Why Journaling is an Intimate Affair

One of the most universal tips to be more positive and productive is to journal. It’s often recommended to be part of your morning routine and your evening routine. Think of a prolific thinker, and chances are they keep a notebook or journal, so shouldn’t you?

I’m going to cover one of the most basic things we can do to increase the quality of our life, but instead of covering the tons of reasons why, I’ll jump straight to offering my own unique thoughts on why journaling is an intimate act and tips on how to keep it that way. You are, after all, reading a productivity newsletter so I doubt I need to explain the benefits!

And like most things in life, the time to start is… now. The only thing you need to do before getting started is… nothing. So, don’t wait for the perfect notebook or the perfect app to write in, just write something, even on post-it notes or a blank Word document, if need be.

I’ll end this piece with one immediate takeaway, so let’s get to it!

Journaling is Intimate

“Journaling, I believe, is a practice that teaches us better than any other the elusive art of solitude.” — Maria Popova

When I was growing up, I journaled almost every night. They would usually take the form of poems, but nonetheless, my writings all served the same purpose, which is to relieve the stresses of being a teenager. When I read some of them decades later, yes they were extremely embarrassing and negative, but they were all so cathartic.

“In the journal, I do not just express myself more openly than I could do to any person; I create myself.” — Susan Sontag, controversial writer and philosopher

At the (literally) end of the day, journaling is a private act where there is no judgment. It’s a rare moment in the day that we give permission to be ok with who we are. For just a few minutes, we are not afraid of our thoughts. To journal is to be utterly alone.

3 Tips on How to Intimately Journal

What’s worked for me I hope will also work for you. Keep in mind, that these tips I use are mental aids to get me writing. All too often, a simple blank sheet of paper is intimidating and prevents people from starting. These tips are meant to help us get past those imaginary barriers and ultimately reap the benefits of writing in a journal.

So, 3 tips on how to journal in an intimate, personal way:

• Not for sharing — ever. When writing, promise to yourself that it won’t ever be seen by another human being. Much like a poker player sitting down to play, you must mentally believe that all the money is already lost. Only then can you be free to play and write with no fear.
• No grammatical rules. Ok, maybe this one might be for me. If you know me in real life, then you might know I don’t capitalize my sentences, I have tons of run-on sentences, and I like to start sentences with conjunctions. But luckily for you, I’m using Grammarly to help me write this.
• Listen to music to evoke emotions. When I was younger, I would have my current favorite song playing on repeat to help stoke my emotions and inspire my writing. I’d find that the rhythm and powerful emotional helped me to flow my thoughts onto the paper much easier.

“One of the more effective acts of self-care is also, happily, one of the cheapest,” as Hayley Phelan of the New York Times wrote of starting her journaling practice at a time when “I was in a place where I would have tried anything to feel better.”

Final Thought

Since you’re reading this on the Medium platform, may I suggest you click that little icon that says, ‘Write.’ Your immediate takeaway to start journaling right now is by writing what’s on your mind and saving it as a Draft. There will never be a perfect time or place, or the ideal writing app. The key to success in most things in life is to start now and keep consistent.

References:

1. The Art of Journaling: How To Start Journaling, Benefits of Journaling, and More by Ryan Holiday
2. What’s All This About Journaling? One of the more effective acts of self-care is also, happily, one of the cheapest. by Hayley Phelan
3. Celebrated Writers on the Creative Benefits of Keeping a Diary by Maria Popova