17 Journaling Tips For Beginners (And How To Start) - Vanilla Papers

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Journaling is a life-changing habit that helps you set goals, lowers stress and boosts happiness.

So why is it so difficult to start?

And why is it even harder to keep going?

There are many great reasons to keep a journal. It strengthens your immune system, reduces anxiety, helps you sleep better and lets you learn from experience.

And you’ve probably imagined yourself with a cup of coffee and a thick spiral-bound notebook, pouring your thoughts out onto the paper and reaping all those incredible benefits.

Except it doesn’t happen that way in real life.

Maybe you want to journal but you just don’t know how to start. Or maybe you have no idea what to write about. Maybe you’ve tried to journal but it felt awkward, boring and pointless.

I’ve been there.

Dee sits in a yellow shirt and green pants at an outdoor table writing in her notebook. She is surrounded by greenery and there is a green mug beside her.

And it’s not always easy to set aside time to journal. Sometimes when you’re going through hard times, journaling is the last thing you’re in the mood for.

So how do you realistically start a journal that you’ll love to write in?

I’ve been journaling for more than 30 years – from the “dear diary” style journals in my teens to my current Morning Pages routine.

And I haven’t always kept up a perfect writing streak. But I have used journaling as a life-changing tool for many different purposes throughout my life.

And here’s my best piece of advice: forget the typical advice.

Table of Contents

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  • How to start journaling
  • 1. You don’t have to keep a paper journal
  • 2. You don’t have to write first thing in the morning
  • 3. Get some accountability
  • 4. Start small and keep your expectations realistic
  • 5. If you’ve got writer’s block, write about gratitude
  • 6. Try a new environment
  • 7. Schedule your journaling into your day
  • 8. Track your journaling habit
  • 9. Use different journaling techniques
  • 10. Make your journal personal and messy
  • 11. Keep a journal handy in your bag
  • 12. Make journaling a pleasure
  • 13. Analyze what isn’t working
  • 14. Use your journal to manage stress
  • 15. Write for your eyes only
  • 16. Use journal prompts for writer’s block
  • 17. Don’t wallow in self-blame
  • Journaling ideas
  • Journaling prompts
  • Journaling benefits
  • Journaling techniques 
    • 1. Free writing
    • 2. Morning Pages
    • 3. Lists
    • 4. Art journal
    • 5. Unsent letter
  • Read next:

How to start journaling

A yellow ochre leather journal with golden trim lays on a table next to a simple jar that holds a few green sprigs.

If you really want to start a journal – and keep it going – then you have to find what works for you.

Because here’s the thing: journaling is a habit. It’s not a hobby to indulge in whenever you have some free time.

It’s a habit that ironically you need most when you feel anxious, hurried and not in the mood to write.

There are seasons in your life when you feel balanced and motivated. And there are seasons when you wonder why you should bother to journal at all.

But the value of journaling comes when you stick with it.

You have to experimented and find what works for you. Because the pleasures and benefits of journaling outweigh the awkward and frustrating bad days.

Even a few lines in your notes app on the subway is far better than nothing.

So here are my top tips to start a daily journal.

This guide includes:

  • hacks to get motivated to write
  • tips for keeping an online journal
  • journal prompts for writer’s block
  • some surprising benefits of journaling

Use these tips to make journaling a rewarding and effortless part of your daily routine.

1. You don’t have to keep a paper journal

A woman wearing a yellow ochre sweater and thick silver bracelets sits at a wooden desk typing into a silver laptop.

Writing on paper (vs. keyboard) has some incredible benefits because it forces you to slow down and relieves stress.

There’s nothing like writing by hand if you want to improve your memory, boost your creativity and sharpen your critical thinking.

But a paper journal isn’t always realistic. And there are so many different ways these days to journal online or on a phone app.

The speed and ease of the keyboard can work better for stream of consciousness writing. When you’re able to type faster, you feel more productive. And you’re less likely to censor yourself or second-guess your writing.

Sometimes it’s easier to type when you’re journaling on-the-go or when you only have a few minutes to set aside in your day.

Journaling apps let you write easily on your phone – and they often inspire you with daily, ready-made prompts.

The trick is to be self-aware. Try journaling on paper, on your laptop and on your phone and observe how it makes you feel.

Do you obsess over your handwriting when you’re writing in a paper journal? Do you irrationally worry that someone will find your journal and read your secrets?

Or maybe you’re a more visual person who struggles with words. Perhaps an art journal with daily sketches and doodles sounds more appealing.

