If you’ve ever watched Bridget Jones’s Diary (or read the book, you literary genius, you), then you already know that journalling is the key to self-discovery, personal growth, and occasionally realising you’ve had one too many glasses of Chardonnay. But you don’t have to be a lovably chaotic London singleton to reap the benefits of journalling.
Whether you’re trying to make sense of your emotions, track your habits, or just vent about how Karen from accounting stole your lunch again, journalling can be an absolute game-changer. Let’s break it down.
Why journal?
- It clears your head: Life is messy. Sometimes you need to dump your thoughts onto paper (or a notes app, if you must) to make room for fresh ideas, sanity, and important things like remembering where you left your car keys.
- It helps you manage stress: Studies show that writing about your feelings can reduce anxiety. So instead of overthinking at 2am, pour your thoughts into a journal. Bonus: No one will judge you for rambling on paper.
- It tracks your progress: Whether you’re working on fitness goals, career ambitions, or just trying to cut down on impulse buys at Dischem, journalling helps you see how far you’ve come.
- It boosts creativity: Stuck in a rut? Writing daily can help spark new ideas, solve problems, or at least give you material for that novel you keep saying you’ll write.
- It’s a great way to vent: Sometimes you can’t rant to your best mate for the 14th time about your ex’s new haircut. Your journal, however, is always there for you, no judgement.
How to start journalling
If you’re wondering how to actually start, don’t overthink it. There’s no wrong way to journal. However, if staring at a blank page makes you sweat, here are some simple steps:
- Pick your medium: Old-school notebook? Fancy leather-bound diary? A chaotic collection of notes on your phone? Anything goes.
- Decide on a format: You can go full Bridget Jones with bullet points (Calories: 1 346. Glasses of wine: 3. Bad decisions: TBD), freewriting, lists, doodles – whatever works for you.
- Set a routine: Whether it’s every morning with coffee or just when something major happens, consistency helps make journalling a habit. But don’t stress! There’s no journalling police.
- Write like no one’s reading: Because they aren’t (hopefully). Be honest, be messy, be ridiculous. It’s your space.
- Use prompts if you get stuck: Try questions like:
- What made me happy today?
- What’s stressing me out?
- If my life were a movie, what would this scene be called?
- Embrace imperfection: Spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, incomprehensible rants… leave them in. Your journal isn’t a novel (unless it is, in which case, go you!).
