1) I used to be the girl that would absolutely love stationary, in particular note books, but would never have the heart to write in something so pretty
2) I would start filling a journal with notes of different kinds for a little while and then put it down. When I wanted to start writing again, I would go out and buy a new notebook because it gave me the impression of a “new start”.
I used to have so many half filled or empty notebooks because of these little things.
I have now been journaling for over 5 years now, and a lot of those half filled notebooks are now completed. I remember when I finished my first journal - I was fucking ecstatic that I actually managed to fill one. What stopped me before was perfectionism, I thought that in order to start a new chapter in my life I needed to buy something new to “start again” with, it needed to be a blank slate. I couldn’t possibly refresh my life with a half filled notebook with all of my previous thoughts in.
Through the years, I’ve learnt that as long as you’re getting what you want out of your journaling, then that’s all that matters. Jeez, some of my journal entries are messy as anything because I was feeling sad or angry at the time of writing; I can’t be expected to keep my perfectly neat handwriting when I’m shaking and crying like a baby can I? Let’s be real. It shows that you’re expressing yourself fully and you’re actually letting everything out that needs to be let out.
I find journaling very therapeutic in these moments of high emotion because you’re getting out all of your feelings with no filter, as your journal is just for you. Your journal is a personal thing in your life where you can express how you feel without worrying about what anyone else thinks. Your journal isn’t gonna judge you, is it now? Your journal doesn’t even know who the fuck Mary is who put too many sugars in your tea. Like people say - “dance like nobody’s watching” - I believe that you should journal with this same mindset.
Whenever I’m in a time of high emotion I often forget to journal when my journal is what calms me down a lot of the time, not every single time, but it definitely helps more than it hinders. For some people it’s exercise, calling a loved one, or reading a book perhaps, but for me, I love to journal my thoughts out of my head and onto paper.
Your journal is your own personal space, and it can be used in whatever way you feel necessary at the time, may it be to-do lists, gratitude, free writing or whatever. Don’t let the internet tell you what you should and shouldn’t write in your journal, but I want to encourage you to just start and not think too much into what you’re doing at the beginning because I know you’ll find your way eventually. Perfect doesn’t exist anyways, does it?
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