Key takeaway: Experiment with writing on paper, on a laptop and on your smartphone and find whatever works best for you.

2. You don’t have to write first thing in the morning

My hand holding an open journal filled with handwriting that rests on a windowsill with a view of a tree bellow. There's also a small vase of greenery, a cup of milky coffee and a wooden bowl full of rocks and shells beside the notebook.

There’s a lot of talk lately about Morning Pages – the practice of filling 3 sheets of A4 paper each morning with your stream of consciousness thoughts when your mind is still fresh.

But maybe you’re just not a morning person. And when you wake up it takes a few cups of coffee before you rush into your day.

Maybe journaling at night helps your writing flow better, when the house is quiet and nobody interrupts your flow.

I do love Morning Pages, but there’s a myriad of ways to journal. The right way is whatever feels best for your schedule.

Writing in the morning lets you plan out your day, reflect on anticipated challenges and jot down what you’re grateful for.

Evenings are great to reflect back on your day and think about what you’re happy with and what you’d do differently.

The only question is: what time and technique works best for you?

Key takeaway: Try writing at different times of the day and notice the difference. When are you at your best, and when does it feel most valuable to journal?

3. Get some accountability

A group of three young women sit outside at a dark grey picnic table all writing in their notebooks.

It’s incredibly motivating to join a group of like-minded people who pursue the same goal – even if you don’t consider yourself competitive.

Every November, thousands of people worldwide join the NaNoWriMo challenge and pledge to write an entire novel in one month. The website has a little chart where you can measure your progress towards the recommended 1.6k words daily goal.

And that little chart works like a miracle. 

NaNo has an active community too, with people around the world cheering you on. Famous authors send out pep talks on the NaNo website and talk about how much their first drafts always suck.

There’s a lot of energy that you can’t help feeding on.

And the great news is: NaNo is available all year and you can set writing goals for whatever month you’re in.

But you don’t even have to join NaNo to get that kind of accountability.

Join a local writer’s circle or find an existing one on Facebook. Google some online writing communities and find some like-minded friends who support each other on WhatsApp.

Key takeaway: Get accountability. It’s a powerful tool. Whether that’s a writer’s group in real life, a challenge online or an app to keep track of your writing progress.

4. Start small and keep your expectations realistic

A journal lays open with a torn-out page of a novel resting on top and a small wooden bowl filled with dried leaves, rocks and shelves.

Do you picture yourself with a Mona Lisa smile as you fill up pages of insightful prose that your grandchildren will treasure?

That’s probably not going to happen.

And that’s not pessimism. It’s key to keep your expectations realistic whenever you’re building a new habit.

Whenever you fall short of your daily goals, narrow them down to the bare minimum that you can manage even on your worst days.

When 10 minutes of meditation feels like too much, cut it down to 5 minutes. Or do a guided meditation when it’s too hard to focus.

It doesn’t matter if you write a single line or three pages. What matters in the beginning is to form a habit. Make journaling a part of your daily life and anchor it to another habit like your morning coffee.

Squeeze your journaling time into your day until it becomes as automatic as brushing your teeth.

Key takeaway: Start journaling in tiny daily amounts and work to build up that habit. And then increase how much you write later, when journaling is already automatic.

5. If you’ve got writer’s block, write about gratitude

A woman wearing a golden bracelet writes in a bright notebook with a white pen. She sits at a warm wooden desk and there's an empty chair beside her.

Writing about gratitude lifts your spirit and gets your thoughts flowing on the days when you’re tired and filled with self-doubt.

The positive energy you get from gratitude journaling is downright invigorating. 

And it doesn’t have to be complicated. Start with what’s right in front of you – your laptop, the balcony and the desk with your morning coffee. Then describe your emotions in detail.

Don’t try to fill up pages with lists of everything you’re grateful for. Focus on a few items and really let yourself feel the emotion of gratitude.

Key takeaway: Gratitude journaling is life-changing when it’s used in difficult situations. Ask yourself what you can learn from a difficult day or a harsh experience.

6. Try a new environment

A young woman with curly brown hair wearing a grey sweater and grey hat writes in a notebook. She's sitting outdoors on a shore with a vast stretch of rolling water in front of her.

Take your journal along to an entirely new environment to get your senses going and inspire new insights.

Sit on a sunny terrace at a local cafe to give yourself something to write about and forget the daily grind.

If you feel uninspired, then change your surroundings. Step out onto your balcony or grab a chair in your garden and journal from there. Take your journal to work and jot down a few lines on your lunch break.

