I love journaling! I used to keep small notebooks of all of my favorite quotes from books and Pinterest, and it wasn’t until I saw @bestdressed from YouTube talk about how to get into journaling that I began my first journal. This is what I discovered about myself and my favorite supplies. 

These are 7 reasons why I journal as someone who’s been journaling for 7 years. 

What I Use: 

My preferred medium of journaling is paper and pen. 

My favorite types of journals are Moleskine Classic Notebook Hard Cover with ruled lines. I’ve written in miscellaneous journals before and they’re fine, just not my favorite . Currently, I’m testing out the Leuchtturm1917 Classic Notebook. So far I’m enjoying it because the top of the page has a spot for the date and that’s super nice because I date all my entries. 

My favorite pens to write with ever since high school (and yes I wrote in pen in high school, call me crazy) is the Pilot G2 Gel Pens Extra Fine Point .05mm in black. I like that I have tangible copies of things, it’s satisfying when I’ve completely filled up a journal and I flip through all the pages. 

7 Reasons Why I Journal:

1. To validate my emotions

My journal is a place to express my feelings without having to justify myself. I can say my feelings and I know they are true and real, especially in that moment of time. It’s good to admit that I’m feeling something even if I find it unlikeable or ugly like jealousy, anger and hatred. If I don’t validate my emotions, who will? 

2. To process my feelings 

Journaling allows me to sit with my feelings instead of compartmentalizing it and moving on with my day, something I’ve found myself doing. 

When I journal, I can go back to that same topic, idea, emotions over and over until I feel at peace with it. I can see the peak of the emotions, and be able to see the situation from a clearer perspective later on. Something that might’ve not been possible if I didn’t address it then. 

Something I’ve learned is that you are not your feelings. Feelings and emotions are fleeting, they can change quickly. Although it’s still important to feel them and accept them, it’s also important to practice self-soothing and reflection. 

3. It slows me down

I like that writing down my thoughts allows me to slow down (for the most part at least). My hand can only move so fast, so I like that I’m forced to sit with my thoughts longer. It helps to calm me down and I can feel the tension dissipating like the steam from when rain hits a fire.

4. It helps me to clear my mind

I love a good brain dump. Sometimes, I feel like I’m thinking of a million things with no outlet. No one to tell my dilemmas to, no one to ask my questions, or things that I don’t want to say aloud. Well my journal got me. Whenever I’m feeling stressed, overwhelmed or excited I like to write it down. It helps me to relieve some brain space and make more important decisions throughout the day. It also helps me not be so irritable and take it out on the people I love. 

5. It keeps my memories archived

Some of my journal entries are daily life stuff and weekend recaps. Almost like a diary! Honestly, it’s crazy how much of my life goes by and I don’t remember a lot of it. I love being able to open an entry and see exactly what I was up to that day, what my state of mind was like and what was going on in my life. For example, if I were to open up a page and relive a day in life as a college student. What test was I stressing out about then? What was I looking forward to that weekend? It’s just so cool to see. 

6. It gives me comfort

I know it’s kind of weird. How can a notebook provide comfort? Well, it’s like a listening ear. I can continually ramble about the same topic over and over, and my journal is there to receive it. 

Sometimes I can go weeks or even months without journaling, but when something terrible happens I write about it to cope and process. And it’s a way to express hard stuff without the pressure of talking to someone. I find that writing it down automatically makes me feel a little bit better. 

Journaling is weird like that. 

Also, it’s comforting to know that although I’ve encountered difficult things in life, I can look back and reflect and see where I am now that I am okay. That I went through the worst of it and made it out okay. If I can endure that and be okay, I can endure anything else life throws at me. 

7. For the writer

I am a writer. I like to write poetry, stories and essays. Journaling reminds me to write for myself, with no other opinions or judgment. 

Although I love and appreciate beautiful imagery, thought-provoking metaphors and informational pieces, journaling reminds me that it’s okay to write for myself. Plain and simple words. Not art. Just expressing myself. But then again art is expressing yourself. So really, it’s art just for my eyes.