journaling 101 — what to do before you start [a thread]

these are just tips from my personal experience, take what would work for you and leave what wouldnt! don’t force yourself to do stuff that you know isn’t like you.

ok let’s start.

clarify your intent.

what do you want to use your journal(s) for ?

is it gonna be more diary-like or a tool to boost your productivity? a mix of both? are you gonna use it to collect memories ? find out what journaling is supposed to do *for YOU* first. that’s essential.

how much time do you have to journal?

be realistic. if this is your first time journaling or if you’ve had trouble sticking to it, don’t dive into something that requires to sit down three hours a day.
+ are you gonna journal on the go or only in a particular setting?

think of what YOU need to include.

based on the time you have and what your journal is for, what kind of pages would you need ? budgeting pages? playlist pages? films/books lists? workout logs? meal planning pages? quotes?
research ideas of pages & keep what YOU would need.

choose between traditional (paper) or digital bullet journaling

there are pros & cons to both. if you don’t mind tutorials & apps, digital journaling offers a lot of freedom. if you prefer a break from screens and enjoy the process, traditional journaling is great.

get inspired.

ONCE you’ve written down the pages you want to include in your journal (which aren’t set in tone) + chose between traditional or digital, look for inspiration. Make a pinterest board, save pictures, bookmark vids etc.. Look for different spreads/layout ideas!!

things to keep in mind:

keep it simple. you’re journaling to make your life better not to stress yourself out. your journal is FOR YOU. mistakes are okay. every page doesn’t need to look instagram ready.
+””mistakes”” you can cover up with tape and pictures!!

you might not even need a spread. if the idea of a spread is very stressful for you, then go into it day by day. open your journal and just write down some simple lists or write down what you did during the day. you can definitely have a day to day approach to your journal.

if you DO end up having a spread or layout, don’t plan ahead too much. dont start making your march layout in the beginning of january because as organized as you are, you wanna leave space for spontaneity and more random pages. have a wireframe but don’t stick to it too much.

you don’t have to put Everything in your journal. you can have notebooks on the side or still have random notes in your phone. don’t put pressure on yourself by trying to fit your entire life into one space.+

ex: i have a bullet journal for my general organization, but i have a separate astrology journal, a notebook to have messy notes that just spark in my head, i use a dry eraser board for some to do lists, projects, & my workouts go directly on my calendar.

MAKE IT YOURS.

some people’s favourite part of journaling is sticking pictures around and decorating. my favourite part is lists and laying out things in an organized manner. some people prefer having pages where they can write anything that come to mind, others quotes etc.

just because someone spent 3 hours inking a portrait for one bullet journal spread doesn’t mean you have to do the same. if you want to keep it minimal and not do any decoration, do that. if you wanna go with stickers, do that. it’s YOUR journal. make it look like you.

don’t impose made-up rules on yourself.

you don’t need to stick to one (1) type of spread throughout the whole year. your journal needs to adapt to your needs. don’t be afraid to change your aesthetic and structure, you’re always evolving and growing anyway!

if you were only doing weekly spreads and you figure out you want to start have more space for day to day journaling, then start doing that. i can’t stress how much of the problems people have when it comes to journaling are entirely made up .

it’s okay to miss days.

i’ve been journaling for the past three years and even i have days where i don’t wanna journal. i have weeks where my spread is entirely made & i’ve filled nothing. it’s OKAY. it doesn’t mean you have to abandon your entire journal! hop back into it.

even if you miss an entire month, use an entire page to write down a summary of what happened or i’ve literally had pages where i only wrote giants “oh well!” and then got right back into a new spread . it’s not that deep. your journal is a companion, not a judge.

don’t stress about supplies!!

yes it’s great to have a dotted journal but if you only have access to a lined notebook or blank pages, you can still journal there!! you don’t need 16 different colors of gel pens, highlighters and washi tape unless you want it. preferences.

just START.

At the end of the day you need to experience journaling and see what works and what doesn’t work for you. you can prepare all you want but you’re gonna have to start and make mistakes (sticky notes, tape, pictures, guys. you can cover them up SO easily ).

and my god. if you want to start over. then just start over. youre not gonna get arrested for ripping pages out or switching your journal in the middle of a month. just try not to throw anything away. it’s nice to flip through a journal at the end of the year.

—- end of thread.

for people who want to try digital journaling, i’ll have my PDF spread up *for free* on my ko-fi soon, and for traditional journals, i have prints you can stick/pin in your journal on there too. otherwise, tips are always appreciated!

http://ko-fi.com/bfly