You have a cool notebook, a pen in hand, ready to go. But one small problem is getting in your way...
You don't know what to write.
Figuring this out is critical — if you are constantly feeling uninspired, you're less likely to keep up with the journaling habit and experience all of its amazing benefits.
Luckily, this article is jam-packed with exciting journaling ideas to keep you engaged so that you never run short on inspiration.
The first step to figuring out what to write is figuring out your intentions with journaling.
Journaling habitually has all kinds of amazing benefits. It's a science-backed wellness practice that can help improve your life in many ways:
To get the most out of your journaling habit, it's important to spend some time reflecting about your specific goals.
The way you journal, and what you write about, should be tailored to these what you want to achieve.
Ready for some journaling ideas to get you started? We'll outline several different approaches so you can find the perfect one to suit your lifestyle and goals. This will help you know what to write when you sit down to journal.
One journaling idea is to use your journal as a place to vent your thoughts.
You can use your journal as an outlet to purge negative feelings like stress, anxiety, and anger so you can let them go
Use journaling to have calm, productive mornings →
Once they're written down, you can always go back and read them later with a clear head and fresh perspective.
Try this if:
Bullet journaling involves keeping artistic bulleted lists of things like your daily to-do list, long-term goals, exercise routines, and more. It's a great way to track healthy habits, and your progress on projects or goals.
Since it's more visual and artsy than a regular journal, it's also fun for people with a creative side.
Try this if:
Gratitude journaling involves taking time each day to write down things you're grateful for, or positive things that happened.
Practicing gratitude has been proven to help you feel more positive, calm, and happy. When you take time to appreciate the good, it can put negative thoughts and experiences in perspective.
Try this if:
When you don't know what to write, one good idea is to free-write whatever happens to come to mind.
(Yes, literally whatever thought pops into your head).
Freewriting encourages mindfulness and better self-awareness. When you write out your thoughts as they come to you, you can recognize unhelpful thought patterns.
It's also a fun way to simply document what's happening in your life and what you've been thinking about.
Try this if:
Totally get it! A guided journaling app, like Jour, can offer the benefits of multiple approaches all in one — right on your phone.
After a daily check-in, Jour gives you personalized journal prompts and questions tailored to what you're going through.
As your needs change, it changes with you. You'll never run out of ideas what to write, and we'll send you daily notifications to keep you accountable!
Try this if:
When starting a new journaling habit, it's very common to feel stuck when it comes to knowing what to write.
Deciding on a journaling approach that reflects your needs can help you focus your intentions, find inspiration, and experience the positive effects of journaling to the fullest.
We hope these journaling ideas have helped you find inspiration.
And of course, if you ever need more guidance - Jour is here for you with tons of questions and prompts to help you be your best self.
About Jour
Jour is a guided, therapeutic journaling app for iOS.
Download Jour to start journaling, tracking your mood, and easily mastering life-changing therapeutic practices.
