What makes you show up daily to journal?

From The Pen's Nib: Edition 1

Topic: The Journaling Habit

I recently posed the question, “What keeps you journaling daily?”

At first, I only thought of the outside forces.

• Reminders - I led a mini-cohort of ten friends new to journaling. For 30 days, I sent each member a daily reminder to journal. Was this enough to begin daily journaling?

• A support group - My friends who are interested in journaling express the desire for a support group. Would this inspire a daily journaling habit?

• An accountability partner - Isn’t this just another form of a reminder from an outside source?

I never relied on any of these outside forces.

More thought to my question brought me to what I do to keep the journaling process fresh.

• I’ve added doodles, stickers, and washi tape to my journal to add meaning and visual interest to an entry.

• Trying new strategies and prompts spice up the routine of the habit, and help me gain additional self-knowledge and problem-solve.

When I first started my journaling habit, my answer was to keep a 30-day streak going. 

The longer I have journaled, the more I realize its the benefits and rewards I get from the habit that keep me returning day after day.

But at the heart of my desire to continue is the habit I’ve developed.

It no longer feels right to start and end my day without some time spent writing in my journal. Without journaling, my day feels incomplete.

Photo by S.G.S Abel

What about you? What keeps you journaling daily?

Has your reason(s) changed from the day you began?

I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment, and let’s start a conversation.

Thank you for reading.

Until next time,

✍️ Susan

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Items of interest:

📸I love adding a visual interest to my journal. The same is true for my newsletters. Each week will feature a picture I have taken corresponding with the month the edition is published. I’ve taken daily pictures since 2020. I have many to share!

📰From The Pen’s Nib is my second newsletter. If you haven’t seen my first, Pen to Paper, it’s about gratitude and the good in life. Check it out. It may be for you.