Different ways to journal (with examples)
There are many different ways you can approach journalling, depending on your own preferences and goals. In this blog, I’m sharing different examples of journalling styles, including stream of consciousness, reflective journalling, emotional release journalling and letter to self journalling.
You may like to try out a few different styles to see which resonate most with you.
Types of Journalling
Here are some different styles or ways to journal:
1. Morning Pages: Made popular by Julia Cameron in "The Artist's Way," morning pages involve writing three pages of stream-of-consciousness writing, done first thing in the morning. This has been shown to help clear the mind and boost creativity. Stream-of-Consciousness Journalling involves writing continuously without censoring or organising your thoughts. Let your thoughts flow naturally, without worrying about grammar or punctuation.
2. Emotional Release Journalling: Use your journal as a space to vent and release emotions. Write about your frustrations, fears, or anger to let go of pent-up feelings. This can be an effective way to release and process emotions, which also supports emotion regulation.
3. One-Sentence Journalling: Summarise your day or capture a single thought or emotion in one sentence. It's a quick and simple way to document daily experiences and track how you’re energy or mood is over time. This can help you see if there are times you’re feeling better than other times. This information can help determine if there are particular situations or times when you feel more activated than others.
4. Letters to Yourself: Write letters to your past, present, or future self, offering advice, encouragement, or reflections (there is an example of this further on in this blog).
5. Gratitude Journalling: In a gratitude journal, you write down things you are grateful for each day. Focusing on the positives in your life can cultivate a sense of appreciation for what you have. I believe, ‘Gratitude cultivates contentment’. In your writing you can express gratitude for the connections with people or animals, the availability of resources, and what your body is able to do. It can also be gratitude for mother nature and her gifts you see in the world, or for a kind gesture from a stranger, a delicious snack or meal you consumed, the opportunity to share your ideas with someone… there’s no limits on what can inspire feelings of gratitude.
What to journal about
You can journal about a wide range of topics and aspects of your life. Journalling is a versatile practice that allows you to explore your thoughts, emotions, experiences, and aspirations.
Here are some ideas on what to journal about:
1. Thoughts and Feelings: Express your thoughts and emotions on various topics or situations.
2. Gratitude: List things you are grateful for and reflect on the positive aspects of your life.
3. Challenges: Write about any obstacles or challenges you're facing and how you plan to overcome them.
4. Goals and Aspirations: Outline your short-term and long-term goals, along with steps you can take to achieve them, in the short term and longer term.
5. Self-Reflection: Reflect on your personal growth, strengths, and areas for improvement. Some enquiry questions could be ‘how have I changed since this time last year?’, ‘what qualities of myself do I wish to continue to strengthen?’ and ‘is there an aspect of my life I’d like to be different; to change in some way?’
6. Inspiration: Write about people, quotes, or experiences that inspire you.
7. Lessons Learned: Reflect on past experiences and the lessons you've gained from them. You might head the page ‘Experience: title you give this’ and then continue with ‘Lessons learned – what went well, what would I do differently (if anything)?’
8. Daily Observations: Journal about observations or encounters you've had throughout the day. This could incorporate an additional lens of gratitude for the observations or encounters you’ve had, or lessons learned, with this daily focus.
Examples of different journalling styles
Stream of consciousness example
Write in an unstructured, and free-flowing way. Let your thoughts spill onto the page without any plan or organisation, nor judgment. In stream-of-consciousness writing there is no editing of concern for grammar, punctuation, or coherence. Rather, this is about letting your thoughts flow naturally, capturing whatever is coming to your mind in that moment.
This can be therapeutic, and even liberating, to get the thoughts out of your head; helping you to process emotions, gain insights, and also connect with your inner world in a different way.
Here's an example of what a stream-of-consciousness journal entry might look like:
It was hard to get up this morning, the alarm went off and I just wanted to go back to sleep. There’s so much happening at the moment and I’m waking up at 3 with all these thoughts in my head. I keep thinking of….. I’m aware I can overthink situations and can’t stop replaying that moment when I said ‘xyz’. It was so embarrassing, I just want to forget it but I can’t. On a positive note, I'm excited about going away this weekend. I really need this break. I must start packing… but first I need to ….. and there’s also… I so want to get back into my meditation practice. It’s been absent this past week. Why is it when I need it the most it falls off the radar? I know it makes a huge difference. That’s it, I’m going to do 5 minutes today, to get back into the groove. It feels good to get these thoughts out on paper. I’m glad I have writing as it’s always helped me to sort through what’s on my mind and feel a bit better. That’s it, I’m going to set the timer and sit for 5 minutes now…
Reflective journalling example
This style is more introspective and contemplative in that it is an opportunity to explore past experiences, emotions, and thoughts, and provides a launching pad for personal growth and learning.
Here's an example of what a reflective journal entry might look like:
Today, I found myself feeling overwhelmed and stressed before I even arrived at work. This hasn’t happened for a while. The last time was when … stayed over and I didn’t get enough sleep. I really do need good sleep to manage stress. There are lots of stressors at the moment, both at work and home. When this happens I can easily get overwhelmed. I’m glad I’ve just realised how I need to prioritise my sleep this week. And I remember it also helps me to write a list and do one thing at a time. Note to self: write the list, pick something from it and then hide the list until that task is complete.
