Ideas for journaling
“What got you to actually keep a journal?”
24 answers from 24 people · Updated Nov 2, 2026
This day last year, what did I care about? Two years ago today, what funny thing did my toddler say? How to actually make time for a daily journal? The answer is a five-year journal. One page per calendar day (September 4) and each page has entries for five years (2024,2025,2026,2027,2028).I look forward to picking it up each day to see what I was up to, and I’ll actually write in it bc each entry is short - just a few lines. It’s powerful to see patterns YOY and perspective shift - one year later, can’t remember what “lots of work stress” was even about!
2
I’ve been doing this for eight years now, and it’s become an integral part of my daily life, as well as a yearly practice. Every day I simply jot down what happened and how it made me feel—just a few sentences or phrases, and it takes only a few minutes. As I write, I can glance at previous years above (since each page will hold 5 years of the same date) and notice what has stayed the same and what has changed. A tiny reflection. At the end of the whole year, I read through the entire journal (the lines for that year) cover to cover. As I’m reading, I take notes on what I like and what I don’t like. What I want to see change, what I would like to do more of. The people and events that brought me joy. And those that didn’t. It can be so easy to forget the small things. The mundane smiles of a Tuesday in February. I then use those notes to help cohere my thoughts around any changes I’d like to make in my life for the next year and anything I’d like to double down on. These journals to me are such a great example of “little big change”: some small adjustment that, when done every day, makes a big difference!
31
I’ve never in my life filled a journal and I’ve been in the same one since 2017 (🫣) I’d never able to sustain momentum until I saw this Austin Kleon post about date stamps. I got one, and now I at least stamp the date daily, and sometimes that leads to more. It’s not pressuring myself to journal, it’s just an easy first step and then I can see if I feel like taking another. Now, with a little luck, I might manage to put this journal to bed before hitting its 10 year birthday.
29
Rifle Paper Co. Stitched Notebooks
The three-pack stitched notebook sets from Rifle Paper Co. are beautiful and blissfully short, which means I get to experience the joy of filling up a diary to the last page more frequently! The three-packs also typically last me about a year, which feels vaguely poetic.
1
introducing you to my one and only true love: the a6 midori grid notebook. small but mighty—it lays flat, is not intimidating to write in as you can fill up a page quite easily, and little to no bleed in the pages.
1
the perfect planner, and the only one i've liked enough to use for more than like 3 weeks. as a self-employed therapist, i have a lot of appointments, paperwork, and random things to keep track of on my own, and this planner is all i need! the a6 size is small and so cute, which makes it perfect to throw in a purse. i bring mine everywhere!! will be ordering every year for the rest of my life, most likely.
13
I’m a fair weather journal-er. Not much makes me cringe but reading my unedited, inner thoughts? No thank you. Plus a blank page is too intimidating. I ordered this because I am not a fan of summer and figured maybe this would help me work through my feelings of this season and perhaps remind me of the very few parts I do like. If I lived way up north I think I could romanticize summer but Atlanta is not her best in the heat!
14
I've got a 'one line a day' journal. I'm not allowed to be mad at myself if i miss a day.
One sentence a day? I can do that most days. A colleague is on her seventh year of doing this. I'm on month nine
5
I have an aversion to “journaling” apparently. I’ve always thought of it as a more serious ordeal than it needs to be (thank you bullet journal craze of the late 2010s) at the start of this year I started a “diary” instead. I write in it every day, even if it’s just a sentence or two, but the “dear diary” really lowered the stakes for me. So I guess if journaling doesn’t work for you, try a diary.
82
Morning pages has changed my life. You can learn more in Julia Cameron's book The Artist's Way. But the assignment is simple - every day (ideally in the morning) write 3 stream-of-consciousness pages about whatever the eff is in your head. No pressure, just start writing. You will be amazed at what comes out. And it will open up brain space for creativity and inspiration. It takes me about 20 minutes, and I usually don't manage to do it every day. But when I do, I thank myself!
131
Our Q&A a Day: 3-Year Journal for 2 People
My partner and I go to sleep at (very) different times - me much earlier than him. But every night before I sleep, he comes in to say goodnight, and we answer the question of the day in this notebook. Some are ridiculous, some are sentimental, some we roll our eyes at, but it's a constant ritual and a moment to connect every night before we dive into our respective evenings. Seeing the similarities/and differences over the years is an added bonus!