Pick up your journal in the evening and doodle as you watch TV.

Key takeaway: There’s no right time and place to journal. It’s about finding whatever works for you.

7. Schedule your journaling into your day

A journal lays open filled with cursive handwriting. A brown pen and a cup of milky coffee lay beside it.

If you don’t set aside a regular time to journal you’ll probably never get around to it.

And journaling whenever you’re in the mood to write isn’t going to last very long.

Journaling lifts your spirits. But that also means sometimes you just have to get on with it – even when you’re feeling uninspired. Your spirits will lift after you’re done writing.

When you schedule journaling into your daily routine, you’ll be less likely to make excuses or rely on sheer willpower.

Inspiration will find you – but only when you’re writing.

To make journaling a part of your schedule, anchor it to a habit you’re already maintaining well – like your morning coffee, your lunch break or your getting ready for bed.

Key takeaway: If you drink coffee religiously in the morning, make it a habit to write a few lines when you get halfway through your cup. If you unwind with a Netflix series at night, make it a point to scribble down a few lines before you hit play.

8. Track your journaling habit

An open journal lays on a wooden table that also holds a small pot with a succulent plant, a jar of ground coffee and a perfect cappuccino with swirls of foam.

We humans love to make a chain of habits – and we hate to see that chain break.

Use a habit tracking app to mark off each day when you’ve journaled, even it if was just for 5 minutes. It’s very satisfying psychologically to see those marks add up to a streak.

And when you’re not in the mood to journal, open your notebook up for just 5 minutes and jot down a few sentences for the sake of keeping that streak going.

You’ll often want to keep writing after those few sentences.

If you don’t want to bother with a habit tracking app, draw a small circle in your calendar on each day that you journal.

Key takeaway: Harness the motivating power of a streak and keep track of your daily journaling habit.

9. Use different journaling techniques

A blank journal lays open on a white table, topped with a page torn out of a novel and a small wooden bowl with rocks, leaves and shells. There's a pressed dried flower on top of the journal and another green sprig on the table.

Keep your journaling interesting and spicy with different journaling techniques to suit your various needs and moods.

It doesn’t have to be the same old every day.

If you feel overwhelmed at work, make a streamlined to-do list that puts your priorities at the top.

If you’re just in the mood to watch some TV, make a list of your favorite TV series and review the ones you’ve already seen.

Make your journal work for you. Let it be there in whatever capacity you need.

There are dozens of journaling techniques for different purposes and occasions.

From writing an angry unsent letter to help you vent to sketching out ideas for your next project, a journal is your personal space for your various needs.

Use your journal to plan your day and track your habits. Fill it with your favorite movie quotes, recipes or reflections on how your children are growing up.

Key takeaway: If you get bored with journaling then shake things up and try something new.

10. Make your journal personal and messy

A woman writes in an opened journal that's filled with small writing and doodles of shells and fish.

Does a spiral notebook bring back memories of dull work meetings that should have been emails?

Does a luxurious beautiful notebook seem like a waste to fill with your illegible cursive?

Your journal should feel like it’s yours and it should fit your personality.

Maybe that’s a leather-bound notebook you can whip out comfortably on a business flight. Or maybe that’s a worn cloth-bound notebook filled with painted daisies.

Your journal should make you look forward to writing.

Fill those first blank pages of your new notebook with some lyrics or quotes to break the ice.

And don’t obsess about your handwriting. You’re likely out of practice and it will look messy in the beginning. Your handwriting will get better – and more legible – with time.

Make some messy doodles or scrawl some quotes into the margins to let go of those high expectations of what a notebook should look like.

Key takeaway: Your journal is your personal tool. It’s not a perfect social media photo op waiting to happen.

11. Keep a journal handy in your bag

A pale pink purse lays open revealing an issue of Kinfolk magazine inside, a black notebook, a smart phone and a black pen.

When you’re stuck anywhere waiting, just pull out your journal and jot down your thoughts or vent your anxieties.

An extra journal kept in your bag is so useful when you’re in a waiting room, a traffic jam or any situation with some time on your hands.

A journal is a great substitute for smart phone scrolling. Whenever you’re restless and reach for your smartphone, pull out your journal instead.

It may not work at a boring dinner party, but a dentist’s office or bank are perfect settings for a quick journaling session.

When you’re on vacation, a travel journal is a great tool to jot down your sensations when they’re still fresh in your mind. Use it to keep track of restaurants you’ve tried and museums you found fascinating.

