Journal Practices That Will Change Your Life

Journal practices are excellent tools for everything from growing your faith to setting goals to self discovery and so much more. If you don’t already have a regular journaling routine I highly recommend incorporating one of the journal practices mentioned below into your daily routine.

I personally do all 5 of these journal practices. I know it sounds like a lot but this does not have to take up a huge chunk of time. I only spend a few minutes each morning and evening in my journals and just those few minutes have made a massive difference.

Whatever you’re hoping to improve on or manifest into your life there is a journal practice that can help you grow as a person. Even if none of the journal practices I mention seem like there for you I hope you find one that is. However, I’m confident this list has something for everybody.

Faith Journal

My faith is something that is important to me; however, sometimes I neglect to actively pursue or practice it. I often treat my faith like it’s just something that I don’t have to work at when in fact growing in your faith requires actively spending time with God, which journaling has allowed me to.

I love reading devotionals that provide me with daily journaling prompts about my interpretation of a verse or doing a Bible study that asks thought provoking questions. The devotional I’m currently doing is Live in Grace, Walk in Love by Bob Goff and I highly recommend it.

Another way I practice my faith is by writing my prayers in my journal, I often get distracted by my own thoughts when silently praying to myself, writing them down allows me to stay focused. It’s also really cool to look back at all of the prayers God has answered.

I also recently got the Unshaken journal from the Well Watered Women Co. and I am loving it. They have faith journals for every season in life, several devotionals and bible studies. If you’re not sure where to start in faith journaling definitely check them out.

Having a journal practice for my faith keeps me rooted in Christ, close to God and fills my cup. I share even more about growing your faith in last week's blog post, so make sure you check that out if it’s something you’re interested in. I am by no means a preacher or anything like that but this is simply what has worked for me and I truly believe it can change your life.

Brain Dump Journal

If you don’t already have a brain dump journal I cannot recommend it enough. This journal practice has completely saved my sanity and sleep schedule. I used to constantly feel overwhelmed by all of the thoughts bouncing around in my head, until my therapist suggested getting them all out on paper every day.

Have you ever laid in bed at night trying to fall asleep but you can’t because you’re thinking about a million little things, like: your to do list for the next day, stuff that happened years ago or completely made up scenarios? This was me, EVERY SINGLE NIGHT.

Now I keep a journal by my bed and write down every single thought I have until it’s all out and I can finally turn my brain off and get some sleep. I’ll write down every emotion I’m feeling, things I need to remember and completely random thoughts.

I don’t necessarily write things down in a nice neat order and I don’t even use complete sentences. The purpose of this journal isn’t productivity, it's release. It allows me to write down my emotions, acknowledge them and move past them rather than allowing my anxiety to keep me awake all night.

If you have trouble sleeping because your mind is swirling then I cannot recommend this practice enough. It has completely changed my life, calmed my anxiety and allowed me to get better sleep. If that isn’t a game changer then I don’t know what is.

Gratitude Journal

I’m sure you’ve probably heard this one before but having a gratitude journal has completely changed my life. As someone who struggles with anxiety and situational depression living in gratitude has taught me to always be looking for the bright side in everything.

I have found that it is impossible for me to be negative or feel sorry for myself when I am counting all of my many blessings. It truly puts things into perspective and has made me realize that there is always something to be thankful for, even in the hard seasons of life.

Ever since I started writing down at least 5 things I’m grateful for each day I go through my entire day looking for those little moments that I can have gratitude for. I always try to journal about things that happened that day because it makes every day feel like a good one.

I try to avoid writing big picture things like “being alive” not that I’m not grateful for that I am, but having to dig deep and look for things to be grateful for forces me to take notice of all the small things each day that make up the many blessings I have been given.

It can be something as simple as a cloud covering the sun when you were starting to get hot or someone holding the door for you. There are a million tiny things you can express gratitude for every single day. If you can live in a state of gratitude your life will be forever changed. Which is why I am a firm believer in this daily journal practice.

Goals Journal

Every single morning I start my day off by writing 10 of my goals, as if they’ve already happened. I love this daily practice because it forces my mind into truly believing these things are possible and will happen for me because I write it as if it already has.

Also by writing my goals down daily I am reminded every morning what I am working towards, which has trained me to go through my day looking for ways and opportunities to get a step closer to those goals. Doing this every morning has made me much more productive in the pursuit of my goals.

Not only do I write down my 10 goals every day in my journal, but this is also where I’ll brainstorm ideas for new goals or develop steps to reach the goals I’ve set. My goals journal is full to do lists for reaching milestones and every crazy idea I’ve ever had. My goals journal contains so much more than my goals, it’s my hopes and dreams.

I’ll often write about what my ideal day would be like, how I want my schedule to flow so I’m the most productive and even where I see myself in one, five or ten years from now. I’ve got lists of things I want, places I want to visit and people I’d love to meet.

My goals journal is where I design the life I want and I can dream big without fear because this journal is just for me. It’s where I develop plans and go back to the drawing board when those plans don’t work. If you feel like you’re lacking direction with your goals you need a goals journal.

Guided Journal

Guided journals are excellent for anyone just getting started in journaling because it gives you the prompt and you simply write about it, doesn’t get much simpler than that. I also love guided journals because there’s one for every aspect of your life.

There are guided journals for personal growth, self care or just to get to know yourself better. You can purchase a guided journal or Pinterest has thousands of pins with journal prompts that you can follow. As a teacher I used journal prompts for developing a growth mindset as a bellringer for my students.

If you’re wanting to get started in journaling but aren’t sure how to get started, what to write about or what you’re hoping to gain from it, then guided journaling is for you. Start with some journal prompts online and if you like it you could purchase an entire journal or start writing on your own.

I personally use guided journal prompts whenever I’m feeling stuck creatively. Journaling is an excellent way to get ideas flowing and find my creative voice again. If you’ve been feeling at a loss for direction or just want to get into a rhythm of coming up with new things I truly think a guided journal can help.

Simply scour the internet until you find a prompt that sparks something in you or look up questions based on what you need help with most. However you choose to journal just know there’s a wealth of resources at your fingertips so take advantage of it and start your journal practice today, you’ll be glad you did.

I am a firm believer that every single person can benefit from a journal practice. You don’t have to be a writer or english teacher because your journal is just for you. To help you free your mind, organize your thoughts, make big plans and get to know yourself.

Let me know which journal practice you’re excited to try or one that works for you.

xoxo, Ashleigh Nicolle