You might be thinking where do I start?
… & that in itself is a great place to begin. But a blank notebook or even sheet of paper can feel a bit daunting as well as exciting. Here are just a few ideas for beginning:
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Just write anything
This might not be for everyone, but can work for some. It might be that you decide to start by writing about the journal itself or even the pen you are using… maybe about how you are feeling about starting a new journal or perhaps the purpose of the pages that will follow if you know them – you might want to share your excitement or your trepidation.
Some people will hop straight in & start filling pages. Anything & everything is OK; these pages are for you to use as you wish. It’s only the start of the journal, it could go anywhere from here.
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Try opening a book at random
Write down the bit of the page that ‘jumps out’ & go from there! How did it make you feel? What impression did the book make if you read it? What do you think may lie within if you haven’t?
‘What a curious feeling!’ said Alice. ‘I must be shutting up like a telescope.’
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carol
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Lists can feel like a safe place to begin
For many of us they are a regular part of everyday life: the shopping list, the to do list… but they can also be a way of keeping a record. Some things that could feel good to list could include:
- books you have read or wish to read
- items in a collection
- dreams you have had
- things that have made you smile
- readings, divinations, daily card pulls
- hopes & dreams
- affirmations
- things for letting go
- places you have visited
- recipes
- signs & synchronicities
- the stages of a journey you are going through (maybe treatment, or a learning experience)
Some people keep a book (or even books) solely for the purpose of a BIG list – it was a real joy to find my dear late father’s ‘Reading Books’ list dating back to the early 70s… he didn’t read very much at all the year I was born!
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Letters of many kinds
We sometimes hear that letter writing is a ‘dying art’. Where once there would be at the very least the bi-annual thank you letters for birthdays & Christmas gifts, there are now so many other channels for keeping in touch.
But sometimes there is nothing like a good letter. A journal can be a perfect place for those to live.
Some people choose to write to their diary itself, as they would a letter, often starting with those age old words: ‘Dear Diary…‘.
Maybe you might choose to write to yourself (there’s a lot to be said for words of encouragement or thanks to ourselves). Or maybe to write to those loved ones that now walk on a different path, be it in this life or the next? I still write to my parents as regularly now as I did while they were here.
A dear friend once showed me a bundle of letters she had written to her son when he was still Bump – they were precious to her from the moment they were written, & are precious to him now I am certain.
If you are a seasoned letter writer & you like to plan key points of a letter, a journal could be a great space for that – & serve as a record of what you have sent & when. One of the people I write to frequently recently told me she drafts every letter in full & only then writes up & posts out the ‘fair’ copy.
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But what if I make a mistake?
It seems that many people put off starting a journal as they are worried about getting it wrong or making a mistake.
Starting small & safe can help. There are many good ‘Line a Day’ books available, & there is nothing to stop you using your journal in this way (at least to start with).
In another part of this site there are some ideas about what to do when the inevitable blunders occur. It is very easy to say that mistakes will happen, they don’t matter, they make it yours, they are part of the charm etc. etc., but for many people they can feel very difficult to deal with or to accept, especially when beginning.
If it is a really significant block to starting then maybe try writing your entries onto separate pieces of paper which you then glue, stick or sew into your journal – that in itself can be an excellent way of doing things but can also feel akin to the stabilisers on a bike when starting out or trying something new, or writing about something tricky. Simply opting to use pencil instead of pen can be a simple way to make a world of difference as well – there are some really lovely pencils out there, like pens they all have a character of their own.
