On Journaling: Shelby's Story

I'm so excited to be sharing Shelby's story with you today! Shelby blogs over at Shelby is Rad [and she totally is!]

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Let me start this off being really honest...

I am a really bad journaler... (apparently journaler is not a word but I am making it one so take that red squiggle!)

But seriously, I think in my probably 10+ years of trying to keep journals I have only filled one front to back and I only did it this 6 months. I have big dreams of filling up pages of journals and I always start of super ambitious for them all the things I want to write, usually when I get a new journal I will fill up the first 5 or so pages in the first few days... but then I might not touch it for weeks or sometimes even months, and I end up misplacing it and buying a new one or receiving a new one as a gift and the cycle starts all over again.

(journals I created for christmas gifts last year)

But finishing my last journal was a HUGE accomplishment for me, and I absolutely LOVED the feeling. I got so giddy and excited as I filled up that last page and wanted to go immediately to buy a new one! And I bought a new one, filled up the first few pages in a few days and then haven't touched it in almost a week now.

But I've got some tips for myself and you, if you're not the best journaler, on how to keep filling those pages!

1. Buy a journal that will fit in your bag/purse that you take pretty much EVERYWHERE. Personally I write a lot of sermon notes in my journals so if it can't fit into the purse i'm taking on sunday i usually end up forgetting it and then have nothing to write notes in, boo.

2. Write about stuff that matters to you. I write out my prayers a lot, also I write letters to people that I will never send, it helps me process those things. I also write random lists of things I need to do or buy,(this helps me to want to keep my journal around so i have access to those list) and sometimes i just write about my day.

3. KEEP TRYING! this is mostly to myself, i know the only way to become better at maintaining a journal is to write in it consistently and even if i forget a few days to just pick up where I am and continue. I also doodle in it a lot just so i'm actually writing on the pages

4. Oh! Life... this is my new favorite form of journaling... its great if you check your email regularly, spend time on the internet, and want to document the simple going-ons of your day-to-day. Its really simple, you register your email and they send you a daily email simply asking 'How did your day go?' you reply to the email with how you way was and they keep an archive of them. You can go to the website and look at the past entries. Its been really great in helping me to get in the habit of writing regularly!

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Check out the other entries in the On Journaling series.

There's Got to Be Another Way

Stephanie's Story

Where to Begin

Anneliese's Story

Kassie's Story

Diary DIYs

Ashley's Story

How to Pick a Journal

Meredith's Story

My Story

Starting January 1st, we'll be journaling through January! Join me every day for a new journal prompt each morning!