A comfortable place to journal?

Only you will know where you are comfortable journal writing. Will it be sitting at a desk or on the boardwalk by the ocean? Curled up in a big easy chair or sprawled out across a floor? Propped up by comfy pillow in your bed? On a train? In a park?

Listen to your inner voice; it will guide you to that safe, comfortable space. Once you find it, you will be able to produce. Don´t be afraid to experiment. Try everything to see what works best for you.

Self-expression in my personal journal?

First, get out crayons, markers, colored pencils, paints, regular pens (blue, black and red), and pencils. Then start to write or draw anywhere on the page of your personal journal. As you write with each different material, you will begin to get a feel for what feels most comfortable in your hand and what allows you to truly express yourself.

The journal space is yours, there is nothing limiting you. So make it your own! To begin, don´t even think about what to start. Write in large capital letters or write small. Write sideways on the page, upside down or the normal way from left to right. Write in script or in print. Do whatever makes you feel good and what allows you to see yourself represented on the journal page.

Find the right journal for you!

Journaling should feel like coming home and curling up in your favorite space. So what can help you to achieve that feeling? First and foremost, find a journal that represents you.

Will you be carrying it around? If so, you will want a compact one. Do you like to fold the book back on itself? Try a wire bound journal. Do you want lined pages or blank?

Now for the fun part! Do you like colorful, floral or textile designs, silly characters, black and white photos, or maybe even reprints of famous paintings on the covers?

Think about all of these things and then experiment to see which type suits you best.

Copyright © 2004 Natasha Reilly.

Best way to begin journal writing?

The best journaling method is called a free-write. For 10 minutes, write. Don´t lift the pen off the paper. Don´t correct mistakes. Don´t worry about punctuation or spelling. If you feel you have nothing to say, write ´I have nothing to say´. You will be amazed at how much you actually can find to write about! If you don´t want to look at a clock, determine a minimum number of pages to fill instead. If you use prompts to get you started writing, just write whatever comes to you once you read the prompt. First thoughts are important.

What is journaling?

Welcome! Let's talk about journal writing. Whether you're new to journaling or a veteran, everyday that you write is another day you discover something interesting about life.

Journaling allows us to take a time out from the often hectic pace of daily life and spend time thinking about relationships with family and friends, our jobs, and where we are at this particular point in our lives. Through writing, whether its journaling, writing fiction or non-fiction, poetry or songs, we learn new things about ourselves and the world around us. Journaling is a gift that you gift to yourself.

Copyright © 2004 Natasha Reilly.

Best time of day to journal write?

Explore your journal writing at various times of the day to see what works best for you. Some people write when they first wake up in the morning. This way their thoughts have not been disrupted by anything yet. Some people will journal in the afternoon after lunch. Others are night writers who like to do reflective journaling to touch on things that happened throughout the day.

Personal journaling is a gift you give to yourself. Whatever time you choose, make sure that you carve out enough time for yourself to focus on your writing. I like to write at night; the night time is my time to unwind. However, if the mood strikes I will journal at any time, anywhere.