SLOW Journal Magazine Article

A beginner’s guide to journaling.

Ever thought to yourself, ‘I should start journaling’? But then you bought the notebook, the pens, the font book and ink squares, opened the first page and didn’t know how to start? Wanting to start a journaling practice, struggling to start one, and struggling to continue one are all common problems. In this article I want to help you build a journaling practice that lasts. 

There are many reasons why people don’t start or continue a daily journaling practice, all of them are valid. But wouldn’t it be lovely if - for fifteen minutes every day - you put the reasons aside, sat down with your notebook and said, ‘I am a priority in my own life’?

Every journaling practice is unique to the individual and there are many different types of journaling out there. But the one that is easiest to keep up on a daily basis is simply writing what happened every day, in your chosen notebook. Do you have to get a physical notebook? No, you don’t. There’s no ‘have to’ in journaling, but using a physical notebook rather than a digital one will give you a better experience. It will also lower your screen time, help your brain to calm down and allow you to be fully present in your practice without the distraction of notifications or other apps. You can also add photos, stickers, doodles, recipes, ticket stubs…a physical journal allows you complete creative licence. 

As well as advising that you get a physical notebook, I would advise that - at least until a daily journaling practice becomes part of your routine - you follow a template. Templates might sound like they’re taking away the creativity of journaling; but they are an amazing way to build that initial daily habit. Especially if you’re pushed for time or not sure how to structure your entries. Every day you can show up knowing the bare minimum you’ve agreed to contribute to the notebook, and even if you don’t think that you have anything to say, you’re turning up and building that habit. Just like any daily practice, it will eventually become a natural part of your routine and integral to your self-love and self-care.

So how does journaling every day help your self-love practice? At the start of this article I said that a journaling practice is fifteen minutes minimum, every day, that you put aside for yourself, to reflect on how your day went. One of the reasons why people don’t continue their journaling practice is because they don’t feel worth the time it takes to write about their day. They feel like they’re not worth writing about, their life is not worth recording. I’m here to tell you that it is. You matter, your life matters and you deserve the time, energy and dedication it takes to not only create but also maintain a journal. Give that to yourself, just fifteen minutes every day. Fifteen little minutes boxed off for you and you alone. Make yourself a priority in your own life and everything else around you will reap the benefits.

Showing up every day at the page of your journal is an act of self-love and self-care. Self-love is more than bubble baths, or a witty slogan on a t-shirt, it’s more than going for a spa weekend or saying you love yourself on a good day. To love yourself is to be at peace with every aspect of who you are. Putting pen to paper will help you to understand each part of yourself, it will show every corner of not only your personality but also the reality of the relationship you have with your life. Journaling highlights and asks you which aspects of yourself and your life you want to work on, if you’re noting down every day the same things which annoy you or make you feel at peace - pretty soon you’ll spot the pattern and find yourself making healthy changes. Journaling every day will also regulate low moods, increase your self-worth, help you to slow down and make you feel less overwhelmed. All you need is a pen or pencil, a notebook that you feel comfortable writing in - and a template. You get the pen, pencil and notebook…I’ll provide the template. 

The Busy Bee Template is one I made for myself years ago when I was overwhelmed with the mountain of tasks I had to complete, and struggling with low moods. The formula can take 5 minutes or an hour, depending on how much time you have that day. Remember the template is the bare minimum, if you have the time and want to write more, write more! It’s designed for completing just before bed, as you’re calming down and reflecting on what happened, as well as what your priorities are for tomorrow. Each section can be completed with single words, a brief sentence or masses of detailed paragraphs; it’s entirely up to you. 

The Busy Bee Journaling Template

5 Things That Went Well

• Walked the dog

• Surfed with the girls

• Made raw salad lunch

• Finished an article

• Stargazed

3 Things To Do Tomorrow

• Dinner at The Brasserie

• Meeting at 11:00

• Collect cake from bakery

3-5 Affirmations

• I am enough

• Money comes to me easily

• I attract high vibe opportunities

Writing is a powerful tool of self-expression, and the joy of journaling is that no one else is going to see the entries. The grammar, the punctuation, the words, none of it has to be perfect - it just has to make sense to you. Above all, journaling should be fun. It should be a safe space to express how you truly feel, and a daily practice that improves not only the connection you have with yourself, but also the way that you live your life.

ABOUT

Alexandra Sebire is the founder of SOLEMNIKO, the How We Came To Be Project and the Notes From A Small Room Podcast. Within her human2human consultancy she offers a range of professional services for brands; ranging from stop motion animation to SEO audits and copywriting. She also works as a playwright, artist and therapeutic art coach. Her aim is to help brands and individuals reach their potential to build a better tomorrow. 

www.solemniko.com

Instagram: @solemniko