Morning Pages in a Spiral Decomposition Book
This is a habit that I wish I started earlier in life, but luckily one that was extremely encouraged in my MFA program. I re-rec’d this specifically because you must use a spiral bound notebook that is not overly precious. If it’s too beautiful a notebook, you may not allow yourself to get messy.
2
Moleskine Pocket Notebook (Grid or Dot)
I love the paper feel and quality of Moleskine books. The pocket size would be great for your purposes, and the black comes in grid, dots, ruled, or plain.
1
i’m a big advocate for journaling in general, but i spent many years with empty pages. i’d have thoughts and reflections throughout the day, but they’d disappear by the time i went to write them down, and when i intentionally sat down with pen in hand, my mind would go blank. it wasn’t until i gave myself permission, which at first felt sacrilegious to the concept of journaling, to jot things down in my notes app and transfer them into my journal later that i was actually able to keep track of those thoughts. i’ve found that the process of rewriting them helps me process them, too.
20
Monk Manual - A Daily System for Being and Doing
My husband got me one of these a few years ago when I was feeling really stuck - I didn’t love my career at the time, but was hesitant about making a change. I’ve never been a regular journal-er so the quick list, question prompt format worked well for me to collect my thoughts in a consistent way. I also liked the connection between long-term goals <-> immediate to-dos toward those goals. This might be a nice gentle assist toward a thoughtful practice. Full disclosure: there is an element of Faith, mentions of God as connected to Purpose in the opening pages so if that’s a tender subject at all then something to be aware of.
51
literally so simple but prompts you to write 750 words per day and then shows you stats… in my ideal world i would hand journal stream of consciousness every day, but i find this so much more approachable since im already sitting at my computer all the time
3
Emotional support toolkit journal
I purchased this from a tea shop in Seattle and it’s great. A little guide on managing overwhelm and getting yourself out of certain thought patterns. Really easy to follow and beautifully made.
5
Therapeutic and low-cost. My Inner Critic is a big muscley eloquent bully who frequently has my whimsical, artsy side in a complete perfectionist chokehold. Kind of like the Trunchbull to Miss Honey. Junk journaling allows the whimsical side of me to wriggle out of Inner Critic's grasp. I glue ticket stubs, receipts, ridiculous quotes from magazines, and fruit stickers to paper. There is no flowery prose, immaculate pencil-shading, or technique of any kind to master, and therefore there is nothing for my Inner Critic to bark its usual "Stupid! Unoriginal! Ugly!" soundtrack at. Zero rules, zero expectations. Zero excuses. I'm free. "All art is quite useless." -- Oscar Wilde
1
Ten Writing Prompts (Lucy Ives, The Paris Review)
I love these writing prompts. They are so imaginative. Immediately make my brain go to many fun exciting places!!! Love this idea for a distraction diary. Amazing! Incredible! Writing is so fun!
821
I put it in my purse and write things down. Groceries, reminders, good ideas. It’s nice to reach for something that’s not my phone.
11
Jordan McMahon: The Pens and Planners That Helped Me Stop Doomscrolling
15 recs
I’ve been spending a lot less time on my phone lately. I haven’t ditched my smartphone for a more minimalist option, nor do I Brick my phone every night before bed. Instead, I’ve finally forced myself to dive into hobbies that require me to be off my phone for more than a few minutes. Much of the time I used to spend doomscrolling now goes to kickboxing, singing, and the occasional stand-up open mic. All of those get me out of the house and away from my phone — which is great — but don’t do much for keeping my screens turned off when I’m at home, especially after a long day. My stationery obsession, on the other hand, does. I spend hours trying out fountain pens with my trusty notebook, looking for one that’s smooth enough to handle my quick handwriting and small enough to satisfy my love for tiny pens (so I can always have one with me). Then, of course, there’s the matter of finding the right ink to go with my pen. Since I’m trying to get away from the black ink I’m used to from ballpoint pens, I’ve wanted to find something a little more exciting without veering too far from neutral colors. After trying the fountain pens of a few friends and sampling their inks, I’ve decided that I want a nice brown ink with rich shades that aren’t too dark. That search has proven nearly as difficult as the challenge of getting off my phone in the first place, but mostly because of all the options — and it’s a lot more satisfying.
