7 Tips to Take Your Journaling to the Next Level

Table of Contents

Introduction

Journaling is a practice that many people take part in to write out their thoughts and clear their minds. Along my networking journey with other business owners, I’ve come across many business owners who journal and value its importance. Have you considered these 7 tips to take your journaling to the next level?

If you need some tips to take your journaling to the next level, you’ve come to the right place.

My relationship with journaling

I have an on-and-off relationship with journaling. When I’m not taking pen to paper or typing in my Google Doc, I am expressing what’s going on in my life in the caption of my IG post.

So essentially, I am journaling almost every day. I often judge myself for not journaling formally. For example, I own tons of digital journals. I also create digital journals but I don’t use any of them.

Journaling can easily fall by the wayside after a busy day. Or it could be just what you need to end your day. I know it’s time to take my journaling to the next level. What about you? Do you journal consistently?

In this article, I will share 7 tips to take your journaling to the next level.

Use Your Journal to Self-Reflect

Black woman in deep thought self-reflecting with black pen in her right hand. She's holding the pen close to her face.

I don’t know about you but when I journal, it’s because I need to process my thoughts. Self-reflecting helps you to dig deep inside yourself to unveil your issues. I am very aware of myself and my thoughts and the first step to healing is awareness. When I speak with my therapist, she applauds me on my self-awareness. I know my strengths, weaknesses, and areas in which I need to grow. Although I have the awareness part down, I don’t always have the solution or answer for my anxiety but using my journal to self-reflect is a huge. That is when I journal which is not every day.

Use Your Journal to Process Your Emotions

Black woman sitting outside in the grass with her legs folded and journal in her lap. She's writing and looks as if she's processing her emotions.

We all know that life is full of ups and downs. Sometimes we just have crappy days. When I’m feeling down, I try to talk myself out of it but it’s important to let myself FEEL. I learned from my therapist that if I’m having a bad day, it’s okay. I don’t always have to be positive. And on those tough days, I turn to my journal. You could also write about exciting days as well but permit yourself to feel all of your emotions. This process can reduce emotional distress, enhance resilience, and promote emotional intelligence.

Write About What Scares You

Black woman sitting at her desk journaling looking down. She looks sad and scared. There is an open laptop in front of her. She has her elbow resting on the table, cheek in palm.

Start by writing about what scares you. This helps you to delve deeper into your thoughts when you are journaling, instead of just writing about your day. It can be easy to get used to the same journaling every day, where you are just going over what your plans are, but to get deeper into journaling and reveal more about yourself, you need to write about what scares you.

This can be thoughts and concerns now or in the future, or your literal fears. Maybe you have anxiety and want to talk about things you can’t do because of your anxiety, or you are scared of things like your business failing or a relationship ending. As with all journaling, make sure you are honest with yourself when writing.

Try Scripting to take your journaling to the next level

Black woman sitting at a desk writing with a black-capped gray pen and smiling with a gray laptop open in front of her.

Scripting is a style of writing often used in the law of attraction and personal development, where you write in the present tense as if what you are trying to manifest has already happened. A lot of scripting starts with “I am” instead of “I want to” or “I hope”. Even if the thing hasn’t happened yet, you are writing as if it has. This gets into your mind what it will be like when you complete that goal or achieve that life accomplishment. You want to think about what your life will be like, how it will change, how you will feel, and write all of those details down.

Scripting not only takes your journaling to the next level but if done correctly, it will take your life to the next level. How many times have you heard a story about your favorite celebrity and how their careers became their reality? They started scripting and living their lives as if they’d already achieved their dreams. For example, Jim Carrey wrote a 10 million dollar check to himself and carried it around in his wallet. And after 7 years, he was paid exactly 10 million dollars for The Mask. How’s that for scripting?!

Journal Your Biggest Anxieties

black woman staring intently and anxiously at her laptop. She appears to be taking her journaling to the next level by journaling her biggest anxieties.

Do you have big, anxieties you never tell anyone, not even your journal? Now might be a good time to start. You of course want to make sure your journal is private and nobody will ever be able to read it. Once you do that, start writing down your anxieties. My journaling practices are usually to express my feelings, fears, and anxiety. I have a lot of fears still but journaling helps me work through them. Unfortunately, healing is not linear. Your anxieties may vary in type or size, from thoughts you have never admitted, to something you have been bottling up for a long time. This can be therapeutic when there is something you can’t tell anyone and you just have to keep to yourself.

Create a Journaling Ritual (If you Can)

Black woman wearing afro, glasses, and kelly green shirt sitting in the grass with her legs folded. She is looking up towards the sky, pencil in hand thinking. She is taking her journaling to the next level by creating a ritual of journaling outside in the park.

I’m telling you to create a ritual if you can because I know how I am. I am a human being. I may forget to journal some days and that’s okay. I may just not feel like doing it and that’s okay too. If you want to take your journaling to the next level by making it a daily habit then feel free. Journal before bed, after you brush your teeth in the morning, on your lunch break. Journal whenever you feel like it’s a great time for you. You can even journal while sitting in your car or your favorite park. If you want to journal every other day or once a week, then that’s fine also.

Bonus Tip to take your journaling to the next level

I decided to include one last tip that I learned about recently. It isn’t anything new but I have found this tip useful. Write about 3 good things that happened to you every day, no matter how your day went. Even if you had a terrible day, there is at least one positive that happened. For example, you woke up in the morning. That is a positive. You can see and walk. These are daily blessings that many of us take for granted.

Or maybe you heard from a friend that you haven’t spoken with in a while. There is always one thing to be grateful for. Finding three things to write about daily will train your brain to see the positives in life and move away from anxiety and struggle. I write 3 good things in my notebook on nights that I remember to do so. If I forget a night, I don’t beat myself up about it.

Final Thoughts

I hope you enjoyed the 7 tips to take your journaling to the next level. Journaling can relieve so much stress in our day-to-day lives. Start applying these 7 tips daily and watch your life change for the better.

If you are ready to begin your journey through journaling, join me over in my FB group, the Tarafied Tribe.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some benefits of improving my journaling practice?

Improving your journaling practice can provide several benefits, including:

Increased Self-Awareness: Deepening your understanding of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
Improved Mental Health: Reducing stress, anxiety, and promoting emotional well-being.
Better Goal Setting: Clarifying goals and tracking progress more effectively.
Enhanced Creativity: Increasing creative thinking and problem-solving.
Personal Growth: Facilitating personal development and growth through reflection and introspection.

How can I stay consistent with my journaling practice?

To stay consistent with your journaling practice:

Set a Schedule: Dedicate a specific time each day for journaling, making it a regular habit.
Create a Routine: Incorporate journaling into your daily routine, such as before bed or after waking up.
Start Small: Begin with a few minutes each day and gradually increase the duration as you become more comfortable.
Use Prompts: Utilize journaling prompts to spark ideas and overcome writer’s block.
Make it Enjoyable: Choose a comfortable, inviting space for journaling and use tools you enjoy, like a favorite pen, notebook, or journaling app.

How can I use journaling to achieve personal growth and development?

Use journaling for personal growth and development by:

Setting Goals: Write down your goals and break them into actionable steps, tracking your progress regularly.
Self-Reflection: Reflect on your experiences, thoughts, and feelings to gain deeper insights and learn from them.
Gratitude Practice: Regularly list things you are grateful for to develop a positive mindset.
Identifying Patterns: Notice recurring themes or behaviors in your entries that may indicate areas for improvement.
Visualizing Success: Use journaling to visualize your future success and outline the steps needed to achieve it.