As a writing and linguistics major, there comes a time when I have to write from experience. Unfortunately for me, I have an unreliable memory. Now I’ve been journaling here and there since I was in elementary school, usually during a troubling time, just to get things off my chest. Every time I circle back to this coping mechanism, I read about things I have almost zero recollection of, and then I realize something, journaling comes in clutch. Why remember when I already wrote it down? And that, my friends, is a superpower.
Things to remember:
- There are no rules, do whatever makes you happy. I typically write about whatever I did that day and how those events made me feel. You can also check Pinterest for some writing prompts. Here are a few of my favorites.
- What brings you peace?
- If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
- What is your personal motto?
- What is one goal you are working towards?
- Pick a notebook you like. It can really be anything, but I am a notebook addict. You can find cute ones at TJ Maxx or on Amazon. Here are some of my favorites.
The Leuchtturm 1917 is a girl’s dream, but it is pricey for a notebook. A less expensive option is the Paperage Dotted Notebook. Both companies produce journals with different paper (lined, graph, dotted) but the choice is yours. If you like traditional journaling, I suggest going with a lined notebook. If you want to add some fun doodles and designs, I suggest the dotted paper because it gives you the same structure as a grid but less noticeable once the magic happens.
Image Directly from site. Credit to the photographer of Leuichtturm.
- Find a nice pen you like. When it looks pretty, it’ll make you happy and therefore more likely to keep going.
The BIC ballpoint pen is my favorite pen in existence. It writes smooth, rarely smears and it isn’t too thick. The Sharpie S Gel pen is my journaling pen and the only gel pen I actually like. It doesn’t bleed but it does smear a little depending on the angle you write at.
Image Directly from site. Credit to the photographer of BIC.
Image Directly from site. Credit to the photographer of Sharpie Gel.
Now for anyone who claims to not be a writer, that is perfectly fine. You can write about just anything that may be happening in your life. Talk about what happens and how it made you feel. Try writing for 30 days and then go back and read your entries. You’d be surprised what you may find out about yourself.