How to Choose a Journal

When you decide to begin a journaling practice, it can be both exciting and overwhelming.

There are so many journals and tools to choose from. You may find yourself wanting to buy all the supplies in the world or get discouraged because everything seems too expensive.

But don't allow all the shiny products to take the joy away from your journaling. The truth is that you don't need to have anything special or expensive to begin your journaling journey. Even a composition notebook and a ballpoint pen will do. The point is to just begin.

Of course, as you start journaling, you may feel that you want a specific type of journal. For this reason, you should decide on your purpose for journaling.

Here are 20 types of journals and their uses to help you find the perfect journal for your journaling practice:

1) Art Journal - To explore your creativity. Great for mixed media, collage, drawing, doodling, painting, and sketching.

2) Nature Journal - To explore the outdoors. Great to keep your natural treasures such as leaves, flowers, insects.

3) Food Journal - To stay healthy. Great to track your nutrition plan or save favorite recipes.

4) Bullet Journal - To create quick plans and goals. Great for goal setting and tracking.

5) Ideas Journal - To jot down your ideas. Great for creative or business ideas.

6) Creativity Journal - To explore your creative side. Great for doodling, writing poetry or songs.

7) To-Do Journal - To make a daily checklist of things to do. Great for keeping track of your daily tasks.

8) Writer's Journal - To write drafts of your fiction or non-fiction work in progress. Great to keep your writing drafts and ideas in one place.

9) Anti-Anxiety Journal - To help you regulate your nervous system. Great for finding balance when you are highly anxious.

10) Physical Health Journal - To track your physical health. Great for keeping track of your medications, weight loss, exercise, pregnancy, or other health challenges.

11) Business Journal - To jot down your business ideas. Great for drafting your business plan, social media and marketing plans, and exploring your business ideas.

12) Gratitude Journal - To practice daily gratitude. Great to help you stay focused on a positive mindset. 

13) Mindfulness Journal - To help you practice mindfulness.  Great to help you focus on mindfulness and staying present. 

14) Travel Journal - To write about your travels.  Great for recording your traveling memories.

15) Affirmations Journal - To jot down your favorite affirmations. Great for writing memorable quotes, dialogues, and phrases.

16) Craft Journal - To record your crafting projects. Great for woodworking, sewing, knitting, and jewelry making.

17) Junk Journal - To save your treasures. Great for keeping ephemera, memorabilia, and vintage finds.

18) Habit Tracker Journal - To track your habits. Great for recording habits that you are trying to break or begin such as sleeping better or eating healthier.

19) Financial Planner Journal - To track your finances. Great for creating and keeping track of your budget.

20) Prompted Journal - To guide you with your journaling. Great for shadow work, inner child healing, and practicing daily gratitude.

Remember, these are just examples of the types of journals that you can use for your journaling practice. Also, you can have more than one journal at a time. There are no hard rules when it comes to journaling. So, take your time and experiment with a few ideas until you decide which one (or more) works best for you.

BONUS: Need more? Here are 3 additional types of journals for your journaling practice:

Mood Tracker Journal - To keep a track of your mood. Great to help you track your daily, weekly, and monthly mood patterns and how to improve them.

Dreams Journal - To jot down your dreams. Great to write about any significant and vivid dreams you have and their spiritual connection to your life.

Blank Journal - To practice freestyle journaling. Great to use for a combination of journaling methods.

Do you have a special type of journal not listed above that you use in your journaling practice?

Until next time,

Keep Creating!

Angelina