If you’re intimidated to write in public, then don’t worry. It gets easier the more you do it and push yourself through the awkwardness.

And remember that someone may give you a weird look. But they have no idea if you’re drafting a business plan or complaining about your ex.

Key takeaway: Use unexpected opportunities to journal.

12. Make journaling a pleasure

A woman in a white sweater writes with a blue pen inside a spiral notebook with a cup of coffee in the foreground.

Journaling is a pleasure and a treat – not a chore to knock off your daily to-do list.

Invest in a fountain pen to make your writing flow like silk. Dab on some perfume before you start writing. Brew your favorite herbal tea and turn on an inspiring playlist.

You’ll associate those little indulgences with journaling and that will make your writing time a real pleasure.

But don’t overthink it. Don’t expect your journaling to be impossibly Pinterest-worthy hygge.

Key takeaway: The more enjoyable you make it, the more likely you’ll keep going.

13. Analyze what isn’t working

A blank journal lays open next to a sheet of paper with cursive writing and a small wooden bowl full of rocks and shells.

What do you want to get from journaling?

Do you want to manage your anger? Become a better sales manager? Get inspired for your child’s next birthday party?

Identify your goals and then look back at your journal to see what you’ve achieved.

Or try journaling about your journaling. Do you feel bored and dread your daily journaling session, or do you look forward to it?

Be mindful of your emotions and how journaling makes you feel. Do you feel energized at the end of a journaling session or relieved that it’s over?

If journaling isn’t working for you, then it’s difficult to maintain your daily journaling habit. So think about what isn’t working and experiment with different journaling techniques.

Is it time to switch from laptop to paper? Does journaling in the evening work better?

Key takeaway: Be candid with yourself and make journaling work for your real life.

14. Use your journal to manage stress

A pale blue notebook, a spiral notebook and a brown pen lay on top of a white sofa next to a big white cushion with navy stripes.

Journaling is the most effective form of therapy – and it’s absolutely free, too.

Whenever you feel frazzled, overwhelmed or anxious, there’s nothing for catharsis like pouring your frustrations out into a journal.

Once you fill up a few pages, you’ll gain some much-needed distance from your troubles. You’ll realize things aren’t as bad as they seem and you might even see a silver lining.

Let your rants sit for a few days and read them back later. You’ll realize your daily frustrations are rarely as insurmountable as they seem.

Key takeaway: Use your journal as a tool to absorb negative emotions and worries.

15. Write for your eyes only

My hand lays on top of an opened journal filled with cursive handwriting. On top of the white desk there's also a dark brown coffee cup, a jar of water with a green branch inside and a small wooden bowl filled with rocks.

It’s often difficult to journal honestly unless your journal is absolutely private.

When you write in hope (or fear) that others will read your words, it becomes harder to write truthfully and express your real emotions.

You won’t write for self-awareness but to impress others or prove a point.

Keep your journal in a secure place. And if you’re still worried that others will stumble upon it, find a hiding space or use a laptop protected with a password.

Key takeaway: Use your journal to realize that things don’t have to be seen to hold value. A journal is valuable enough if it matters to only you.

16. Use journal prompts for writer’s block

A brown leather notebook decorated with a drawing of flowers lays on top of a light grey desk alongside another opened journal and a black pen.

Use a variety of prompts to keep your journaling fresh and interesting.

Keep a list of journaling prompts ready in your notebook or your notes app for the days when you’re hit with writer’s block.

Pinterest is a gold mine for journaling prompts that suit any mood and occasion.

Create a board for your journaling and gather some prompts – or if you’re not on Pinterest then take some screenshots.

Key takeaway: Expect writer’s block and prepare for it. Journal prompts give you fresh ideas for what to write about.

17. Don’t wallow in self-blame

A woman writes in an open journal with a black pen against a background of dark wood.

Journaling can be anything from a fun hobby to meaningful therapy.

But you won’t get much benefit from journaling if you wallow in your problems and constantly blame yourself.

It’s great to rant and release your pent-up emotions in a journal. But eventually you should start brainstorming for solutions or jotting down what you’re grateful for.

Key takeaway: If your journaling gets dark and just stays there, it won’t help you grow.

Journaling ideas

A journal lays open on a dark wooden table filled with small handwriting and a sketch of a sun-shaped doodle.

There will always be days when you have no idea what to write about – no matter how long you journal.

