Tuesday, August 18, 2015

6 Tips for Starting and Keeping a Journal





At the end of every year, people make countless resolutions. One popular resolution is keeping a journal, which can be great for emotional health. However, after two weeks of faithfully writing, most people begin to write less and less, until they don’t write at all. Now, in the middle of the year, it’s a good time to start that habit back up again, but with the intent of sticking with it this time.

Journal writing comes equipped with a number of positive health benefits. It can help you to relieve stress, increase self-esteem, and can even help those suffering from mental illness. Not to mention, a well-kept journal can be a great keepsake, as long as you keep it preserved. No matter your reason, if you’re interested in starting and keeping a journal, here are a few tips to get you going.

1. Choose Your Method

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Where will you be keeping track of your innermost thoughts? Some people prefer handwritten methods in attractive journals. Others prefer to use a computer method such as a blog or a word program. Though all of those methods can be good, we prefer handwritten journals

Turning to a screen at the end of the day to record your thoughts can actually increase your stress. It’s much easier to relax and find your inner creativity when you turn to a method that goes against our current obsession with technology. Put your phone, tablet, or laptop away and get out that physical journal and start writing.

2. Set Aside the Time


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Go ahead and make journal writing a part of your schedule. You might choose to do it right after dinner, or leave the journal beside your bed so you remember to do it the night before. Some people feel more inspired in the mornings, and others prefer to write just once a week.

You might want to set a timer as well to make sure you aren’t spending hours writing. Make it just 10 minutes every day, and this will help you to feel less overwhelmed by a long journaling session.

3. Collect Mementos


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Remind yourself to keep writing by collecting mementos from your day to include in the pages of your journal. These mementos can be anything—photographs, ticket stubs, a leaf from your morning walk, a paint chip from the home you just moved from. Collect everything and glue it to your journal to make it more interesting and to remind you of your new healthy habit.

4. It’s Okay to Be Random

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This is your journal, and you can do and say whatever you want with it. Experiment with poetry; write a song; spell out several words that describe your mood that day; make a collage from magazine cutouts. Do whatever feels natural and will keep you inspired and writing.

5. Keep It Positive


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Even though it seems like venting and cursing other people in your journal would be more therapeutic, it’s actually the opposite. Staying positive is the best way to restore your mood, relieve stress, and improve overall happiness. Instead of writing about five things you hated about a certain day, write about five things you loved, and see how your mood changes. We like to say, focus on the “peaks” of your day, not the “pits.”

When you’re ready to make the commitment to start a journal, visit our website. Our Rite in the Rain journals are made to withstand all types of weather, which means they can go anywhere, join every adventure, and they have a better chance of lasting through the years and preserving your memories during that time.

What journal will you choose and what will you write about?



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