If you are someone that understands the benefits of journaling and wants to get into it, but has a hard time keeping up with it, then this information is for you. It is very possible that you are just making some of the more common mistakes people tend to make when they start journaling. The good news is that they are easy to correct.
Attempting to Be Perfect
A very common mistake people make when they write in a journal is trying to be perfect. This can be related to your handwriting, what you use for your journal, making sure spelling and grammar are correct, and even how you choose to write as far as the style goes.
Journal writing is not meant to be seen by someone else, so you are the only one who needs to be worried about how and what you write. Don’t feel constricted by proper writing rules, or worry about what content you write about it. This is your journal, your personal, private space, a place to vent and express your feelings without judgment.
With a bullet journal, for example, making a mistake causes a lot of unnecessary anxiety for some people. Just relax and remember why you’re using that particular type of journal in the first place. Is it to have perfect formatting or to help alleviate stress and keep you organized?
There is nothing about using a journal that needs to be perfect as long as YOU are happy with it.
Doing Only One Kind of Writing
It is also a good idea to avoid getting too comfortable or routine with what you write about. You can mix it as up as much as you want, going from writing about your goals, to tracking symptoms, to just venting your feelings.
If you have a bad day, feel free to write in a negative context, then go back to your normal optimistic, happy self with the next journal entry. If you feel like you always have to write the same way, always use prompts, or always talk about the same thing, you will get bored very quickly.
Creating Rules for Yourself
There are many rules people tend to make for themselves when they first start a journal. Some of them might be good for the short-term, such as writing the same time every day to build up a habit, but that doesn’t mean they have to last forever.
The more rules you have, the more difficult it will be to enjoy writing in your journal and actually benefit from it.
Giving Up Too Soon
You might not notice the impact journaling has on you right away. It could take weeks or even months before you understand why people enjoy it so much.
You might need to try new things, use different tools, switch up your journaling format, or just be persistent before you finally get it and start to love what journaling can do for you.
