how to journal- if you hate journaling

if any of you truly know me, you know that i am a total journal- memory- keep-saker. i think it's literally engrained within my dna. i am always recording events, writing, and keeping any object that may have reference to the situation. so the idea that someone doesn't do this each night... it's a strange concept for me to comprehend. so i decided to put together a post that helps those who don't like journaling- but are interested- to become familiar with different types of tools to use. journaling is just documenting feelings and circumstances. it's easy to to, but it takes routine and practice. here are my tips and forms of journaling that require less effort, but will spike a love of journaling!

1. the best jar

the first form of journaling, that i do every night, is called 'the best jar'. this is a journaling type, in which i write, on a small piece of paper, the best part of my day. i then fold it up, and put it into a large mason jar. it's a great way to reflect positively on my day, and look back and recall the greatest events of my month, or even year.

2. the prayer box

the second is my prayer box. i scored this adorable tin can at our local christian bookstore, and it's seriously a genius idea. each week, i record my short term prayer requests, that i am praying for in the up coming week. at the end of the week, i record weather or not my prayer was answered. this is a great way to be encouraged to pray, and it reveals just how real answers to prayers are! it is a bi-weekly journaling, and takes less than five minutes!

3. question a day book

my parents bought me this book this christmas, and it has been a great way to consider real questions, and take a deeper look at myself. it is a book that has a question a day, but a space to write the answer three times over- implying the books use over three years. because i just got the book, i haven't experienced a change in my answers yet, however, it will be entertaining reaching, say january eighth, next year, and observing how my answer to the question changed. the questions can often be answered in less than three sentences, or else by bullet point, so it's a quick an easy way to record aspects of your life!

(you can buy this book on amazon)

https://www.amazon.ca/Day-Me-3-Year-Journal-Teens/dp/0804186642/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1548888493&sr=8-3&keywords=q+and+a+a+day

4. my year by colours sheet

this is just a simple graph that i drew up, and it just displays the 'mood' of the month, or year, using specific, designated colours. each colour has an assigned emotion, to sum up the day. and it's the easiest way to record a day, because it only requires colouring in a small square!

5. photos

these are a classic. keeping up with printing photos is such a nice feeling. keeping them in a photo album, or box, is a great way to store them, and so satisfying to look back on!

6. actual journaling... sorry

i did want to give some pointers that i find help make journaling easier. journaling is really hard. like, seriously. keeping up with everything that goes on in like, and adding all the emotions that build up from certain topics... it's tough! however, over years and years of attempting to routinely journal, i have picked up some tips that make it a whole lot easier!

+ decide why you want to journal. for me, it was that i wanted to look back on my entries that i wrote as a kid, and read them as an adult, to better understand what my kids may be going through. another reason was my admiration of anne frank. something about her entries spiked my interest, and got me fixated on recording everything that happened in my life. not nearly as entertaining as anne's entries, but i was trying. haha.

+ to start, summarize your day, each night before bed. it doesn't have to be long, just enough to look back on, and understand what went on that day.

+ once this becomes a routine, add how you felt about certain situations. it's good to look back on these circumstances, in retrospect, and decide if you responded accordingly. reflecting on poor situations helps you become a better person.

+ after each week of journaling, look back throughout the pages, and read through each entry. it is satisfying, and it reminds you why you journal, and document your life.

customizing your journal can also encourage you to use it.

anywayyy...

those are my journaling tips, and i hope you were inspired to try journaling! i sincerely hope my words have helped! so, what are you waiting for!? grab a piece of paper, and pick one of these activities to do! the first step is always the hardest, but it is the most important. after you've started, subscribe to my blog, for more posts with tips on documenting your favourite moments! thank you for reading! love you all!

xoxo

maya alejandra elizabeth casey