Your Beginner's Guide To Journaling
Journaling boasts numerous benefits for your mental health (as well as your Instagram feed) - Here’s how to get started and some tips for your own journal!
Story by: Hannah Adira
Many of us used to keep diaries when we were younger - be it in some random notebook we found cute, or the special books that have a lock and key attached. Some may have lost touch with the act of writing down our daily activities or feelings, but the trend of journaling is still alive and thriving today.
Bullet journaling, more commonly known as bujo, boasts numerous benefits beyond making for an aesthetic post for your Instagram feed.
It helps encourage mindfulness by letting you recount your day - things you could have done better, things you did well, or things you want to achieve in the future. In addition, your journal can act as an outlet for you to pen down your experiences. The more you do so, the more comfortable you become with wording and expressing your feelings - a skill that proves useful in the long run.
Another benefit of keeping a journal is the creative freedom it provides you with. Each page is a clean slate for you to work on and try new things.
However, with all the different types of aesthetics or types of journals showcased online, you might feel overwhelmed on where to start, so we have put together a simple guide to starting your own journal.
Step 1: Gather Your Materials!
Your foundation is important. Choose a notebook which you think is most suitable for your needs. You can use old, or unused exercise books, notebooks that you have lying around, or a newly purchased one especially for your journaling journey.
Of course, you will also need some writing tools. Pick your favourite pen and maybe some colourful markers. Along with these, you can also get stickers, sticky notes, or paper inserts to further decorate your spreads. Various online retailers have endless options of stationery to fulfil your journaling needs, so take a look and explore all the options you have!
Step 2: Write Only What You Want To
While journals are meant to help you organise your thoughts, you do not have to jot down every single thing that happened that day. Writing in so much detail each day could possibly overwhelm you and make you less intent on keeping up with your journal. Be it paragraphs or bullet points, find what works best for you!
Step 3: Don’t Throw It Out!
Keepsakes are another great addition to your journal. These can be ticket stubs from the time you visited a theme park or watched a movie with your friends, polaroids, or notes given to you by loved ones. Anything that reminds you of the happy, memorable moments you experience is worth keeping. This way, when you do take a look back at your journal, you can be reminded of the things you are grateful for and of the moments you hold dear to you.
Step 4: Make It Part of Your Daily Schedule
Committing to writing in your journal regularly can be daunting, but one solution to this is setting aside a period of time each day (or however often you prefer) just for it. Integrating journaling into your schedule turns it into a habit. Some suggest doing it either in the morning or just before you go to bed to reduce the chances of journal writing being pushed aside due to other activities. Practice makes permanent, so do your best to be consistent!
Step 5: Have Fun!
Social media is home to dozens of blogs and accounts that post their beautiful journal spreads online. Looking at them for inspiration is normal, but in the end, designing it the way you want to is truly what makes a journal so special to each individual. Do not let yourself get caught up in worrying if your pages are ‘aesthetic’ enough. Just let yourself enjoy the process and have fun!
Team Recommendations!
Hannah – Notebooks (Mossery.Co)
Finding the right notebook can be hard, but Mossery.Co is a brand I know I can rely on. They have a wide variety of notebooks ranging from sketchbooks to planners – thread bound or wire bound – and you can even personalise the book down to the type of paper you want to write on. Aside from the beautiful designs created by artists that the brand has collaborated with, you can even choose to add your name on the cover! On top of that, Mossery.Co sells art supplies and even a journal prompt kit to help guide you.
Sarah - Markers (Tombow)
For people who are looking to venture into calligraphy, I highly recommend the Tombow Dual Brush Pen which comes with both a pen tip and brush pen.
The tip of the brush doesn’t fray easily and isn’t too soft, so beginners will find it easier to control. Available in a variety of colours, these pens can be matched to any aesthetic of your liking too. However, its most underrated benefit is the fact that the ink doesn’t bleed through paper, so you won’t experience any unsightly staining.
Although a little pricey, the Tombow Dual Pen Brush Pen is definitely a great long term investment!
Charmaine - Washi Tape
Washi tapes are essential in tying together the design of your journal! They come in all sorts of colours, designs and brands, but my favourite would have to be MT washi tapes.
The quality of MT washi tapes are unbeatable, and the brand sells sets which are an excellent choice for any beginner’s collection.
My recommendation is the set of 10 thin washi tapes by MT. The variety in colour will definitely be able to suit any journal design you come up with!
Jeraine - Stickers (https://stickr.sg/)
Stickers are a must-have when it comes to journaling, especially when you’re first starting out. They act as our ultimate saviours when it comes to concealing a mistake – definitely a better and cuter choice than correction tape! They also add an element of design in your notebook.
Furthermore, you can get stickers everywhere. Many of the stickers that I own are freebies. But if you desire a certain pattern or have a particular theme in mind, try stickr.sg! There, you can find all sorts of stickers in various sizes. You are sure to find stickers that will suit your journal!
Kashmira - Embellishments
The best part about journaling is having the creative freedom to design the journal according to your liking. My go-to place for buying embellishments to enhance my journal would definitely be Papermarket (https://papermarket.com.sg/)! From dried flowers to colourful paper inserts, this shop has it all! My favourite from Papermarket has to be their Prima Watercolour Floral Collection. In addition to having a physical store in Raffles City, they also have an online store with a swift delivery period of just 3 to 4 days!
