If you’ve recently gotten into journaling, we don’t have to tell you how wonderful it is. It might be a simple hobby, but it’s also an exciting one that can change your life for the better. In fact, it’s more than just a hobby – it’s a habit.
Even if you’ve been journaling for a while, it never really gets old. That’s why up to 1 billion people around the globe keep regular diaries. They are appropriate and beneficial for almost any age, and it’s an easy habit to start whether you have a knack for writing or not.
If journaling has benefited your life in some way, it only makes sense that you would want to share it with others in your life. Do you know someone who is struggling with their mental health? Think about how journaling could benefit them. Is a friend of yours overly stressed from work? How could journaling help them? Is your sister going through a major life change? Again, consider how having her write those things down might make things less overwhelming.
It’s not always easy to share your passion and love for something with others, especially if it’s personal to you. But, when there are people you care about and you know they could experience the same benefits you have, you should consider it your responsibility to “share the wealth.”
Let’s talk more about how to do that.
One of the easiest ways to get others excited about journaling is to share the benefits. Talk about how journaling has helped you, whether you were struggling with anxiety or you just needed a way to express yourself. Some of the biggest benefits of keeping a regular journal include:
● Keeping your thoughts organized
● Improving your writing
● Setting goals
● Recording ideas from anywhere
● Relieving stress
● Self-reflection
We all know someone who could benefit from at least one of those things. Maybe you have a friend who has lost their creative spark and needs some inspiration. Maybe a family member is having trouble staying focused or reaching their goals. By catering to someone’s specific needs, you can show them that journaling will work for them, and they can customize their experience however they see fit.
It’s even a great way to encourage healthy sleep habits. Many people lose sleep because of stress or because their nighttime routine isn’t conducive to getting a good night’s rest. Not only can journaling help with stress, but it will keep you from staring at your phone or other digital devices that could keep you awake. If you know someone who is having trouble sleeping, put a journal in their hands!
Some people might be interested in journaling but have a hard time developing habits. If you’re really passionate about sharing your love of journaling, you can make that habitual development easier on someone with a few simple tips and tricks.
First, it’s easier to write when you have a dedicated space to do it. Encourage your loved ones to write in their home office or wherever they feel most comfortable and relaxed. The space should be clean and free of clutter, personal, and inspiring.
Since more people are working from home now, it’s the perfect opportunity to utilize a space for more than one thing. Work-life balance is extremely important for remote workers and not always as easy as it seems. By keeping a journal in an office setting, it can be a reminder for them to take a break and do something for themselves (more on that in a minute!).
If they don’t have an office space or a dedicated writing area, encourage them to get outside and write. Even heading to a local park can spark creativity and help with inspiration. Journaling is extremely personal, and the “right place” can be different for everyone.
In addition to having the right space to write, it’s also important to make time.
It takes an average of 66 days for a new behavior to become an automatic habit. Making journaling a part of a daily routine can make that development easier. Setting aside time each day writing and reflection is a great way to make journaling an integral part of anyone’s life. It also gives that person a reason to slow down during a busy day and practice self-care.
Yes, writing is absolutely a form of self-care. It can be a form of support when you feel like you have no one else to talk to. Sometimes, simply jotting down thoughts, ideas, or frustrations can make you feel better. By encouraging these ideas to others, you can help them develop a habit that will stick.
Think back to when you first started journaling.
Was it easy?
Maybe you didn’t know what to write about, or your first few entries felt forced and awkward. That’s often one of the reasons people don’t want to get started – they feel like they don’t have anything to say. That usually changes once they realize how beneficial writing can be. But, a little guidance along the way can make a big difference.
You can help others get started in a variety of ways, from sharing how you started to offering yourself as an accountability partner.
One of the easiest solutions is to give someone a guided journal. Guided journals often contain things like:
● Writing prompts
● Spaces for goal-setting
● Tracking sections
● Memory prompts
Many guided journals are designed to encourage short bursts of writing. Some only allow for a line or two each day, which is a great way to get someone started who might not yet feel comfortable with writing.
Sharing your love of journaling with others is a way to show you care. Whether they’re going through something or you just want them to feel more connected with themselves, everyone deserves the benefits of daily writing and reflection. Use these tips to get the people in your life started, and you can take pride in knowing they might one day share their own love and passion for journaling with others, too.
Frankie Wallace is a freelance writer from the Pacific Northwest. She writes about a variety of topics and spends her free time gardening.