Life in Jamaica,  Personal Growth

Why You Should Start A Journal (And 31 Journal Prompts to Get You Started)

29/01/2017 /
Reading Time: 4 minutes

Writing in my journal has become one my favourite evening activities. In fact, it has become part of my night time ritual.  Each night, I write in my journal, before I settle in, I rate my day in my Passion Planner, and then, I read until it is time to sleep.  Today,  I want to share why you should start a journal, the benefits of keeping a journal and share 31 journal prompts to help get you going.

I remember the very first journal that I ever got.  I was nine years old and it was a parting gift from two friends who were returning to the USA. Their parents were missionaries and they had been in my class since grade three and they left Jamaica when we were in grade five. The journal was amazing, it had prompts that encouraged creativity and happy thoughts and areas to doodle and sketch. Somehow I managed to keep that little book until I was 12 years old.

And then, I began writing in a diary each day. It was one of those cute book with a little lock and key that did not actually work, it would not stay locked. Every evening, sometimes multiple times per day, I would share my thoughts, fears, dreams and worries in my diary. I would write every thought out and simply let it go. I wrote what I was afraid to say out loud.  I wrote what I dare not utter to anyone.

Throughout my teens and into my early 20s  I kept journals and notebooks.  Until into my early 20s when someone found my journals and read through them. That feeling was one of the worse moments.  I felt as if I was exposed and I felt violated.  I am sharing this story to pass on one simple nugget of personal wisdom.  Do not allow anyone to let you feel wronged by your private, intimate thoughts. Anyone who reads someone else’s journal or diary is in the wrong.  They are invading your privacy and if this person cannot see that is this is wrong, please evaluate your relationship with this individual. This may be a toxic person or a toxic relationship that you need to free yourself from.

This is the end my little soapbox moment. Let’s talk about journals and the wonderful benefits to keeping them.

So after almost a decade of keeping my thoughts, dreams and fears locked away in my head for safe keeping I am once again enjoying the calming sensation of writing in my journal.  And letting it all out on paper is amazing and freeing.

So Why Should You Start A Journal 

There are some proven benefits to keeping a journal to write out your thoughts and process your feelings. Trust me and Google the benefits of journal writing and read a few psychology articles on the science behind it all.  But here are my recommendations based on my experiences on why you should start a journal.

  1. It is a tool of mindfulness. When I kept a journal as a child, teen and young adult I was always very aware of what was happened in my life.  I was conscious of what I was thinking about because I would write all my preoccupations in detail. Mindfulness is a big buzz word right now and it one of the My Jamaican Vignettes themes for 2017 and one of my personal development and life goals. Writing out what is happening brings about positive awareness of what our thoughts are, where we are focusing our energies. And if for whatever reason our thoughts are trained on the “bad things” we can use our writing sessions to redirect our thoughts.
  2. Reduce stress and anxiety. Sometimes after writing down a problem, it becomes easier to work through the solutions. Also, your journal is supposed to be your safe place, so write it out. Share the frustrations, fears and anxieties and then purge it from your life.
  3. Create and manifest goals. I do not only write what happens on a day to day basic, my journal serves as my space to really become clear about my dreams and goals in life. I write about my plans, the little steps that I take to get closer to living my best life. I track my progress in my journal, notebook and my planner.
The Types of Journals To Consider 

 If you want to journal but you may not to certain where to start, there are many types of journals to choose from. Here are a few to consider:

  • Gratitude Journal 
  • Art Journal
  • Bullet Journal (also an organisation tool and planner system)
  • Food Journal (for meal tracking and fitness)
  • Travel Journal
  • Dream Journal
Journal Prompts 

Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to get started.  And for me getting started meant having some guidance.  After years of refusing to put pen to paper and write my thoughts I felt unsure of what to write and I found  that journal prompts were useful.

You may be ready  to free write in your new journal, here are 31 journal prompts to get you started.

Click to Download the Journal Prompts for the next 31 days

You can choose to buy a fancy notebook or a dedicated brand journal or even use a simple composition book.  Just start writing, thinking and letting it all out and the relief will come.

Also you may find these other resources helpful when setting up a new journal and the benefits of keeping a journal.

Did you journal or keep a diary as  child?  Do you have a journal now? Do you use journal prompts? Or do you free write? What do you consider as the main benefits of keeping a journal?

Please share your thoughts in the comments and discussions section. Let’s chat about the benefits of journals. Please share the journal prompts with family and friends, sometimes we just need a little nudge to get going.

Have a happy, joy-filled week.

Chantel DaCosta is a storyteller, editor and lifestyle content creator. She is passionate about Jamaican women's own voices narratives and journeys to mindfulness.

13 Comments

  • Latreil

    30/01/2017 at 11:28 pm Reply

    Thank you for sharing your story. I have a similar one. I’m not sure why I started writing, but I was a quiet young girl (still am in a way) and always had a lot on my mind that I didn’t want to share with anyone else. I started writing about problems with girls in school and about the boys I liked. My parents found my first journal and had to have a talk with me. I also felt violated and exposed (however there is a thin line between a child’s privacy and a parent’s concern, it’s a touchy subject). Some things you just can’t explain. There’s not really an answer to they “why” questions when someone asks you why you felt or thought a certain way. It’s just what you thought and it ended up being written on paper.

