Step 1: collect everything
A good journal is more like a scrapbook.
If you collect many pieces of memorabilia, you’ll make a more interesting and personal journal.
However, this is not necessary if you want a simple journal that is more like a book of events.
Step 2: start
This may seem self explainatory, but it is the most important step.
One of the biggest reasons why people don’t keep a journal is because they never start one.
Don’t be discouraged: just start.
As the Chinese Proverb goes:
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best time is now”
Make it a habit to write something every-so-often even if it’s only something small.
Step 3: find inspiration
Sometimes it can be hard to know what to write about.
You’ve had a long day and you go to sit down and write something but your mind is blank: what do you do?
Think small.
You can’t write the entire narrative of your day in 10 minutes. That’s just impossible.
Who would want to read a memoir of every second of your day anyhow? That is boring.
What you want to write about is something that caught your eye, something that you learned, something you realized about yourself, something beautiful, something surprising, something sad, something funny.
You want to think of that one thing that you’ll want to remember about that day.
Even if you don’t have something for every day, you will have something for every week.
What’s better is, if you make this a practice, you’ll begin see the beauty in every day because you’ll actually be looking for it. You’ll begin to notice the small details of life. You’ll begin to see with eyes full of wonder and anticipation for the beauty that life offers.
And in the end, the hope is that you will truly begin to love life.
