3 Simple Ways To Enhance Journaling and Form an Indestructible Habit
Consistently get the most out of journaling and enjoy meaningful reflection.
Morning pages almost ruined journaling for me.
My approach sucked: I tried too hard to be deep and introspective. Instead of writing the recommended three pages, I wrote five pages daily for two months straight. What was once exhilarating turned into a chore. I wrote only to meet quotas, and my entries deteriorated into rumination and brooding.
Burnout struck, and my output dwindled. Soon, journaling was no longer meaningful, reflective, or fun.
Gradually, I overcame my slump with the approaches below. They can help you enjoy a deep and refreshing journaling habit.
The Easy Approach: Use a Pocket Notebook
Opening a standard-sized journal presents a discouraging blank page. Filling it takes intense effort, often resulting in a throbbing, ink-splotched hand.
A pocket notebook makes journaling effortless, with smaller pages for easy filling. The smooth writing experience fosters motivation, ignites flow, and fuels habit formation.
Get a small spiral or perforated notebook and freely tear out pages if you “mess up.” Perfection isn’t necessary.
Focus on the function, not the aesthetic: Buying an expensive leather-bound notebook with smooth pages may pressure you to make the most of them and write profound entries.
A pocket notebook frees you from those stifling expectations. Lower the friction to journal by writing in one.
The Focused Approach: Be Mindful
Harness a quiet environment and only focus on the page.
Notice how you grip your pen and the soft scratching sounds it makes while etching the paper. Feel the paper’s resistance as you write. Hear the rustle of pages turning as you work through your journal.
Write to experience the act of writing, nothing more. There is no room for distractions to zap your attention. Cradle the moment.
This concentration enhances introspection, clarity, and catharsis. Slowing down and writing longhand deepens your connection to the words and unearths profound thoughts.
You can practice being present during journaling. Start with one to two-minute intervals and gradually increase the time. Each mindful session strengthens the journaling habit.
Make journaling a sacred moment where you bond with your notebook and the words flowing from your pen. Let the outside world dissolve.
The Creative Approach: Embrace Storytelling
Whether you’ve been in bed all day or went on a thrilling adventure, you can turn your day into a story with journaling.
Write intuitively and cherish your style. As you’re in the flow, add sensory details or capture dialogue. These techniques make your journaling dynamic.
Establish a daily habit of writing a sentence or paragraph about the most story-worthy moment of your day. It stretches your creativity and enhances your journal entries.
In May 2020, I kept a storytelling journal and captured daily moments. It was during the infancy of the pandemic when we all had to quarantine, so most days were mundane, but the entries below show how ordinary experiences can yield vivid stories.
Here is a random entry from a failed baking attempt:
The cheesecake was more like a jiggle of milk-flavored jello, and the top crust stung bitter in my tongue. Looking back, maybe it was doomed for the beginning — the brownie batter was too rich, chocolate tasted almost like burnt tires. The cupcakes didn’t snatch the show either — they shriveled in on themselves after they blossomed in the air fryer, and when left to cool, I peeled the foil skin off of them and picked at the smushed cakes, popping them into my mouth. I fingered the bottom layer and it was moist and artificially smooth. What was I expecting, really?
Expand your journaling beyond daily events. Excavate your creative reservoirs and make your journal a canvas for creative writing, like fiction, nonfiction, screenplays, and poetry. Every entry in your journal reveals glimpses of your identity, even if you are not the subject.
Here is another entry inspired by eating a mango:
Peeling back the skin that sticks to the flesh, you’re ripping off the mango’s scalp.
Your lips pull back on the soft guts, your teeth scrape the gushy wet hair, and let it stick out in buttery waves.
What makes it so pure is its natural sweetness — the juices run and dance in your mouth and then dissipate.
Orange dots of juice stain your pants, you get a paper towel but under the mango’s flow the paper turns into a sloshy wet mess.
You pull the mango’s flesh into shapes and poses, deeper into the core it starts to bring up a sour tang.
Such a smooth little mass of gushy fruit…
It’s not award-winning writing, but infusing details can enrich your journaling sessions.
Journaling Doesn’t Have To Be a Drag
If you’ve attempted to start a journaling habit that never sticks, lower the stakes and bring back the joy.
With the right approach, it’s simple. Journal in short, focused, descriptive sessions, and you’ll reap the benefits faster.
It’s time to seize journaling’s full potential.