Journaling ideas for inspiration:

1. Write freely for 10 minutes. Write about whatever comes into your head. This kind of “free writing” might seem frivolous at first, but it’s an incredible tool to help you gain clarity.

2. Write about how you’re feeling. Check in with yourself and list your joys, anxieties and worries.

3. Do Morning Pages. Popularized by the creativity manual The Artist’s Way, this technique means writing three full pages of stream of consciousness longhand right after you wake up.

4. Make a list of things you’d like to accomplish. Write down your goals for one, five and ten years from now.

5. Keep a log to track your daily routine. Log any good habits (like exercising or reading) that you’d like to maintain.

6. Keep a book log. Make a list of your favorite books, your current reads, your reviews and recommendations you’d like to read next.

7. Keep a list of the films and TV series you’ve watched. Jot down your ratings and reviews. Add any films and directors you’d like to dig into next.

8. Start a food journal. List your favorite meals, recipes, restaurants and dishes to try.

9. Keep a log of what’s in your closet. Write about your daily outfits and what you need to buy, donate or sell.

10. Write down your favorite quotes and inspiring sayings. Look back at this list whenever you need some inspiration.

Read more: 100 Incredible Journaling Ideas

Journaling prompts

A journal lays open in the sun on top of an orange printed blanket. There is a bottle of wine next to the journal and peaches and a cheese board nearby.

Journaling prompts are a great way to kickstart your writing and give you fresh insights and new perspectives.

Try these prompts for your daily journal:

1. What makes me truly happy in life? 2. What triggers my anger? What makes me sad? 3. What are my core values that are most important to me in life? What are my non-negotiable beliefs? Do my actions align with these beliefs? 4. What are my 3 biggest strengths? What do I appreciate most about myself? 5. What are my 3 biggest weaknesses? What do I find difficult to accept about myself? 6. What makes me unique? What sets me apart from others? 7. What do I feel very passionate about? 8. When do I feel the most empowered? 9. When do I feel the most hopeless? How do I react when I feel hopeless or frustrated? 10. What things am I holding onto that limit my growth?

Read more: 72 Powerful Journal Prompts for Self Discovery (To Inspire You)

Journaling benefits

A blank journal lays open with some baby's breath on top and two thick sweaters piled in the background.

If you ever need a boost of motivation, just remember what you’re doing it all for.

Journaling isn’t just a pleasant hobby – it’s an incredible tool for self-care that benefits you emotionally and physically.

Here are some incredible benefits of journaling:

1. Journaling strengthens your immune system.

Journaling has physical benefits to patients with terminal or life-threatening diseases like HIV/AIDS, asthma and arthritis, studies show.

2. Journaling helps injuries heal faster.

Journaling helps adults heal faster after biopsies, research shows.

Writing about stressful events helped patients make sense of tragedy and reduced their distress.

3. Journaling reduces stress and anxiety.

Journaling lets you work through obsessive worries and anxieties before you begin to ruminate.

4. Journaling helps you learn from experience.

You’re much more likely to learn from experience if you reflect back on your day, studies say.

5. Journaling improves communication skills.

Journaling teaches you to express yourself better and get your point across clearly,

Read more: 18 Incredible Journaling Benefits

Journaling techniques 

A journal lays open next to a cup of coffee on a bed filled with grey linen with the sun streaming in from a window.

There are many different ways to journal.

And how you journal should depend on what you’re facing in life and what you’d like to get out of your writing.

Whether you want to get organized or get into the habit of writing daily Morning Pages, here are some great journaling techniques to try:

1. Free writing

Free writing is all about keeping your hand moving and not pausing to go back and edit or construct a perfect phrase.

If you run out of ideas, you just keep writing whatever comes to mind.

2. Morning Pages

Morning Pages are three pages of stream of consciousness writing done first thing in the morning.

There are great reasons to write first thing in the morning. You’ve got a limited amount of willpower each day and writing first thing lets you harness that energy.

3. Lists

Lists are quicker to write than long-form journal entries and they’re a great record of your life.

Lists help you get organized, track items related to your career, personal life, relationships, hobbies and more.

4. Art journal

An art journal collects your thoughts in a visual format and collects your sketches, collages, doodles, inspirations and experiments.

Your art journal can be a mix of images and sketches along with writing – or it can be purely visual. There’s no single way to “do it right.”

5. Unsent letter

An unsent letter is written for catharsis and never meant to be mailed.

It helps you get closure and foster forgiveness and peace of mind.

Read more: Life-Changing Journaling Techniques

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