13 Ways of Looking at a Journal

There are many different ways to keep a journal, and many different areas in which journaling can be a useful practice. Journaling is a habit that can serve us well in our search for wellness and self-knowledge, not just in one aspect of life but in all the varied facets of our daily existence. Looking at our lives from different perspectives enriches us no matter how that self-examination takes place.

Here are just a few different types,  to give you some ideas if you’ve just become interested in journaling, or some inspiration if you’ve been journaling for a long time and want to add some spice to your daily practice.

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i. Daily Journal

This is the kind of journal that you think of most readily; it is a companion in which to complain, vent , discover new things about yourself, keep a record of your days, comfort yourself, track your patterns and know yourself better, and note down those glorious moments of living that you just don’t want to forget. This type of journal is the one most journal writers (like myself) keep for years, and which is infinitely customizable to your own needs and preferences.

ii. Gratitude Journal

Popularized by Sarah Ban Breathnach, the practice of writing down lists of what you are grateful for in life is recognized as a useful tool to increase contentment and happiness. Keeping your mind focused on the good things in life will allow you to notice and appreciate them more, and a  journal full of reminders is nice to read through when you’re down.

iii. Fitness Journal

Recommended by most health and diet coaches, the power of tracking, in writing, what you eat and how active you are is proven to be an effective way to keep focused on your health. People who keep a food journal are more than twice as likely to lose weight and keep it off. The awareness of  activity levels and eating patterns which journals help to build are key factors in increasing your physical fitness levels.

iv. Travel Journal

A small notebook that you can carry with you makes a wonderful travel companion. Recording your impressions of new places while they are still fresh, sketching the view, tucking in tickets, photos or brochures to bring back a special occasion, or simply jotting down phrases to elaborate upon later on — all of these techniques can create a  treasured memento of any trip, large or small.

v. Business Journal

Mentioned recently by marketing strategist Mark Levy, and constantly recommended by successful businesspeople in magazines like Success, business journaling is a way of integrating insights and information, creating measurable goals and staying on top of new business decisions. Knowing where your business has been and how effective it has been in reaching targets only makes for a stronger organization. Keeping track of your career choices and activities can also be a guide for future work decisions.

vi. Dream Journal

Dreams are a message to us from our unconscious, and can reveal much about our inner lives if we will pay attention. Keeping a dream journal beside the bed is a good way to capture those fast-fading dreams before we jump up and get busy with our day. Rereading and noticing themes as they reappear can help us both to understand more about ourselves and to train ourselves to remember more of our dreams.

vii. Art Journal

If you are a visual person, this kind of journaling can have huge appeal. Using journaling techniques, you can jazz up your pages by combining regular journaling with collage, painting, sketches, scrapbooking elements and much more. You can create your own notebook from scratch or add artistic elements to personalize a purchased one. There is endless inspiration to explore.

viii. Family Journal

Trying to maintain your children’s learning over the summer? Want to share family stories for posterity? A family journal is a wonderful shared journal in which to record events, milestones and everyday happenings — get your children to write up their impressions of a holiday, letters to family members or simply creative stories, and add them all to a master journal that you contribute to as well. Pictures, ephemera and other scrapbooking material can add to this collective work.

ix. Nature Journal

Paying attention to the natural world and seasonal cycles can improve our outlook. Noting down changes in our surroundings, or sketching trees, animals or landscapes in general can assist our artistic abilities as well as our compassion for the earth. Tracking weather patterns or attaching pressed leaves or other natural materials can be a wonderful addition to this kind of journal, and is easily incorporated into journaling with children as well.

x. Goal Setting and Tracking Journal

Goals are best set and tracked in writing. A dedicated journal for this purpose can help maintain focus on your goals and the intermediate objectives that must be met on the way to that goal! Keeping a regular record of what you want and how you are going to achieve it, together with remarks on steps taken and results of each action, can be a major element in life success. This journal can range from both big picture Vision Statements to day-to-day To-Do lists.

xi. Reading Journal

To keep a record of all you learn and enjoy in your reading, try creating a reading  journal. Noting down titles, authors, key points, favourite quotes and your reactions to what you are reading can result in a document that you’ll look back on for guidance or for reminders of all you’ve learned. Reading and then reflecting on it in writing can help you to assimilate and retain all the goodness you’ve just experienced within a book.

xii. Writers Journal

Many writers swear by the essential nature of  their journaling. These journals can be a bit like a magpie’s nest; a gathering of all the shiny bits that authors have found in life, that may be used someday in something! Overheard dialogue; clippings or excerpts from reading; trial runs at a character, poem or storyline; inspiring images; possible contacts for future use; worries or wonders about the writing process; lists and reminders — anything at all that can advance the writing habit.

xiii. Spiritual Journal

Using this kind of journal you can explore your spiritual heritage, and investigate what your beliefs and desires for a spiritual life are now. You can track your reading, ponder what spiritual practice you would like to see in your life, and consider your future path toward a sense of the Divine. Try listing moments of grace or deep questions you’d like answered. Keeping a record of your explorations will let you see how far you’ve come, and provide guidance as you grow.

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