A good habit to start now is journaling. Nothing beats the feeling of flicking through old pages of a journal and remembering where you used to be and reflecting on how far you have come.
Even though there are more ways of memory-keeping, like vlogs or Instagram posts, there is something different about feeling the pages in your hand and keeping them in a safe place.
Writing journals isn’t just for memory-keeping. It has also been backed up by science to be good for your health. Not only is it a stress management tool, it also has a positive impact on your physical wellbeing.
By writing a journal you exercise both the analytical and creative sides of your brain. This helps you understand yourself and your feelings. In fact, it allows you to deal with others better and removes mental blocks.
James Pennebaker also says that regular journaling helps your immunity. At the same time, it helps you track your patterns. This could contribute to your improvement and continuous growth as a person.
There are plenty types of journals that you can start if you have difficulty writing down daily logs. Here are some ideas for journal formats that are less daunting than a daily summary of your life.
Types of Journal You Should Try
1. One-line journal
A good way to get into the habit of writing frequently is a one line or one sentence journal. It is very easy to think about, but when you’re at the end of your day and trying to decide which part is worth your one line entry, it helps you reflect on a lot more things.
2. Gratitude journal
My favorite kind of journal is the gratitude journal since I always seem to lose my path but when I remind myself what I’m grateful for, it helps me have a refreshed perspective on life. All you have to do with this journal is to write down the things you appreciate daily.
3. Food journal
This journaling goes beyond just collecting recipes, you can sketch or print our pictures of memorable meals that you have at restaurants, or the ones that you prepare at home. As they say, food is a great lens for life. Even if you aren’t as focused on memoirs, a food journal could also help you be more conscious of your intake. This is especially helpful if you are trying to track it from a health-based perspective.
4. Reading journal
You’ll never be confused with what book to recommend your friends when they ask for recommendations if you keep track of a reading journal. You don’t need to stick to a strict review and summary of the books you read, you can just put your favorite quotes or characters and how they relate to you. It’s your own story to tell
5. Travel journal
Hopefully when travel is safe again, we’ll all make the most out of our travel stories and keep their memories safe in a little book that we bring along with us and add in our memorabilia, thoughts and others.
6. Plant Journal
In the spike of plantitas and plantitos, a good way of keeping your green friends alive for even longer is to log them. You can take note of how to properly take care of them. Try adding little pictures or sketches of your plant babies
7. Fitness journal
A way to keep track of things is to have a specific journal for it. Tracker apps are very useful, but having a dedicated journal for your fitness journey changes the game. Compile your fitness plan, meals and workouts!
8. Pocket Journal
It’s just as it sounds. A little notebook in your pocket that you can reach for any time to record some thoughts or reminders for you to look back on later.
9. Junk journal
I love little keepsakes like movie stubs or receipts, tiny flowers and leaves that I find that people would classify as junk. If you have little things that you can’t seem to throw away but they aren’t really that useful, a little junk journal is a fun thing to have. Just for the stuff that you can fit in a little notebook.
If you find a journal type that interests you from this list, there is no need to feel pressured to stick to one. You can do a combination of these journals to keep track of more areas in your life. There are also many more things you can keep track of such as productivity, future projects among others. It is all up to you. Happy journaling!