I’ve also been more emotional. I wonder how much of that is stress related. I think it could be my cycle too. I must book in with my doctor to chat about that. I’ve been noticing it’s not all the time, and seems to be cyclical. I want to understand this better and work out what can help me and get clearer on what doesn’t help at these times. That reminds me, I’m going to take a walk in my lunchbreak. My therapist is always reminding me about self-care and boundaries and I know they make a big difference. I will take that break today.
Emotional release journalling example
In this style you can give yourself permission to freely express and release any repressed or contained emotions, in a safe way, letting your feelings flow without judgement.
When journaling in this way you allow yourself to be honest, and vulnerable about your emotional experience. This journal writing may include raw and intense feelings. It’s a way to give yourself the space and freedom to express what you might not feel comfortable sharing with others, or may not be appropriate to share with others. This form of journaling can be very cathartic and healing, as you release emotions that have been swirling around in your inner world. By placing them on paper through writing they are now taking an external form which gives you some space between them and you may gain a sense of release and relief from this action.
Remember that you don't need to hold back or censor your feelings in this type of journalling. It’s only for your eyes and you can always dispose of it if you wish. Let the words flow freely, knowing that this practice is for your emotional well-being and self-compassion.
Here's an example of what an emotional release journal entry might look like:
I'm feeling so overwhelmed and angry right now. There’s so much to do and I can’t catch a break. I just want to run away. I’m drowning in deadlines and it’s never enough. Each time I stay back and try to get on top of things, more finds its way to me. I can feel the tension building up in my neck and it really worries me.
As I write this, tears are streaming down my face, and I can feel the weight of all my responsibilities. It’s so hard to admit but I’ve been avoiding dealing with the emotional impact of this. I keep wanting to push my feelings away. And no one at work understands. There’s so much pressure to be able to manage everything easily and if I were to cry at work I’d be ashamed that people would think I’m sensitive and think less of me.
My therapist has suggested journaling could help when I am feeling emotional. She said it could be helpful to give myself permission to let it all out and that I don’t need to be strong, or get it perfect, or hide how I’m feeling. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed and angry.
That’s right, I remember now. She said for me to notice and name how I’m feeling and express it and check in what I need. I’m noticing the tears running down my cheeks, they’re warm and sting a little. My neck is really tight and I just noticed my jaw is tense. I might just open my mouth a few times and move my neck gently. I remember it’s important to be kind and gentle to myself so I’ll just try to go easy. I guess it’s sadness I feel, and also annoyed that I’m holding this tension. Now to express it. I’ve done a bit of that but I’ll just let the tears flow some more. I don’t have to stop them just now. I’ve finished work for the day. I don’t have to worry about people seeing me. What do I need? I think I really need a warm bath but that’s not going to happen. I could warm up a heat bag and hold it. I think it would be good for me to go for a walk too. In ½ hour. I’ll use the heat bag for a comforting hug then get some fresh air and shift my focus.
I’m glad I have this journal to help me. Writing this down feels like a weight off my shoulders. And I’m surprised, and happy, some ideas popped in to help me too.
“Letter to Self” journalling example
"Letter to Self" journalling involves writing a letter addressed to yourself - this can either be to your past, present, or future self. It's an opportunity to offer guidance, encouragement, and reflections.
In a "Letter to Self" journal entry, you can speak to any aspect of your life, offer advice to yourself, celebrate your achievements, or express self-compassion. This writing allows you to be both the giver and the receiver of encouragement and wisdom. Feel free to write letters to your past self, present self, or future self as needed.
Here's an example of what a "Letter from Future Self" journal entry might look like:
Dear Nicky,
I want to start by telling you how proud I am of you. You've come a long way, and I admire your strength and resilience in facing life's challenges. I know things haven't always been easy, but you've managed to keep going.
I want you to remember that it's okay to still have struggles in the areas you’ve worked so hard to improve. I hope you can trust that you are exactly where you need to be right now, and that each step you take is a part of your growth and learning.
Remember to continue to do your daily rituals and your personal growth work, along with your professional study. I hope you watch how this supports not only you, but also your client work. Keep being kind to you.
I want to remind you of your worth and value. You are deserving of love, happiness, and all the good things life has to offer. Don't let self-doubt or negative self-talk hold you back. You are capable of achieving your goals and I believe in you.
As you face challenges, remember that you have a strong support system. Reach out to friends and family when you need help or a listening ear. You don't have to go through everything alone.
I also want you to prioritise self-care. Take time for yourself, engage in activities that bring you joy, and nurture your physical and emotional well-being. Remember that self-care is not selfish; it's essential for your overall happiness and well-being.
Lastly, be open to new experiences and opportunities. Embrace change and uncertainty with curiosity and a willingness to learn. You never know what beautiful surprises life has in store for you.
Keep being true to yourself and following your passions. I have no doubt that you will continue to grow and thrive. Trust in your journey, and remember that I am always here cheering you on.
With love and support, Future, wise woman, Nicky
Journalling is a practice. It can take time to get comfortable with writing in this way and it can take some time to find a style and approach that suits you best. Be patient and compassionate with yourself as you start using journaling as a personal practice for your wellbeing, self-awareness, and growth.
If you enjoyed this blog post you may like to read the other posts in my journalling series:
If you feel drawn to pair a journalling practice with structured therapy sessions, I offer 1:1 counselling sessions. We can work together on an individualised approach to your needs, with strategies that suit your goals and your lifestyle.