Four Steps To Quickly Start Your Journaling Practice Today
When it comes to journaling, everyone has different needs and abilities. In that spirit, I've created this simple guide to get you started.
My north star for making this guide is the first principle of journaling, starting now. Here are the four steps to start your journaling practice right now:
Find something you can write ON and something you can write WITH.
Find FIVE quiet minutes during your day.
Write ONE thought down.
REPEAT this process daily, weekly, or whenever you want.
This guide is simple, and that's intentional. I wanted there to be the least amount of friction as you get started. There's no ask for you to buy a particular notebook or journal, nor does it suggest a specific time of day or even frequency with which you write.
These are all fun parts of building your habit, but if you get held up with a decision, particularly before you even start, you may perseverate instead of writing down what's in your head. That's the opposite of why you're beginning to journal.
Start simply. You can dial in things like format and frequency later and enjoy it more because you'll be making those decisions through the lens of an active journaler, not someone planning to start once all of the pieces are just right.
Waiting for just right often means you'll never start. Begin journaling today with this simple guide and what you have in front of you. Build the habit, and then find your tools.
You can read more from me on journaling here and on Threads, where I write several short pieces each week designed to help you build the journaling practice you most desire.