    I go back to my old, but more recent, journal entries and gain comfort and direction. I was giving myself some really good advice to stop making the same mistakes and to love myself and my life and just be happy with what I have. Journal writing is so therapeutic to me and I will continue it.

    Thanks for the post and your graphics are beautiful!

    • Chantel DaCosta

      31/01/2017 at 8:38 am Reply

      Hi Latreil. Thanks for connecting and sharing your story. That line between invasion of privacy and parents being caring and protective is hard to decide on. I am not a parent as yet but I think I would be curious about my children’s thoughts.

      I do believe though in adult relationships and friendships that privacy should be respected.

      I do enjoy reading through journal entries, especially to note the progress made.

      I am so glad to know that you enjoyed the post. And thanks for commenting on the graphics, that is one of my favourite aspects of drafting a new post, I love creating bright fresh graphics for My Jamaican Vignettes. Please feel free to share the post and the journal prompts with your family and friends.

  • S Goffe

    31/01/2017 at 10:15 am Reply

    Great post! I’ve kept a journal most of my life and love reading about other people’s experiences with journaling. It is such a powerful practice and can be very rewarding in a variety of ways. I sometimes facilitate workshops on journaling and enjoy introducing people to journaling or new journaling techniques. Quick question…have you ever used any of the online journals? If so, how do you compare them to using a physical book? 🙂

    • Chantel DaCosta

      31/01/2017 at 1:06 pm Reply

      Hi Susan,
      Thanks so much. It is indeed a powerful practice. I am happy that I have started to keep a journal again and I want to encourage as many persons as possible to start a journal.

      Please let me know when you have a new workshop and also if you are interested please consider sharing your techniques. You can do an MJV guest post or a blog collaboration on journals.

      I do use an app for gratitude journals, I have been using for maybe a little over two years, It is called the Attitudes of Gratitude Journal.

      You can read my review and recommendation on that particular journal. For everything else, I need a physical book so that I can write to heart’s content.

  • Forever Dionne

    31/01/2017 at 2:11 pm Reply

    Every time I start to keep a journal I never remember to keep up with it, and i dont live alone so i think always had a fear someone would read it so I never really write down my true thoughts.

    • Chantel DaCosta

      31/01/2017 at 2:20 pm Reply

      Hey Dionne,

      So sorry to hear that you are afraid that someone will read your journal.

      I hope you can release this fear. Do you have a handbag or purse or drawer or closet anywhere in your home that is considered to be just yours? Consider keeping your journal close until you feel that is safe.

      What do you think you start and stop using a journal? Is it the privacy issue or is there something else that is holding you back?

  • Nadine

    31/01/2017 at 2:50 pm Reply

    Methinks the universe is trying to tell me something.

    I kept diaries throughout my childhood and into my teenage years. I stopped when I had difficulty dealing with some family issues. The fear of someone reading my diaries was also paramount. I don’t know why I allowed that to happen, especially since I’m a writer. But I lost something, and still haven’t been able to reclaim it.

    Mind you, I have journalled as an adult, but it’s nothing compared to my earlier practice. I keep feeling the call to make it more consistent, but I can’t seem to break through my fear and whatever it is that has been holding me back.

    So recently, I thought about using my journalling for my writing process and novel writing, since doing it as a form of catharsis has been on-and-off, at best. That’s where I’m at now.

    I’ve come across a few articles about bullet journalling for fiction writers, and I’m thinking of exploring that.

    Thanks for this post, Chantel. I needed it. It’s a wake-up call, of sorts. I also appreciate the journal prompts.

    Your journalling practice is admirable. May it grow even stronger.

    Happy Writing!

    • Chantel DaCosta

      31/01/2017 at 2:57 pm Reply

      Yay. Nadine I am so glad that you shared your story. This is in need a message to get into keeping your journal. Please consider using the prompts if you get stuck.

      Please do share more about your bullet journal experiences as a writer. That sounds quite interesting.

      I understand that fear, I have had notebooks where I would free write but I filtered it for years, being very concerned about who could end up reading my notebooks. After that blow-up when I was 21, I just stopped.

      I started my current journal in November 2016 and I love it. I feels fantastic to let it all out.

      • Nadine

        31/01/2017 at 8:38 pm Reply

        I need to learn how to start a bullet journal. The examples I’ve seen are super creative. I guess there’s an art to it. Will let you know what it’s like when I get into it.

        On another note, related to your previous post, have you started using Headspace? If so, what are your thoughts about it?

        • Chantel DaCosta

          01/02/2017 at 8:58 am Reply

          Nadine, the YouTube videos and Pinterest boards on bullet journals are simply gorgeous. Most persons that use the simple have great penmanship, others are into calligraphy. It is pretty neat.

          (hangs head in shame) I forgot about Headspace, I will download it and start tonight. Thanks for the reminder Nadine. It is time to add meditation to my night time routine.

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