Do you want to start a journal and don't know how? Maybe you are in a rut and need some inspiration for things to spice it up... Journaling can include anything you want it to, and here are some elements that you could add to make it encapsulate more of you.
1. Thoughts
About your day, a certain topic, or someone in your life...
2. New ideas
3. Recipes
That banana bread you made for Christmas that you got endless compliments about? Write it down!
4. Dreams
Either literal or metaphorical... both works
5. Fun memories from childhood
6. Fears and doubts
It might relieve you of anxiety now and it'll give you the ability to reflect on them in the future.
7. Song Lyrics
8. Quotes
9. Forecasts
Maybe acknowledge that it rained 8 days straight or it snowed 14 inches that one time.
10. News Clippings
11. Schedules
Daily, weekly, monthly, or by semester. What'd your life look like when you were 19?
12. Lists of favorite shows, movies, books, etc.
13. Outfit ideas
Write down how to style your favorite shirt for each season!
14. Collages
15. Art
Art often encapsulates feelings better than any writing could.
16. Drawings
17. Watercolors
18. Poems
19. Fictional stories
20. Pictures from the internet
Make a mood board from Pinterest!
21. Pictures from your phone
Take something in the Cloud and make it physical!
22. Old photo albums pictures
23. Letters from others
Physical letters aren't dead!
24. Letters to yourself
Future self, past self, or your now self.
25. Mail
26. Stickers
Whether they are specialized ones from Red Bubble or free ones that people were handing out, I think that the sticker fad that has hit college students is an important (and fun) one to document.
27. Washi Tape
Cute and useful
28. Staples
29. Date stamps
For the aesthetic if nothing else.
30. Markers
31. Pens
32. Colored Pencils
33. Wrapping Paper
34. Scrapbook Paper
35. Clothes tags
Keep tags to remember what things cost and what brands you like!
36. Receipts
37. Current playlists
What are you listening to right now?
38. Playlists from your past
39. Habit trackers
What things do you do everyday? What things should you be doing that you're not so great at keeping up with?
40. Mood trackers
Do your moods follow a pattern or do they relate to what happened that particular day?
41. Lists of your favorite things right now
42. Get your friends to add something
Have them doodle or write something!
43. Bucket List
44. Travels
Some people have journals dedicated to this!
45. Places you want to travel
46. Embarrassing stories (past or present)
They won't be as embarrassing in ten years... probably
47. Notes from class
You probably won't understand them after this semester, but looking back you'll know at one point, you did know what all this jargon meant.
48. Dried flowers
49. Napkins from restaurants
Tactile objects help to remember the event!
50. Cute packaging
51. Maps
Of places you've already been or places you want to go
52. Packing lists
One master list might be useful to have for all travels!
53. Magazine clippings
54. Gratitude
55. Affirmations
Use some of these things to make your journal more you. Aesthetics and vibes are fun, but when it comes down to it, the memories that you keep will be the best part.
woman in orange blazer standing brave and defiant
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Benefits of surrounding with family
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