"I want to start journaling, but have no idea where to begin."
I've heard this too many times. Every time someone asks me how to start journaling, I want to say: it's really not that hard.
Journaling isn't some lofty skill, it's just a way to record life. Today let me talk about how beginners should start journaling.
First Clarify One Question: Why Do You Want to Journal?
Before starting, best ask yourself this question.
Is it to record daily life? To manage time? To achieve goals? Or simply think journals look good and want to try?
Different answers, different entry paths. But regardless of why, one thing is shared: journaling is to make yourself better, not to perform for others.
I've seen many people buy especially beautiful notebooks and stationery, then give up because "can't bear to use them" or "can't draw well." That's a pity. Journals are for yourself, not for posting on RED for likes.
What Do Beginners Need to Prepare?
Honestly, you only need two things at minimum:
A notebook, a pen.
That's it. No need to buy a bunch of stickers and washi tapes, no need to study collage techniques, no need to know how to draw. These are later things, even optional.
For notebooks, beginners should start with blank or grid notebooks. Blank has high freedom, grid helps alignment. Beginners don't recommend lined notebooks because lines restrict your layout thinking.
For pens, anything that writes is fine. No need to specially buy "journaling pens." Of course if you want to write better looking, Zebra highlighters, Pilot refills are all good reputation choices.
Electronic Journaling is Also a Choice
Traditional journaling requires buying stationery, printing materials, designing layouts—somewhat of a threshold for beginners.
Electronic journaling lowers this threshold. Download an app, pick a template, tap your fingers and you can make decent journal effects.
CanJournals is exactly such an app. It has a dedicated template center, pick a template you like and start writing directly. Built-in decorative elements also make pages look richer.
For zero-foundation beginners, electronic journaling has much higher fault tolerance. Write wrongly and can change, switch templates and don't spend money. Lower trial cost, less likely to give up.
How to Start Writing One?
Prepared tools, next is start writing.
Beginners easily get stuck at this stage—facing blank page don't know what to write.
I suggest starting with "diary." No need to think about structure, layout, materials, just purely write. What happened today, how you're feeling, what you ate, who you saw.
Stream of consciousness is fine.
The value of diaries isn't in writing style, it's in authenticity. After writing十几二十篇, naturally find your style and rhythm.
How to Choose Templates?
Electronic journaling benefit is many templates. Pick a template you like reduces much psychological burden.
Beginners suggest starting simple:
Evening Diary: Write before sleep each day about today's events and tomorrow's plan. Simple structure, doesn't take time.
Weekly Plan: Manage a week's tasks and arrangements. Suitable for those wanting to use journal to plan time.
Daily Plan: One per day, manage that day's to-dos.
These structures aren't complex, relatively easy to persist. When habit formed, consider switching to more complex templates or designing page structures yourself.
How to Build Habit?
Writing a day or two of journal isn't hard, hard is keeping writing.
Here are some suggestions:
Set fixed journaling time. I'm used to writing before bed. After bath, brushing teeth, sitting by bed, open journal and write for a few minutes. Body forms memory, when time comes wants to do this.
Don't pursue perfection. Write wrongly then cross out, messy page is fine. Journal is for yourself, not art contest. Content and mood are a hundred times more important than layout.
Allow yourself to be lazy. Occasionally forget to write, don't want to write, completely fine. Don't treat journal as KPI to assess yourself. Broke then restart, don't completely give up because broke.
Occasionally review. Every month flip through previously written content. This process is quite interesting, can see your changes over a period.
Common Beginner Confusions
Q: What if my handwriting is ugly? A: Doesn't affect. Journal's value is in recording, not calligraphy. Lots of people with ugly handwriting still journal.
Q: What if I don't know what content to write? A: Write stream of consciousness. What you ate today, what you did, what you thought. After writing much, naturally know what to write.
Q: What if my journal layout is ugly? A: Complete first, perfect later. Ugly is normal, everyone starts ugly. After writing several times, naturally looks good.
Q: Do I need to buy many stickers and washi tapes? A: Completely unnecessary. These are options, not requirements. Beginner stage one pen one notebook is enough.
Finally
Journaling, starting is more important than anything.
No need to prepare perfectly before starting, no need to learn bunch of techniques before writing. Pick a notebook or app you like, find a time you like, start writing a journal from today.
Write messily, write shortly, write stream of consciousness, all fine. What's important is start writing, then keep writing.
Journaling will give you back much more than you imagined.