Journaling

Don't think there's a thread on this, correct me if I'm wrong.
Anyone keep a diary/journal? I've started in the last few months, as it lets me forget about things, knowing I've written them down, and I think it'll be fascinating to look back on in a few years. You forget how you feel in the moment, and the exact thoughts you have, don't you? So I think writing them down and having that saved to come back to at a later date is quite a nice thought, depending on what it is.

I don’t at the moment, but would like to start. I’ve had a rough year and like what you’ve said about the ‘it lets me forget things’ I think I’d like that. I’ve seen some good ones that have sections you fill in etc. i would definitely like to start though

watermelon sugar said:

I don’t at the moment, but would like to start. I’ve had a rough year and like what you’ve said about the ‘it lets me forget things’ I think I’d like that. I’ve seen some good ones that have sections you fill in etc. i would definitely like to start though

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I'm not the most eloquent person though, and my handwriting is awful, so it doesn't look very nice. I don't think I'll ever show it to anyone though, so it shouldn't matter.
You should start. Sometimes I just do bullet points, rather than writing essays

I do. I have a proper journal and I also do digital journaling using my iPad too.

With my diary I'm always torn between writing out all my thoughts and feelings or simply saying "today I did this and this".
I think I find it rather hard to talk about my feelings.

I've been writing on and off since I was around 13. I lost the books from when I was in secondary school at 15. Somehwere in the house but I have no idea.

I started writing again between the ages of 23-30. I haven't been able to write a single word since may after going something. Drew a lot sometimes when I needed to.

Day to day you don't see the changes- it's only looking backwards that you can. Helps untangle thoughts and to remember the small things.

I've used mainly Paperchase journals but also cheaper notebooks.

I have kept a journal for years, but I've only managed to write a few entries this year. Too many negative events have happened, it would make for a depressing read.

What notebooks do people use?

I buy the £12 ones from Paperchase.

I started journaling about a month ago as my boyfriend left me completely out of the blue and I needed an outlet for my feelings that wasn’t endless whatsapp messages begging him to come home

I feel like a 12 year old and I would die if anyone ever read it. But it’s helping me to find triggers in what causes really bad days and I cannot wait to eventually look back and see how far I’ve come.

At the moment I don’t really have to think about what I write as I’m all over the place emotionally and it all kind of pours out of me. But I am wondering what it will evolve into as I (hopefully) feel better, does anyone use prompts or do you find you can always note down your thoughts?

Papier also have lovely notebooks too.

I don't personally use prompts. Could be helpful for others though. If you search up shadow work journals too. There's a few on Amazon too.

Bleurghgram said:

I started journaling about a month ago as my boyfriend left me completely out of the blue and I needed an outlet for my feelings that wasn’t endless whatsapp messages begging him to come home

I feel like a 12 year old and I would die if anyone ever read it. But it’s helping me to find triggers in what causes really bad days and I cannot wait to eventually look back and see how far I’ve come.

At the moment I don’t really have to think about what I write as I’m all over the place emotionally and it all kind of pours out of me. But I am wondering what it will evolve into as I (hopefully) feel better, does anyone use prompts or do you find you can always note down your thoughts?

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Sending you love, Im sorry you're going through a tough time.

Prompts are super helpful to use if you find yourself staring at a blank page not knowing where to begin. Pinterest has soooo many prompts covering so many different topics.

I've wanted to get into journalling for a while now but it feels like a chore. I suppose because I know that what I'm going to write will be uncomfortable or hurt.

How many journals have people completed? I'm only on my first at the moment, and I always feel inspired when I see people with big stacks of notebooks who have been journaling for years.

I’m a lifelong journal writer. I sadly threw out my teen ones as I’d read back on them and cringed so badly and tore them to pieces. But I think a few decades on, I’d now enjoy reading my younger thoughts.

There have been gaps over the years. Like when the kids were really young and I was so sleep deprived and couldn’t be bothered. I still had a journal of some form though and would jot milestones and the odd entry but it was minimaI. I did keep a blog for a few years, but prefer pen and paper.

The last 5-6 years have been regular almost daily entries. I use moleskin notebooks, hardcover ruled. The content varies. It does help me to “dump” at the end of the day. Sometimes it’s deeper thoughts, sometimes it’s mundane recaps of the day. I find I used to not write when my mental health would be suffering, but even forcing myself to make a bullet point list of tasks accomplished helped me reflect and not get too stuck. It’s only when I’m out of my slumps that I’m able to reflect with some insightful words.

I still sometimes cringe at some of the stuff I’ve written. Things that I thought were big deals but turned out to be nothing in retrospect. Perspective is an amazing thing.

