Once you set your mind to it, you can do anything. Okay, maybe not learn how to fly like Peter Pan or become an astronaut and zoom off to Mars, but you can set yourself achievable goals, like tackling that colossal pile of old theatre tickets, receipts from bygone holidays and journaling your favourite memories.Â
While we’re all stuck inside for a little longer than expected, why not take up journaling and relish in your favourite memories, moments and events over the last few years or recall all of your lockdown highs, lows and everything in between.Â
Journaling can be incredibly therapeutic, allowing you to look back on fonder times and relay your current feelings, emotions and stories so you can look back on them for years to come. Whether you’re looking to go scrapbook style or you’re wanting to start a bullet journal, here are five reasons you should pick up a notebook and start journaling…
You can relive your favourite memoriesÂ
From seeing our favourite musicians live on stage to escaping on a last-minute weekend city getaway, we’re all missing our life pre-Covid, but that doesn’t mean we can’t look back at the memories and dream up future excursions we’ll be going on as soon as restrictions lift. While we’re stuck inside, journaling can help you relive your favourite memories, moments and events from your pre Coronavirus life.Â
Bring out those tickets, postcards and little doodles you did when you were Interrailing, fleeting from city to city or your birthday bashes, and relish in the memories as you piece them together into a journal. Much like a scrapbook, a journal will help you relive your cherished moments and live vigorously through them while we’re staying at home.
YouTuber and content creator, Katy Bellotte is a huge advocate for journaling believing it provides a space for all of your thoughts, poetry, favourite phrases and memories to come to life. Having spent a semester abroad whilst studying, Katy’s past journals are filled with old tickets, photographs, drawing and passages of memories from her travels. Flick through some of her Instagram posts, dotting between the journal entries and calligraphy phrases and you’ll instantly feel inspired to start your journaling journey.
Flick through some of her Instagram posts, dotting between the journal entries and calligraphy phrases.
It’s immensely therapeuticÂ
I’m sure we can all agree that over the last few months, as much as they’ve been riddled with uncertainty and fright, it’s been nice to take a step back and slow down. We’ve all tipped out toes into new creative endeavours and have reaped all of the benefits of focusing our mind and attention away from commuting, stressing out family outings and demanding everyday pressures, and have been able to focus that energy into something creative.Â
If you’re yet to give it a go or want a new challenge, journaling can help you reap all of these benefits and more. Filling in journal entries, whether they’re from a few years ago or just yesterday, can be hugely beneficial for your mental health and therapeutic as they allow you to focus your attention away from what’s going on in the world around you and allows you to spend a bit of time on yourself and immerse yourself in your own thoughts and feelings.Â
Of course not every entry has to be about happy moments too. Looking back at old entries from times when you were upset, angry or scared can help to see how far you’ve come and act as a reminder that these feelings, although fragile, aren’t stagnant and don’t last forever.
You can form your own personal style
Journaling allows you to really have fun with your creative side. Whether you’re a perfectionist and are all about the pristine lines and handwriting or you want to delve into the unknown and unleash a creative flare and go scrapbook style, you can really do your own thing.Â
I know we mentioned Katy Bellotte earlier but I absolutely adore her journaling style, as it’s littered with old pages from books, calligraphy and drawings. It’s really unique and special, but is also home to imperfections too. Over on her YouTube channel, she’s created various videos about journaling and the importance of it in her life, with even videos where you join her journaling which can be really inspiring too and fun to journal alongside with.Â
Michelle from @seaweedkisses also has a really unique journaling style, often incorporating watercolour doodles and sayings of memories she’s encountered or wants to inspire with. Flick through her Instagram page for inspiration and ideas to take into your journaling journey. I also love @besottment’s Instagram page as it’s filled with pretty doodles and cut outs, and her blog is home to lots of journaling prompts too.Â
If you fancy tackling calligraphy too, we’ve got a guide on how to start your calligraphy journey here too.
You’ll be able to flick through the books for years to comeÂ
Journaling is also really great because you can dip in and out of the pages whenever you like, looking back at your memories and pivotal moments. Whether that’s moments from past travelling experiences, your lavish wedding day or everyday thoughts and feelings you’ve had, it’s really fun, emotional and entertaining to look back at the past in a journal, seeing how far you’ve grown, changed and flourished.Â
It’s also a really fun hobby to show your future children and grandchildren too, in which they can see what your life was like before they knew you too.
You'll be able to dip in and out in years to come and look back on your story.
It can help you get organisedÂ
For the perfectionists and organisers out there, there is also the hugely popular bullet journal trend you can adopt as part of your everyday routine. Designed to help you keep on top of your routine, tasks and daily happenings, the bullet journal is a great way to get organised.Â
Opt for a bullet lined notebook – we love Papier’s range of options – and get planning out your monthly activities, events and ideas in a simple method. You can get notebooks to do it all for you but it’s also really fun to get involved in the process and draw out your own designs to add your personal spin on it.Â
For inspiration, look to Kara of @boho.berry, the YouTuber and bullet journalist who has crafted her page around the hobby. As well as her usual work schedules and events, Kara also journals about certain topics, from ‘what I fear the most’ to ‘things that make her happy’. It’s a fun take on journaling for those who love writing and keeping on top of their organisation at the same time.
Best books to start your journey
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