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Many recommend journaling as a daily habit. But it can be difficult to start when you don’t know what to write about. Here are 9 fun ideas to start journaling daily.
1. Content commentary
This is how I got into daily journaling.
I took some personal development content – mostly YouTube videos – and analyzed in how far I lack what they recommend.
For example, for content like 16 Habits of Highly Successful People, I would write about which of these habits I already have, which I really should implement and how I could do so.
This is a very structured and easy but valuable way to journal. It increases your self-awareness and helps you to not just consume self-help content but actually use it to change your life.
Also, you will never lack anything to write about since there is an abundance of personal growth content out there.
2. Scripting
Scripting describes a way of journaling in which you write in the first person as if you are already living your dream life.
For example, don’t write about how today was just another day studying all day long while spending a few hours on your side hustle.
Instead, write about how your business hit the 5.000 €/month benchmark today. Write about how you found the dream apartment and what exactly it looks like.
Just write as if your goals have just become your reality, and make sure to imagine vividly and really feel the emotions along the way.
3. Problems turned to solutions
Another way I like to use scripting is by directly writing about how I solved a problem that I currently still have.
So, for example, instead of lamenting about how I am struggling to get clear skin or to learn faster or to get more blog traffic, I write about how I finally have these things and how all the effort and patience were worth it.
This helps to get unstuck from self-pity mode and it instead directs your attention to how you could reach this future reality.
4. Daily Summary
This is a very short journaling idea, but it can ingrain the habit of opening your journal every day.
Simply write a one or two-sentence summary of the most noteworthy things that happened during the day.
This will not only be nice to look back on, but it will also make you remember more of what you experienced and accomplished.
5. Letter from your future self
People always talk about writing a letter to your younger self. Why not turn that into an affirming and manifesting practice by writing a letter from the point of view of our future self.
What do you imagine your future self will be able to tell you?
- You are on the right track; just be patient!
- All the hard work is going to be worth it!
- Things will turn out even better than you’ve expected them to!
- XYZ isn’t a problem anymore!
- I’ve come such a long within such a short time!
6. Journaling Prompts
Another great way to start journaling is by using the abundance of journaling prompts offered online.
Especially Pinterest can be a great source of inspiration, so make sure to create a Pinterest board full of journaling prompts for yourself and aim to write and answer to at least one prompt a day.
Read also: 27 Journal Prompts To Reinvent Yourself
Read also: 11 Journaling Prompts To Skyrocket Into The New Year
7. Diary
Recounting your day and working through the things that happened in diary-style can also be a form of journaling.
It’s not my personal favorite because I’ve already recounted everything often enough by the time I sit down to journal.
Any additional recounting is an unnecessary dwelling that will only keep me stuck in a possibly unhelpful energy.
8. Daily gratitude, affirmations, positive/negative, and self-worth
Ok, so this is part of my morning routine, which is why it’s a perfect idea to start journaling daily. I start the morning by writing down :
- three things I’m grateful for (try to find new ones as often as possible)
- three affirmations (in the present tense, as if you already have it)
- one good thing that happened yesterday and one bad thing (this is referencing to one of the Universal Laws, the Law of Balance, which basically states that for everything positive, there is something negative)
- lastly, one skill or attribute that makes me feel proud and worthy (because if we feel unworthy, we won’t manifest our dreams)
Being consciously aware of the law of balance is important because you can make your life very difficult if you try to only stay on the positive side.
People who try to stay positive often have a big emotional crash that balances them out again.
So make yourself aware of the negatives to every positive in your life. For example:
- More income means more taxes.
- Finding your dream apartment means additional costs for moving all your stuff there.
- A good grade means it will be more difficult for you to keep your performance on the same level and people have higher expectations of you.
- Finding the perfect dress means having to spend the money to buy it.
You get the point. There is always a downside to every good thing, but these downsides don’t mean we can’t appreciate the good.
9. Journal through your regrets
Most of us try to suppress the memories of embarrassing situations or other regrets. Of course, we do. After all, it hardly creates comfortable feelings.
However, this doesn’t help us because ‘what you resist, persists.’
Suppressing these memories will only make them pop into your mind at random during the day. Maybe you were in a good mood, and then the memory pops up and makes you feel bad.
So how do we prevent this from happening? The answer: By working through our regrets and overcoming them.
Usually, I do this as a meditation with eyes closed, but writing it down might be better for you if it helps you process and feel the emotions.
This is how you do it:
- Allow yourself to vividly remember the situation you regret and let yourself feel the regret.
- Then imagine yourself standing next to your past self or the person who wronged you, and tell them: “I forgive you, and I ask that you forgive me.”
- Next, imagine how your past self or the person who wronged you looks at you and tells you the same thing.
- Lastly, breathe in deeply, and when you breathe out, release your regret out through the breath.
Depending on how deeply ingrained your regret or anger is, it will take a few of these sessions to get rid of it.
But if you do it for every new uncomfortable memory, you will notice yourself cling to them far less.
Which is your favorite idea to start journaling daily?
And who got you interested in journaling in the first place? I think for me, it was Kalyn Nicholson and Kimberley Wenya.
As always, make sure to share any additional tips down below. We always appreciate your advice.
Until next time, Felicity Seeker!
