5 SIMPLE STEPS TO CREATE A JOURNALING HABIT THAT STICKS
stop! Don’t buy another new journal until you try these simple steps to help you get started with journaling - you do not need another empty journal just sitting on your shelf!
IF YOU’RE READING THIS YOU PROBABLY KNOW THAT JOURNALING COULD REALLY HELP YOU BUT YOU JUST CAN’T SEEM TO STICK WITH IT - OR EVEN GET STARTED
Don’t beat yourself up every time you see those beautiful but empty journals sitting your shelf or the piles of pretty pens forgotten in a drawer that haven’t been used, reminding you that you ‘failed’ again.
You haven’t failed you just haven’t built the habit.
There is so much more to a journaling practice than just having the tools, it is as much about the rhythms and the rituals that you nurture alongside the writing and the creating that will form a habit that sticks and ultimately bring you the wellness benefits you are looking for.
I have put together these 5 step journaling tips for beginners that will help you create a journaling habit that will actually stick.
step 1: FIND Time & make space
Finding time for yourself, your self care and your journaling practice is about 2 things: shifting your mindset and scheduling time in. Often we are stuck in negative patterns of thinking that leave us thinking we are just too busy for self care, we think it selfish and even feel guilty if we do take some time out for ourselves.
The first step is to shift these mindsets. The second is to take action to prioritse this time, push it higher up your to do list and actually schedule it in to your calendar. I teach you how to shift your mindset to find time and make space for creative self care in my free course.
Once you have committed to finding time your task is to make physical space for you. Whether this is a designated room, or just a little reading nook, find a space and claim it (this is important in the next step). Put something in that space that signifies ‘me time’ to you, whether its a candle or a pin board with inspirational imagery on, claiming this space is important in creating a habit that will stick.
STEP 2: Routine & ritual
The brain is a habitual organ, it loves consistency and routine. Thanks to the most ancient part of our brain - the amygdala - our fight or flight response is activated when we operate in a state of uncertainty (hello stress). Creating a routine will give the brain a sense of control and support your mind in relaxing and opening into new ideas and thoughts and focus on the present, rather than worry about what might happen in the future.
Creating a routine and a ritual around your journaling will put your mind in the right place to get the most benefit from the practice. It can be as simple as choosing the same time and place each day and using the same tools (see step 3 below) but most importantly it is a commitment to building the habit in the first place.
Step 3: Mind body connection
Journaling from the 5 senses is something that really supports a healthy mind and body connection (which in turn supports a healthy mental and physical state) When you sit down to journal surround yourself with things that inspire you - your physical space affects your mental space. Consider how you can open up your 5 senses to really engage your mind. For me, it looks something like this: a hot drink (taste), pens with quotes on, textured journal covers and art materials (touch), an intention from a card deck (sight), music (sound), incense or candles (smell)
step 4: use prompts to inspire you
Even though I know that we have all the answers we seek buried inside of us already, asking the right questions is what is going to unearth them. Using a prompt to get your started can be really effective and returning to the same prompts a few months down the track can be really eye opening to see how you have already moved forward and the lessons you have learnt. The best prompts are ones the encourage self reflection, self compassion and self connection. I have put together 20 mindful journaling prompts with these categories in mind to help your journaling habit thrive - click the button below to download them now.
step 5: add creativity to keep it exciting
If you are struggling to keep up your journaling habit because it is starting to feel a little predictable its time to mix it up with some creativity.
There are plenty of simple ways you can do this, here are some examples:
get visual - with mind maps
paint backgrounds to write on
use magazine cut outs to collage and illustrate your thoughts and feelings
start collecting trinkets and findings and stick them in
write with something other than a pen - get creative!
decorate the cover, glue in envelopes and hidden compartments
To recap, creating a journaling habit that sticks is simple, it is all about creating a routine that your mind naturally craves. It starts with making simple shifts in your mindset to commit to your journaling, making a space that fosters habits, routine and ritual with a mind body connection, using prompts to inspire you and getting creative to add a whole new dimension and experience to your journaling practice.
If you’re looking for more inspiration and motivation be sure to follow along on Instagram where I share daily journaling tips and prompts on my stories.