How to Start Journal Writing?

Journal writing is a great way to feel more connected to yourself, reflect on your life and affirm what’s most important to you. Shifting your focus from external stuff to internal exploration can also help make your life much happier!  

Journal writing has been around for a long time – there is a history of it in almost every culture and civilization.  

Today Aimlay is going to share with you how you can get started with journal writing from ground zero.

Identify and Name Your Problem

To get started with journal writing, you’ll need to first identify the problem that you want to solve as a result of keeping a journal.

1. To do so, think about your current life and how you’re feeling. What issues are you facing regularly? Do you feel happy? 
2. Are there any areas in your life that you feel could be improved? What is holding you back from reaching your goals? 
3. Next, think about what would make you happier in life, or what would make dealing with certain problems easier for you. Once you’ve identified these things, write them down. 
4. Now that you have identified and named the problem that you want to overcome by writing in a journal, it’s time to figure out why this problem exists. 
5. It could be a daily journal where you record events and draw from them later when you have writer’s block.  
6. It could be a dream journal where you record details of dreams and work with them later. You should choose the journaling style that fits your needs best. 

Identify Your Goal, Outcome, and Desire

You need to identify the reason why you want to start journal writing. What is the end outcome? Do you want to write a book? Do you want to get published? Or do you just want to have fun writing? 

Find a time that works for you

1. Look at your schedule and find out when you have at least 15 minutes of free time for journal writing. 
2. If you can’t seem to find one, then it’s time for you to look at your schedule again and see what can be removed.  
3. Factor in some time that’s meant for journal writing and block it out in your calendar. 

Choose the Right Tools for Journaling

1. There are so many types of paper products available for use in journaling. Find one that works best for you.
2. Whether it’s an old-fashioned pen and paper or a fancy electronic notebook, I suggest that you find what works best for you! 
3. Setting goals, identifying what you want out of life, thinking about how you want to achieve those goals. And taking steps toward achieving them is all part of growing as a person.  
4. Journal writing can really facilitate this personal growth.

Identify Obstacles to Reaching Your Goal

1. It’s easy to get intimidated by the thought of keeping a journal.  
2. A blank page can be daunting. But journaling doesn’t have to be just sitting down and writing whatever comes to mind. 
3. There are many different ways you can start your journaling journey with little effort, or even no effort at all! 
4. Journaling is an excellent way to keep track of our thoughts and emotions.
5. It allows us to really explore what we’re thinking and feeling, which can help us cope with stressful situations, relieve anxiety and depression, process difficult emotions, and solve problems more effectively. 
6. But getting started can be tough if you’re not sure where or how to begin. If you’re a beginner, here are a few tips for how to start journal writing from scratch. 

Write about your feelings

Journal writing is a therapeutic tool that can help us solve problems and improve our overall mental health. It’s a great way to get to know ourselves better, relieve stress, and even uncover new things about ourselves. Journaling is essentially a conversation with your own mind. Here are some ways journal writing can improve your life: 

1. It gives you a safe place to explore your thoughts and feelings. 
2. Journal writing relieves stress and anxiety by allowing you to express yourself freely. 
3. It improves your memory by allowing you to remember important details of your life or day. 

It’s very important to find your own style of journal writing that keeps you engaged and motivated. If one style doesn’t work for you, don’t give up. There are many ways to journal. Just keep trying until you find one that works for you.

Record your dreams and interpretations of them

Dreams can provide us with important information about ourselves and for a journal writing, but it’s important to remember that all dreams are tailor-made.

The key elements of a dream will vary from person to person. 

1. If you think you’ve found the interpretation of a dream in this article or elsewhere, but it doesn’t seem to fit you and your life situation. Then the meaning is probably more complex than a simple explanation can address. 
2. It’s helpful if you write down your dreams as soon as you wake up, because memories fade quickly and it’s important to capture them while they’re fresh in your mind.  
3. However, don’t worry if you can’t remember every detail even a general outline is useful. 
4. When you’re writing down your dream, don’t filter yourself or try to interpret as you go along. Just write down everything that comes to mind without editing. 
5. Keep in mind that the most obvious interpretation may not be the right one for you. 
6. Symbols and metaphors are often highly personal and may mean something very different to someone else. 
7. For example, if you dream of being chased by an axe-wielding maniac, this might represent your boss at work rather than an actual killer on the loose! 

The benefits of journal writing are numerous. As a writer, it engages your mind and allows you to indulge in your creative thoughts. You may find that by getting them on paper, you can begin to change or evolve these thoughts or concepts into something that is more workable.