlight or bookmark parts of your journal that are important to you so you can come back to them. sometimes i have a thought or realisation thats significant to me and i highlight it so that i can find it again easily
get some cheap cute stickers to decorate. it does help trust me
find journalling inspo that is actually realistic and not for the purpose of aesthetics or social media. while there's many different kinds of journals you can keep, someone who posts every page of their journal to social media is probably going to have a much prettier and more presentable one than yours or mine 😭
don't feel pressure to post it either. i rarely post what's in mine at all. its only for you and it'll help you get better at spending time alone and getting to know yourself if you dont take pictures and share what you wrote online. you'll be more open and learn more about who you really are!
