Investing in mental self-care can make life a lot better. Fortunately, picking a few daily habits takes you closer to your mental wellness goals. Writing a journal is an activity that helps in this context. It enables you to purge negative feelings, express gratitude for the good things, and reconnect with yourself. But picking the habit can be surprisingly challenging, and maintaining the momentum is even harder. You may start enthusiastically and give up along the way. However, sticking to the routine is easy, provided you are willing to do your bit. Here are some actionable tips to stay committed to a daily journaling ritual.
Schedule a fixed time
Maintaining a ritual is often challenging when you have a busy lifestyle. Even if you can spare time, you may forget about it or feel too lazy to pick it. The best way to overcome these challenges is to schedule a fixed time for journaling daily. You may pick it as a part of your morning ritual or include it in your bedtime routine. Consider writing a few lines during the lunch break. Choose a schedule that works for you to ensure adherence.
Let go of judgments
It is easy to judge yourself as you pen down your feelings and thoughts on paper. But you must shed your apprehension and inhibitions, and let words flow freely. Remember that there isn’t a right way or format to write a journal. You only need to be honest while conversing with yourself. The best part is that you need not share the script with anyone, so go ahead and write for your eyes only.
Invest in writing tools
Although tech-savvy people have discovered a new way of journaling digitally, nothing matches the magic of paper. Investing in writing tools gives you a good reason to pick the habit and stick with it. Buy a custom journal to bring a personalized touch to the routine. You can opt for a premium brand in pens like Lamy to make the activity a pleasurable one. Surprisingly, having quality tools inspires you to write every day without a break.
Have realistic expectations
Journaling is an art, but you cannot expect to become a pro right away. Keeping realistic expectations helps you feel good about writing rather than force yourself to do it. When you first begin, you may have a shaky start. You cannot expect to write long pages and paragraphs with perfect grammar and polished vocabulary. Relax and learn the ropes to become a pro.
Use prompts
You may sometimes fall short of ideas while writing your daily journal. It can break your daily flow, and you may never pick it up again. You can overcome the creative block by using prompts to find ideas. For example, you can list things you are grateful for, challenges you face, daily positive affirmations, and something you want to change about yourself. Get as creative as possible, and create a prompt list that works for you.
Embracing a journaling routine is easier than you imagine, provided you are committed enough. Find the motivation from within to keep writing daily!
