The Joy of Journaling

This piece was originally published as a guest blog at https://www.alittlepinkbook.com/2021/12/the-joy-of-journaling-brenda-moore.html

I love journaling with pen and paper, but when we’re on the go, technology can come to our rescue if we want to capture something quickly and don’t have our journal on hand. I love using the Notes function on my phone, but Brenda uses the 5 Minute Journal app, which is just as effective. Brenda also shares some of her other thoughts and tips on journaling below:

1. Why do you keep a journal? What do you think are the main advantages of journaling?

For the last few years, I have been living with a chronic migraine condition, and I have needed to adjust my expectations to be realistic for my capabilities. Journaling helps me assess my wellness on any given day, set reasonable goals, and celebrate small wins.

2. How long have you kept a journal for and why did you start?

I have journaled on and off throughout my life, mostly for mental health reasons. I first started around age 18 when I was dealing with major depression. It was a free-form diary – now I prefer a bullet journal. I still have my old journals. Occasionally I go back and read them and cringe at my teenage angst! But in spite of the melodrama, they helped to keep me sane at the time.

3. How often do you write in your journal – have you established a regular habit, or do you just write when you need to? How much do you write?

I try to write daily with varying degrees of success. The migraine condition makes sticking to routines a bit tricky. It only takes me a few minutes, morning and night.

4. What sort of journal do you write in? Do you write by hand in a notebook or electronically on your computer or other devices?

I use the 5 Minute Journal app on my phone. It’s quick and easy.

5. Do you have any challenges journaling, e.g., not writing as consistently as you’d like, not having time to write, not knowing what to write, finding the right journal, etc

As mentioned, being consistent is always a challenge. Sometimes I struggle to know what to write, but I have an agreement with myself that if I can’t think of three things, I just have to write one.