Jotting Your Journey Through Journals

Journaling is becoming a trend especially since we are about to close the year and welcome the New Year. There are thousands to choose from papers with witty quotes to the more straight-laced design, with different sizes and color schemes, among others. The question is, how do we know which fits our preference? What is a journal anyway?

Journal n. jour·​nal | \ˈjər-nᵊl

a record of experiences, ideas, or reflections kept regularly for private use: DIARY^[1]

A journal is a place where you can put your heart out. Keeping a journal can give a sense of freedom that comes when we allow ourselves to just let whatever ideas and feelings flow onto the pages. It becomes a visual representation of our experiences during a particular moment. There are numerous types of journals depending on the purpose or preference of their maker. Some of these are the following:

1. Bullet Journal – if you are a fan of making a list of to-do, goals, ideas, and everything else under the sun but do not really have the time? Maybe bullet journals can provide a space where you can lay it all down. The main characteristic of bullet journals is that it is short and direct to the point. You can use any design for bullet points and use a variety of color codes. Bullet journaling is a practical way to keep tabs on things that could help you breeze through the day.

• Travel Journal – are you into exploring new places and listing down your next destination? If your answer is yes, maybe this kind of journal can work for you. Travel journals can be a good avenue for you to write your #travelgoals. It can also be documentation of your travels where you can list the highlights of your escapade.  

• Gratitude Journal – if you want to make being grateful a habit, having a gratitude journal can help in this practice. This journal is exclusively for noting events; people… basically, anything that you appreciate about the day.  Starting with noting three things you appreciate about the day can bolster your spirit of optimism. 

• Prayer Journal – some people benefit from writing down the outputs of their reflections after reading the scripture or after their prayer time. Noting and crossing out accomplished dreams and prayers can allow you to keep records of the things you prayed for and it can be helpful during tough times.

These are just a very small chunk of possible kinds of journals that you can have. Regardless of the form, it will take, may it be a bullet, travel, or a mix of these, the important part is that journaling can assist in keeping us mindful of the events in our life. Remember that it is your journal, thus how it will look, and how it will be filled will be based on how you want it to be. There are no rules in making a journal, let your ideas run free as they say. 

Haruki Murakami shared in Men Without Women, “So in the end maybe that’s the challenge: to look inside your own heart as perceptively and seriously as you can, and to make peace with what you find there.” As you set out towards the New Year, I hope you will be able to explore journaling as an avenue to discover yourself. I hope you will be able to jot down the journey you will take this coming year and look forward to the entries you will have as life continues to surprise you. 

^[1] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/journal

Note: This article was previously published in the printed issue of The Corporate, Guide and Style for Professionals Magazine.