Journey into Journaling: 4 Tips on Gathering Your Supplies

Writing Our Way Toward Our Intuition

So you feel like journaling would benefit you but you are not sure how to start?

Welcome. I’m thrilled that you decided to step into the world of journaling and I am honored to support you on your Journey into Journaling.

I have used the practice of journalling since I was a teenager to process, metabolize and reflect on my experiences. I have filled countless journals throughout the years, some of which I revisit for inspiration. Some of which I have since burned or buried. 

Journalling is about the experiences of reflecting, metabolizing and integrating. 

Journalizing is about the creative release that comes through doing. 

Journaling is not about the finished product. Journaling is not about re-reading (although that can be an amazing practice).  Journaling is not about creating a masterpiece for others to see (and yet some of what we capture in our journals will want to be shared). 

Journaling give us containment and a space to witness ourselves.

Journaling is about the experience of letting ourselves release our thoughts, emotions, and feelings on the page without judgement. It is about the process of letting ourselves say what our soul needs to say. Journaling can help us enter into a state of flow.

In this way it can get us in touch with our inner self and our intuition.

Journaling gives ourselves space to process and reflect. 

There is no right or wrong. There is no need for judgements. There is no space for should.

It just is.

There is something very cathartic about putting pen to paper and letting what comes out flow.

I hope this makes you feel excited! Because anytime we give ourselves more space to be expressed, more space to be authentic, more space to tell our truth, it is exciting!

The first step in our Journaling Journey is to get yourself a journal. 

(If you already have one, stick around for my next post!)

Picking Out A Journal That is Right For You!

If you are just starting out, please do not overthink this. 

Pick out something that that calls to you. Trust yourself.  There is no wrong answer here. 

You may get a notebook or journal and you start using it only to find out that you don’t like it. And that is fine! You can always get another one.

I would recommend going to a crafting or office supply store. They tend to have more options than school supply sections. You can of course buy online, but I like to feel my journal in my hands before I buy it. 

Things to think about when picking out a journal:

This is all personal preference. Keep in mind that preferences change. Trust Yourself.

1) Lined or blank

Lined can be easier to find. But, some people find lines to be confining. A completely blank page to be freeing or intimidating depending on who you ask.

Pick something that works for you.

You can always make a different choice.

I usually have a lined notebook for my daily journaling and a blank notebook for catching and moving big emotions. I once found a notebook that was lined on the front page, blank on the back side. I loved that style but have not easily found one like that since.

2) Sizing

Think about the size you want. Journals come in all sizes and they work differently for each of us. Extra Small notebooks can be hard to write in, really large notebooks can be hard to transport. At different times you may want something larger or smaller.

Let yourself experiment.  

You may want a couple sizes depending on your mood.

I love a pocket sized notebook for catching quick ideas on the go. I love a smaller sized (6″x8″) journal for most of my daily journaling. However, I love a larger journal (8″x12) for expressing myself in big and creative ways.

Let yourself be drawn to what you are drawn to and see what works.

3) Aesthetic Appeal

Get something that feels good to hold and touch. Ideally you want to be in relationship with your notebook until it is full, so get something that feels good to hold.

If you don’t like your journal, you probably will not use it.

So get something you like, even if it costs a bit more. 

I tend to avoid spiral bound notebooks for most of my journalling, mainly because of how they feel in my hands. They feel impermanent, and they remind me of school note taking. Which is not the vibe i’m going for when I sit down to journal!

I love-love-love the hard cover, fake-leather, bound journals. They are sturdy and soft and they come in all sorts of colors. I am a very tactile person so I want a journal that feels good in my hands.

4) Writing Utensils

Choose what feels good for you to write with. If you are just beginning, do not overthink this. But as you practice, notice how different writing utensils feel.

Let yourself feel pleasure and satisfaction in the way the pen’s ink looks on the page.

Play around with different colors of ink, different styles of pens.

If you do not like holding the pen you are using, choose a different one. If you do not like the look of the ink on the page, choose a different writing implement. Sometimes we have what we have, other times we get to name our preferences.

Begin to identify your preferences and notice it feels to give yourself what you want.

My all time favorite pen is the black Pilot G-2 07.  I love the way the ink flows from this pen. I spent most of my life writing with a ballpoint pen (which is the most affordable and easy to find) but I started writing a lot more when I realized this preference.

I fill notebooks at an astonishing speed and I find myself wanting to write not always because I have something to say but because I like the feel of the pen in my hand and the look of the ink on the page. 

Ok that’s all. Take a deep breath.

Option anxiety is real. If there is any feelings of overwhelm please take a breather. Sink into how amazing it is that we are blessed to have so many options.

You are allowed to try new things and see what works for you.

What you like during the colder months is vastly different then what you enjoy when it is warmer. The same is true with journals. Be patient with yourself as you get into the practice of journaling. Give yourself space to experiment. Trust that anytime we start something new it feels awkward. 

Let yourself move through the awkward beginning phase.

Trust that with practice, journalling will eventually feel natural.

Regardless of all this: do not let your tools stop you from creating. 

Even if you are scratching notes in the dirt with a stick, you are still giving yourself space to emote, express, and reflect. And that is what journaling is about.

Get something to start, then you can refine your preferences later.

Once you have picked out the right journal for you, it is time to get writing.

See you next time with tips for getting started with your journal!