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Wellness

The Genius of the “Five Minute Journal” + How to Get It For FREE!

The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at TAMU chapter.

I wish I had known about this when I started to journal.

‘The Five Minute Journal’ is the most genius design for kick-starting and maintaining journaling as a habit.

I remember seeing this on shelves at Barnes-n-Noble YEARS before I started to write as a hobby. I promptly forgot about it until a few weeks ago


On TikTok, a video popped up on my FYP about how I could get the infamous journal for free on my iPad. The user explained its concept, and I watched as she took me on this tutorial. I was hooked.

The Five Minute Journal is unique to any other journaling technique. There are easy and broad prompts to get you writing, which doesn’t take much time at all, hence the title of the journal. At the beginning and end of your day, you answer questions or prompts over gratitude, productivity, and positivity.

My journaling journey began quite unconventionally. When I was diagnosed with chronic migraines, I was told at the ripe age of 13 to start recording all my symptoms in a journal. This so I could track my migraine attacks and connect them with lifestyle choices or circumstances. Every night before I shut my eyes, I jotted down my symptoms in a tiny, wide-ruled, bright green journal from Walgreens. This small act gradually developed into an escape. I wrote pages about my daily activities, expressed my hopes and dreams. And documented my anxieties over the past, present, and future. When my life got busy, and I went through back-to-back traumatic events, I drifted away from this habitual act. Knowing something was off in my life, I slowly began incorporating journaling back into my night routine recently.

Thank goodness I found this when I did. “The Five Minute Journal” reignited the fire in my heart and mind to write. 

I highly encourage you to try out journaling. It became my stress-reliever, creative outlet, relaxation, and beginning moments of self-realization and growth. It’s hard to immediately start writing pages. You get burned out and can abandon the habit altogether if you go too hard too fast. “The Five Minute Journal” is a perfect way to start journaling. Without it, I would not have re-found my passion for writing and desire for personal growth. 

So, if you have any interest in journaling, start with the simple prompts of “‘The Five Minute Journal.”

Here is how you can download the PDF for free:

  1. Go to this website: https://www.intelligentchange.com/pages/five-minute-journal-pdf
  2. Enter your email. 
  3. Go to your email and confirm your email to subscribe to their newsletter.
  4. Once you’re confirmed, the PDF will be sent to your email.
  5. Go to the bottom of the email to unsubscribe to the newsletter (Can skip if interested in being subscribed).
  6. Download the PDF and get writing!

Never forget you’re loved, beautiful, and worthy! <3

TAMU Communication Student (class of 2024) with an interest in online publication and social media. I love dogs, photography, writing, and above all, Jesus Christ. See my website here! https://brookenunley02.wixsite.com/bnunley