How to Stick to Your Journaling Habit

Starting a journal can be daunting, especially when you’re faced with an entire book of blank pages that you’re expected to fill with your deepest thoughts and feelings. When you’re struggling to make sense of your own stream of consciousness, and translate it onto paper, it can even be painful. But the more you keep at it, the more you exercise your journaling muscles, and the sharper they become. That’s when it becomes a habit, and when you start to reap the benefits, of which there are many. 

But keeping at it can be tricky. We asked the experts for tips on how to sustain your journaling practice.

Meet the experts

Darlyn Ty-Nilo is the founder of the Belle de Jour Power Planner, and is certified in journaling therapy.

Nica Cosio is an artist and creative who has been journaling for ten years, and has parlayed her journaling expertise into workshops on creative journaling, and into creating stationary items for journaling and planning. 

How the experts keep at it

Read on for their tips on how to keep your journaling habit going. 

Be realistic about what you can do.

“I’ve started many journals in the past which I did not end up continuing and I think it’s because I’ve put unrealistic expectations on myself, like deciding to journal daily when I know that I’m way too busy to do that,” explains Cosio. A weekly journal, for her, is more realistic, so that’s what she aims for. Each journaling session turns into a wrap-up of her week, complete with photos and collages, and has become the ritual cherry on top of her week.

Apart from being honest about the frequency you can handle, it’s important to avoid unrealistic goals in the aesthetics department. “It’s also not realistic for me to expect that my journal pages will look like the ones I see trending on Instagram or Pinterest,” Cosio says. “Each person has his or her own unique style. Letting go of all these ideals frees us to simply do it.”

Make sure you personalize your approach and technique.

“You do you,” Ty-Nilo emphasizes. Journaling won’t work its magic if you don’t make it work for you and your needs—and that means personalizing everything about your approach. “It’s not sustainable if it’s not personalized and not intentional,” Ty-Nilo explains. “This is why before any practice it’s important to also understand your own motivations in doing this [to see results].”

Try making it a social activity.

“While many prefer to journal alone, having a journaling buddy works for others,” Cosio shares. Journal dates with like-minded friends keep you accountable to your journaling goals, and also turn the entire process into a fun, social activity. “I journal alone at home, but I also meet friends in cafes to catch up on pages together. I organize journal meet-ups which are a great place to meet people from the journaling community, learn from each others’ processes, and share supplies and stationery,” she says.

The journaling community is much larger than you think, and is generally an open, welcoming space full of people with similar goals. Don’t be afraid to branch out, attend events, and strike up a new friendship!

Keep in mind that building a habit requires time and practice.

“Don’t expect the habit to form immediately,” Ty-Nilo shares. “It’s like a muscle—if you haven’t been writing, it will be rusty.” Her advice? “Just start with no expectations, and focus on creating a safe space for yourself.”

Writing your own story

Like any other habit, it takes time to build up your journaling practice. Don’t get discouraged if you can’t seem to stick to the schedule you’ve set for yourself. Falling in and out of practice happens to the most avid of journaling enthusiasts. At the end of the day, you keep your practice for yourself. You make your own rules, and write your own story on all your pages.