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There are so many journals we mean to begin and stick with, but then we run out of journaling ideas.
What am I "supposed" to be writing in my journal?
For those of us trying to figure things out with a journal—whether it's a personal journal or a work journal—there's nothing quite as daunting as a blank page staring back at us.
What am I supposed to be writing here anyway? How do I make journaling part of my daily or weekly habits? Is it even worth it to journal anyway? Do I give up on journaling altogether?
- The Huge Benefits of Journaling
- Gratitude Journal Prompts
- Five-Minute Journal Prompts
- Personal Journal Prompts
- Habit Journal Prompts
- Other Types of Journals We Love
The Huge Benefits of Journaling
Contrary to what naysayers will have you believe, journals are not just secret repositories for our darkest moods and deepest emotions.
While a journal can be a great outlet for your anxiety, inspiration, and aspiration, they also can have a huge effect on your mental health—without your having to "spill your guts" onto the page every day.
According to WebMD, keeping a record of your personal thoughts and feelings can support your mental health in several areas.
How Journaling Helps Your Mental Health:
- Reduces anxiety
- Helps to cut a nonstop cycle of obsessive thinking and brooding
- Improves your awareness and perception of events
- Regulates emotions
- Encourages self-awareness
- Boosts physical health
- Helps you to build goals that suit your life
How to Start A Journal (+ Keep It Going!)
The first rule of starting a journal is that there are no rules, okay? While it's great to start off with a commitment to write on certain days or during certain times, don't let your own set of "rules" ruin your journal before you even begin.
If you miss a day or a week, it doesn't mean you've failed at journaling. You can always pick up your notebook and restart from wherever you are.
Pro Tip: Journal From Wherever. If you're keeping a physical journal and find yourself inspired to write at a moment when your notebook is not on hand, the notes app on your phone can serve as a great bridge—until you can transfer your thoughts into your physical journal.
That being said, it is beneficial to set some guidelines that typically point to "successful" journaling.
How to Start Journaling Successfully (Three Loose "Rules")
- Commit to jotting down at least one sentence at a specific time every morning.
- Date your journal pages, starting with the first entry (after the first few pages).
- Start with your intentions for the journal (a shortlist on one of the first few pages).
Gratitude Journals
We love the idea of a gratitude journal. On any day, even our toughest days, there are so many things we can choose to be grateful for, really.
Gratitude journals are so popular that many daily planners even include gratitude prompts in their daily to-dos. It's important to take a look at the good things you have, because it's so easy to keep wanting, planning, and coveting new accomplishments, successes, or material gains.
To counteract imposter syndrome and damaging comparison traps, here are some ideas for a gratitude journal.
Gratitude Journal Ideas:
- Write about your favorite person
- Write about a favorite memory
- Write about a good thing that happened this week.
- Write about something you're looking forward to.
- Write about something you love about yourself
- Write about three things in your immediate surroundings that you are grateful for.
- Write about the physical abilities you have.
- Write about the last thing that made you laugh.
- Write about your most prized possession.
- Write about why you're proud of yourself
Five-Minute Journal
The five-minute journal sounds exactly like its name. It's a journal that you can dedicate five minutes to writing in. Think of a five-minute journal as a quick check-in. You can write 2-3 lines per day that describe how you're feeling. what you're up to, and what you're looking forward to.
You can also use a five-minute journal to ask one question every day. It can be the same question (or questions) or a new daily prompt. You might even be able to fit your five-minute journaling into an existing 
daily planner. This way, you can see your plans, activities, and thoughts working in conjunction with one another.
daily planner. This way, you can see your plans, activities, and thoughts working in conjunction with one another. 
Five-Minute Journal Prompts:
- How I am feeling today...
- What I want to accomplish today...
- Three things I see right now...
- Three things that happened today...
- Three things I'd like to accomplish tomorrow...
- Something I learned today...
- An unexpected emotion I navigated today...
- The high and low point of my day was...
Personal Journal Prompts
Ahh, the personal journal! The personal journal describes the journal we are perhaps most familiar with when we hear the word. It's the writing journal where you might reflect on your day, engage in self-reflection, and generally explore your own perspective on your life.
While personal journals are great tools in times of struggle or turbulence, they can be difficult to keep when things feel uneventful or boring. This is precisely when personal journaling prompts come in really handy. Take this list of writing prompts, print it out, and tape it to a page towards the back of your journal. When you feel uninspired, try one of these journaling ideas to get going.
Pro Tip: Don't put so much pressure on each journal entry. Try to have fun with your journal. It's yours for a reason.
Personal Journal Ideas:
- Write a letter to yourself five years ago. Tell your former self what you've learned.
- Imagine yourself five years in the future. What do you hope your life looks like?
- Write a story about a favorite childhood memory.
- How are you different from others? What makes you unique?
- When is the last time you felt truly inspired and motivated? Describe it.
Habit Journal
If you're looking to ditch bad habits or create healthier habits (whatever that means for you), then a habit journal might be the perfect type of journal for you to start and keep.
There are tons of habit tracker templates you can use to set and maintain new habits—and keep track of them in your journal on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.
Once you've established (or de-established) certain habits, you can use your habit journal to track your progress, your feelings, and your own self-reflection associated with improving your life.
Habits to Track:
- Exercise
- Reading
- Skills or learning
- Studying
- Eating or drinking
Creativity Journal
This journal allows you to be yourself and get your creative juices flowing. In a creative journal or an art journal, you can compile your own vision board, write poetry, add stickers, and create for creation's sake.
The key to keeping a creative journal is not getting stuck on goals. Make it an outlet for expression—whenever the mood strikes.
Creative Journaling Ideas:
- Song lyrics
- Quotes from your favorite book
- Dreams
- Drawings or doodles
- Short stories
- Collages
- Favorite things
- Inspirational
- Postcards from your favorite museum
- Positive affirmations
Creative Writing Prompts
You can also use your journal as a place to try out some writing. Here are a few creative writing samples to try.
- Share your first memory, What did you see, hear, touch, taste, or smell?
- Write about how you got to where you are today.
- Talk about what you wanted to be when you grew up.
- What is a pivotal moment that changed you for the better?
- What is something that you used to believe was true as a child?
- How would you rewrite the ending to your favorite book or movie?
Other Types of Journals We Love
We also love other types of journals, especially when it comes to planning for career success. Check out these articles on our favorite types of journals.
- The Benefits of a Work Journal (+ How to Get Started)
- What Is a Bullet Journal + Is It Worth the Hype?
- How Keeping a Vision Journal Can Change Your Career
- Why We're Starting a Worry Journal to Worry Less
- The Best Daily Planners for All of Your Needs
