Hi everyone! It’s 5:05 AM now
Today, I’m going to share everything you need to know about journaling.
I’m looking at the viewfinder of my camera…
And shocked by how puffy my face looks.
When I woke up this morning, I was debating if I should record this video or not
because my face looked so puffy.
But decided to record anyway as I took time to put some makeup on at 4:30AM.
It’s been a year already since I started to wake up at 4:30 - 5AM.
The best habit that I made was journaling.
There are lots of videos talking about the benefits of journaling,
but it is hard to find a video that shares some tips on how to start journaling.
So today, I will share those tips and
the changes that journaling has brought to my life
What You Need
You need a journal and a pen, that’s it!
You do not need any kinds of fancy journal
But what I recommend is that
If you are thinking of starting to journal,
It would be a good idea to get a journal that you like
because a brand new journal would make a turning point in your routines
You will feel you are starting fresh, and this will make you become attached to it.
You will feel like you want to fill in the papers inside more with your writing.
These are all the journals that I’m currently using
You only need one if you are just starting to journal
And when you get used to the routine,
you may want to categorize different kinds of journals that I will talk about in this video.
Things you need may vary depending on different kinds of journal
For example, if you are writing a journal in a diary format,
You literally just need a pen and paper.
But if you are interested in decorating your journal,
You might need a few more things
Such as washi tape
stickers
stamps
vintage papers, etc.
This journal is for my daughter
I use it as a planner in the front section
and I use it as a photo journal in the other half
I use this particular mini photo printer
It’s so convenient as the photos print as stickers
that can be used as decorating my journal.
I will leave the link in the description box below in case if you are interested.
Create Personal Space
One thing that I would highly recommend to those who want to start journaling is
Filling your journaling time and space with your favorite things
Put on your favorite music before writing a journal
Add cup of coffee or tea
I also like to have candles lit to create a more comfortable atmosphere.
If you create associations with the things that bring you
comfort & joy and journaling time,
You will love to journal more.
Types of Journaling
There are many different kinds of journal
But the most popular style is writing in a diary format.
You can write things that happened that day
or simply write down the emotions and your thoughts
This method creates a space for your thoughts and emotions
It’s a great way to keep track of things you want to remember each day
Art journal makes you to express your feelings or thoughts
in a creative way using various craft supplies
I personally write down some of my favourite bible verses,
the impressive passage I read or affirmations
There are journals to which you can list things up
This is my gratitude journal
I write a list of things that I’m grateful for every day
I also write a list of things to do every day in a bullet journal style
There is also a way to record the food eaten each day in the form of illustrations
A chef and artist named Itsuo Kobayashi
has recorded the food he ate over for the past 32 years
with his own illustrations and recipes. That’s amazing!
I also write a book journal
I write down my thoughts or important content about the books I read
and give my own rating for each book
There are more different kinds of journal,
but as it’s hard to mention all in this video,
I will try to share them in my Instagram account
I'm currently using this Traveler's Notebook,
which allows you to keep different kinds of journals in one notebook like this.
You will not want to switch to a different journal once you start using this
I also use these kinds of notebooks that you can easily find everywhere
and this budget planner
Many people asked me where to buy this notebook through
Instagram DM or comments on my previous videos,
so I will try to find the link and leave it in the description box below.
Keep It Private
Now, for those of you who are watching this video,
try to find your thoughts deep inside of mind.
All the thoughts and feelings that exist deep inside,
there are probably many parts that you don't want to be seen by anyone other than yourself
But the space where all those things are expressed is the journal
But if you keep thinking that someone might read your journal,
You can’t really write your thoughts and feelings truthfully
That is why I recommend that you find and keep your journal in a place other people cannot see.
Of course your family members or friends will not try to sneak a peek into your diary
But if you keep thinking that it maybe possible that someone else might see your journal,
what you write will not be truthful
I keep my journals in a designated drawer
so that my daughter cannot accidentally read my journals.
How It Has Changed My Life
I do journaling twice a day, when I wake up in the morning and before bed
Even once a day, it is good to do it at a fixed time and place,
But as it is possible that you might be too busy in the morning
or too tired at night to journal
You can journal any time of the day depending on your schedule,
but the important thing is that there should be no distraction around you
There are so many things that have changed in my life since I started journaling,
but the biggest change among them is
My self-esteem has been improved a lot
Now you may think that it makes no sense to improve self-esteem in the late 30’s
But continuously caring about what other people think about you,
wanting everyone to like you,
and feeling easily offended when things don’t work out as you please,
these are all signs of low self-esteem.
I also had these problems, but didn’t realize I did
I just thought that I’m living a good life as I had a decent job and a happy family
But my perception has completely changed since I started journaling and quiet time,
It was the journaling that made me realize that the things I have sought and admired in my life were not all.
This may be why people want to be a minimalist
But I’m way too far from becoming a minimalist just so you know
As the anger, sadness or jealousy
that exists deep within you that no one knows about gets disappeared,
and as the space is filled with gratitude, new ideas and goals of your own instead,
Your perspective on everything will change,
And your attitude toward people
and your own life will also change in a positive way.
For example, I hated seeing someone boasting about their wealth before
But now I feel sorry for them
Because I think about that person’s mental state first.
And now I'm not afraid to make mistakes,
and I have the ability to turn them into opportunities to learn more.
Now I don’t care about what other people think about me
Doing what I want to do without caring how other people think about me
Of course I take constructive criticism or advice
But now I’m able to live my life without being easily influenced by them.
The important thing here however is not to be obsessed by the level of your self-esteem
Self-esteem can be lower or higher depending on the situation.
Rather than being obsessed by building the level of your self-esteem,
It is important to know how to admit and love you as you are now.
I believe that journaling is one of the habits to make it happen.
My daughter is about to wake up now, so that’s it for today
Don’t forget to like and subscribe :)
I will see you next week!