Why You Need to Start a Journal in 2020

As I was tidying my room up for the new year, I spotted some of my old journals at the bottom drawer of my nightstand. Perhaps I was always destined to be a writer because I couldn’t help but smirk at my early attempts of trying to figure out my “oh so complicated life” at twelve years old. Bless that little girl’s heart. The same is true at twenty-two as it was at twelve about my relationship with writing and journaling. I can’t help but admit my love to the freeing sensation of feeling the tip of your pen smoothly dance onto a fresh sheet of lined paper of a new journal. No judgment. No expectation. No disappointment. Just you and an opportunity to release something real. Sometimes it’s dark while other times its a beautiful realization. Nevertheless, every time it is real.

I think we live in a world that likes to share everything–our accomplishments, relationships, and successes–with everyone. We are constantly posting on social media just seconds before we find out something new about our lives. Regardless of if you think social media is great or not, the truth is that it can get overwhelming and if you are the type of person that unintentionally finds themselves mindlessly scrolling on social media, it is easy to lose yourself in an illusion of perfected perfection. From the tears that you wipe away when you see your ex posting about their most recent engagement to quickly scrolling past the photo of your friend’s acceptance into the school you really wanted to go to, it can be a lot to process. But how do we process, that? I mean, do we? Instead, you go scrolling through your phone to find that super bomb photo of you in that cute jumpsuit or the selfie you took when the lighting was just perfect in that bathroom so you forget about what you saw and how it made you feel. You post your photo so nobody can gather up any suspicion that you were bowing your head earlier to avoid warm tears from dripping on the screen of your phone. Don’t worry, sis. We have all been there but, we don’t have to stay there in that place. That is why I choose to journal.

Journaling gives you a chance to really put into words how you are feeling. When was the last time you really let yourself feel or have just been present in the moment? Heck, maybe you want to journal a feeling of overwhelming joy or maybe excruciating pain. Whatever it may be, journaling gives you a space to be vulnerable and real with yourself. It’s time, my friend, to be real with yourself. It is time to fall in love with the person you were always meant to be and not the person you pretend to be on Instagram. It is time to find ways to process things, circumstances, people, etc. in a way that will help you grow.

Maybe your journal will be a gratitude journal where you jot down the simplest of things that you are grateful for each day. Maybe it is a prayer journal that you use to talk to God. Or maybe it is a way to release the weight that pulls on your heart when it gets just a little bit too heavy before bed at night. Whatever it may be, I encourage you to pick up your pen and write.

Give yourself some clarity during this first quarter of the month and dare to spend time with your truest self. Get to know yourself. Let yourself feel happiness and sadness. Allow yourself to dream. Get closer to God through written prayer. Start a journal today because you deserve a space where you can breathe and let go.

So, to help get you started, I decided to pick out some of my favorite journal prompts! Remember, “The woman you are becoming will cost you people, relationships, spaces, and material things. Choose her over everything.” – Unknown

Journaling Ideas

1. What is it that I am so afraid of?
2. What did I do today that gave me the most joy? How can I find something every day to do to give me this joy?
3. What is my favorite quality about myself? How can I continue to nurture this quality?
4. What personal habits do I love about myself? What personal habits can I work on to make myself better?
5. In ten years, I want my life to look like…These are the 5 goals I am going to work toward making that vision a reality.
6. What have I been procrastinating lately? Why?
7. Describe your three best days of last year. What do they all have in common?
8. Describe your perfect morning. What can you do to even a small part of that perfect, ideal morning a reality?
9. What was your favorite thing to do growing up? What is your favorite thing to do now? Compare the two and the feelings they give you.
10. What is the biggest lesson you have learned in the past couple of months?
11. What dream do you keep neglecting because you are afraid of others’ judgments or of failure?
12. Name 3 ways you have changed since last year?

The first step to living a better life is being brave enough to write it down. Always remember you are blessed, brilliant, and beautiful. Happy Monday!

For more on the blog about journaling, check out this post –> What to Write in Your Journal When You Don’t Know Where to Start

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