First Steps in Creating a Productive Journaling Habit – A Beginner’s Guide

Starting a daily journal is something that more people are doing these days. It’s a safe, secure way to get in touch with your thoughts and feelings and to discover yourself as you go along. But just what is a “diary”?

Here are some tips for starting on journaling, so that you can find out what it is that you really enjoy writing about and how to make it a habit. A journal doesn’t have to be about anything special. In fact, it can be a boring routine, just like any other one you might use.

But it does need to tell you something about what’s going on in your life at any particular moment. So it doesn’t matter if you’ve never kept one before. As long as it somehow helps you keep track of your life, then you’ve done something right. If you’re not sure what you’re going to write in your diary, pick a date to start.

That way, you know exactly what you’ll be writing each day. Start with some broad details: the first day, the second, the third, etc. And don’t worry too much about being specific – it’s just a start, and once you’re comfortable with it you can start adding more details.

Why don’t you start with something less common, like your feelings for Valentine’s Day? Then, as you feel more comfortable writing about them, move on to other events. Maybe you’ve been planning an exciting trip for weeks, and now it’s finally time to set it up. Write that down, too. You’ll have it at the ready for when you need to write about it later.

Starting a journal is about discovering your life and your thoughts and emotions. So it’s easy to let yourself off at the end of the day by looking back over your entire life and seeing all the happy things you’ve written in your journal.

Don’t do that! Instead, read yourself through again from the beginning, and find those moments that touch you the most. One very practical tip for actually starting your journal is to keep a notepad and pen on hand. Whenever you find a new thought or feeling, write it down on your notepad.

When you’ve written down your feelings or thoughts, write them again, but this time make sure they are on paper, not on your computer screen. If you’ve jotted something down on your cell phone, start to carry your phone around with you so you can look at it at any time.

That way, you’ll always be aware of what you’ve written in your journal. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you always have to have your phone with you when you start writing. Some days you’ll want to concentrate on other things, so you won’t want to get caught with your phone pressed to read your notes.

What’s important is that you’re able to go back and read any thoughts or feelings that you may have written the night before. Start by writing a journal just for yourself. Then, start taking notes for other people like your friends or co-workers so that they can read what it’s really like inside your own head.

So remember, starting a daily journal is simple. Write down your thoughts each morning and read them whenever you’re ready. You’ll begin to realize that you’re always alive! You’re never too old to be a journal writer! Also, if you find that you’re more comfortable writing on paper than on a computer, go for the paper route.

Don’t forget that you need to practice proper grammar and spelling. That’s going to be vital if you ever plan on submitting anything. It’s also a good idea to write down exactly how you want to say something, word for word. This way, you can check your spelling and grammar while you’re writing instead of having to re-read what you wrote later.

Also, don’t write in big, crazy black letters. Keep it simple and straightforward. And once you start gaining momentum, don’t put off finishing what you have started. Continue adding to it each day. After a few weeks or months, you’ll wonder how you ever did without it.

I hope this starting a daily journal guide has been helpful. If so, you’ll find several other helpful guides on starting a daily journal at my website. You’ll also find other ways of starting your own journal from other sources online. Good luck!