As seen in the Huffington Post article, “10 Surprising Benefits You’ll Get From Keeping a Journal” journaling can boost memory, spark creativity, help you achieve your goals, enhance your emotional intelligence, and more. With a list of benefits like that, how could you not be tempted to give it a try?

For me, journaling serves two purposes: getting things out of my head so I don’t have to remember them anymore and sorting through something that’s been bothering me. Journaling is an amazing tool that has helped me grow as a person and revealed some interesting thoughts and feelings over time. 

I typically like to journal 3 different ways:

1. Journal Prompts:  Using a question or an idea as a starting point, this method allows you to write about topics you may not have thought of yourself.  I made a ton of suggestions for journal prompts later in this article, but one particular 31 Days of Self Love writing challenge made me fall in love with this type of journaling.
2. Brain-dump: This has become my go-to method for finding a solution to a problem I might be facing (for example, “how can I organize all of my blog post ideas?”) and getting ideas out of my head so I don’t have to remember them anymore (for example, “I need to finalize my schedule for blogging, plan my yoga class, and order a new dumbbell”). This type of journaling has been extremely beneficial and is a tool I use multiple times a week.
3. Free writes: This is the most “traditional” way of journaling where you sit down, open up a journal, and write whatever comes to mind. I usually use this form of journaling when I need to get something negative or frustrating off my mind.  

While I love journaling, I’ve been slacking in recent months, which is why I’m inviting you to join me for a challenge: JUNE JOURNALING!

I’m going to be answering these 30 Questions for Self Discovery from Lavendarie for the month of June and would love to take you along for the ride!  

If this particular set of questions doesn’t resonate with you (or maybe you want to continue these writing prompts beyond June), give these a try:

• 32 Big Questions that Spark Personal Growth
• How to Redesign Your Life With Just 3 Questions
• 11 Things Every Woman Should Write Down Before the Year Ends
• 12 Questions that Will Change Your Life
• 5 Questions to Ask Yourself on New Year’s Day…Or Any Day
• 15 Things Every Woman Should Write Down Right Now
• The 7 Questions a Life Coach Asks to Get to the Bottom of Your Passion
• 8 Lists to Make to Jump-Start Your Life

And, just because I can’t resist sending along book recommendations, I’d also highly encourage you to take a look at the following guided journals: Start Where You Are, Tiny Buddah’s Gratitude Journal, The 52 Lists Project, and The Five Minute Journal (thanks for the last two, mom!).

Don’t worry about your journal looking fancy, just pick up a notebook that inspires you (mine are below) and get started!

My bullet journal is for brain-dumps (and TONS of other things)

My Hufflepuff journal is for free writes and brain-dumps

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Will you be joining me for JUNE JOURNALING? Let me know in the comments below or reach out to me at any time!