I journaled a fair bit during lockdowns. That will be interesting to read back one day, it’s too soon for me yet.

I still find it hard to be completely honest in my entries, some of the things that involve others, like the kids, I feel is too private to put into words lest someone reads it in the future. I don’t want to betray their confidence even though the journals are for my eyes only. Sometimes I use code or initials to hide some of the more sensitive things.

I find writing therapeutic in many ways.

Great thread!

I used to be an avid journal writer, up to uni years. I still have a few of my childhood/teenage journals. I fell out of habit but I miss it, it helped me to gather my thoughts and empty my head at the end of the day. And I found I was less likely to overshare at random times with people because I already had a good outlet for my thoughts, haha. I want to get back to it, the phone is my downfall. I always find myself glued back to a screen instead of journaling.

I used all kind of notebooks for it, mostly hard cover ones that can be closed with an elastic band. Moleskines were my favourite but I find them a bit too pricey these days. Thankfully I'm still a few pages into a limited edition Moleskine (it has a Hogwarts map cover haha) so I can enjoy using it.

pinkmug said:

I used to be an avid journal writer, up to uni years. I still have a few of my childhood/teenage journals. I fell out of habit but I miss it, it helped me to gather my thoughts and empty my head at the end of the day. And I found I was less likely to overshare at random times with people because I already had a good outlet for my thoughts, haha. I want to get back to it, the phone is my downfall. I always find myself glued back to a screen instead of journaling.

I used all kind of notebooks for it, mostly hard cover ones that can be closed with an elastic band. Moleskines were my favourite but I find them a bit too pricey these days. Thankfully I'm still a few pages into a limited edition Moleskine (it has a Hogwarts map cover haha) so I can enjoy using it.

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Why don't you trial a digital journal until you get back into the habit? Or even just use your notes to jot down some thoughts throughout the day.

How do you motivate yourself to journal? I'm struggling at the moment. Probably because I'm tired and I leave it too late. I wrote a page today though after not writing for about two weeks so that's something.

Laughingforlife said:

How do you motivate yourself to journal? I'm struggling at the moment. Probably because I'm tired and I leave it too late. I wrote a page today though after not writing for about two weeks so that's something.

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I only write when I feel like writing. Don’t force myself. Have written twice in five months. Another time was in iphone notes.

Maybe a change of environment might help? I used to write in coffee shops a lot.

The one line a day books are good. Just need two lines at the most.

I am going to re-start my journalling in the New Year. I'm planning to have a regular written journal and a separate art journal.

I began "keeping a diary" when I was about 10-11 in 1994 - I then had one all pretty much all through secondary school and sixth form. I keep meaning to read back through them (mainly to try and remember the name of somebody I saw the other day lol). I know there's a few laughs to be had doing that, but also a few tears too.

I lost the habit somewhere in the mid- 2010s, due to mental illness and undiagnosed ASD. Although I was just drawing and doodling and writing lists etc at that point. Next year I want to get back into writing proper accounts of the day, emotions, venting etc.

I always used to get purple silk covered hardback A5 day-to-a-page diaries from WHSmith, but I can't see them on the website so I guess I'll look for a similar-sized equivalent. I've already got a Molskine book for my art journal.

The only thing that puts me off is a hangover from my youth when my best friend secretly read my diary when she slept over; and also I am convinced my mum used to read it too, as there was "how rude" written in it next to a questionable picture I drew - I'm sure I didn't write it. I felt so ....invaded? I don't know. I suppose I'll have to get a box with a lock!

iLoveMeSomeCanoles said:

I am going to re-start my journalling in the New Year. I'm planning to have a regular written journal and a separate art journal.

I began "keeping a diary" when I was about 10-11 in 1994 - I then had one all pretty much all through secondary school and sixth form. I keep meaning to read back through them (mainly to try and remember the name of somebody I saw the other day lol). I know there's a few laughs to be had doing that, but also a few tears too.

I lost the habit somewhere in the mid- 2010s, due to mental illness and undiagnosed ASD. Although I was just drawing and doodling and writing lists etc at that point. Next year I want to get back into writing proper accounts of the day, emotions, venting etc.

I always used to get purple silk covered hardback A5 day-to-a-page diaries from WHSmith, but I can't see them on the website so I guess I'll look for a similar-sized equivalent. I've already got a Molskine book for my art journal.

The only thing that puts me off is a hangover from my youth when my best friend secretly read my diary when she slept over; and also I am convinced my mum used to read it too, as there was "how rude" written in it next to a questionable picture I drew - I'm sure I didn't write it. I felt so ....invaded? I don't know. I suppose I'll have to get a box with a lock!

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Wow. I'm sorry that your privacy was invaded. How did you keep the habit through those years?