How to Journal for Self Love and Why You Should Start

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I’m sure most of you have heard about the concept of journaling. Did you know that it is a practical way to apply what you are learning during your journey to self love?

Before you start to journal for self love, it’s important to know what journaling is, the benefits, supplies needed and how to journal.

What is Journaling?

Journaling is writing out your thoughts and feelings about a particular topic. There is no right or wrong way to journal, which makes it a great idea for so many people. One journal entry can look completely different from the next entry. You also don’t have to be a “writer” to be someone who journals.

I used journaling as a tool during my process of learning self-love because writing out what was going on during the journey helped me to process a lot of information. It helped me to get the thoughts and ideas out of my head and onto paper so I could use them for self-reflection. 

In the process of learning to love myself I was able to go through the process of self-acceptance and self-forgiveness. I started to grow in confidence of who I was and realized my own worth and value.

The Benefits of Journaling

While some people think journaling is just writing things down in a notebook, there are some surprising benefits to journaling.

Journaling can help you work through stress and work through your emotions, process events that have happened in your life and make you more self aware. It can be great to go back and read old journal entries and see how far you have come in your life.

It’s a great tool for dumping all of the thoughts and ideas out of your head onto paper so you don’t get consumed by trying to store everything in your mind. 

One way I used my journal for self love is that I would write about new things I discovered about myself or things I would finally acknowledge about who I was. Through self discovery you can start transforming your life in a positive way.

What Supplies Do You Need?

More often than not, the first thing you think of when it comes to journal supplies is a notebook and pen. While these are the most common supplies people use while journaling, they are not the only option.

A Notebook or Journal

There are so many options available these days for journals that it can become overwhelming to find the right one for you. Ask yourself some questions before you start searching. 

Do you prefer lined paper or unlined paper? Do you prefer a notebook with a coil or a spine? Do you prefer hardback or paperback? Wide-ruled or college-ruled?

Write down your preferences before you begin searching so you can narrow it down before you even get started. I prefer lined paper, but my husband prefers unlined paper. He prefers notebooks with a coil spine because they are easier for turning pages. 

I go between hardback and paperback depending on what the journal is for and I have a preference on wide-ruled or college-ruled. 

Here is one of my favorite lined notebooks to use. They also have them unlined.

Writing Utensil

There are so many options for writing utensils available. Again, this can become overwhelming if you start searching before narrowing down your preferences. 

Do you prefer pens, pencils, or maybe even colored pencils? If you prefer pens, do you have a preference on gel versus ballpoint? What color ink do you like (one color or a variety of colors). 

If you use a pencil do you prefer wooden pencils or mechanical pencils? Maybe you want colored-pencils to add some pictures or drawings to your journal entries. Decide what you like to use before you make a decision on what to purchase.

I love these InkJoy pens by Papermate. They are my favorite pen to use and come in a variety of colors.

Miscellaneous

Although not a requirement for journaling, some people enjoy adding decorative items to their journal entries. You can add stickers, washi tape, or even highlighting tape to your journal. You want your journal to reflect who you are, so feel free to add whatever enhancements you desire.

Technology

I know you’re probably wondering what I mean by technology when it comes to journaling. One non-traditional way to journal is using a note app on your phone. We live in an age where there is such easy access to technology and you most likely have it with you wherever you go. 

Maybe you want to start a digital journal in your notes app so you can journal if you are on the go and don’t want to carry your notebook and supplies with you.

How to Journal for Self Love

The first thing you should probably consider when you decide to start journaling is to decide on your “why”. What is the reason you want to journal? Keeping your “why” in front of you will help keep you motivated during the times you don’t feel like journaling.

Although journaling can seem intimidating in the beginning, once you make it a habit in your life it will become easier. I have included some tips to get you started and to keep you going.

Gather Your Supplies

You want to have all of your supplies with you when you are ready to journal so you don’t have to waste time gathering everything. I like to keep all of my supplies in a caddy so everything is together and I don’t have to search for it everytime I sit down to journal.

Find a Technique That Works For You

You have to decide what journaling technique is going to work best for you.

One way to journal for self love is to use questions to reflect on who you are as a person. This will help you gain a deeper understanding of who you are.

Another way is to use journal prompts to help you write about what an amazing person you are. You can use “I Am” statements to write out the descriptions of who you are.

You could also use your journal to write out something you are grateful for about yourself every day. This is a method I used when I was really struggling with hopelessness. It forced me to find something good about myself every single day.

Create a Realistic Routine

Only you can decide what time of the day and how frequently journaling will work for you. For some people morning works best, for others evening is best. Maybe your lunch times will work best for you.

Pick a place that you are comfortable in, but make sure it is free from distractions. If possible, leave your phone in a different room during this time, or put it on Do Not Disturb.

Write For Yourself

You are the only person whose eyes will be seeing what you are writing, so make sure you are writing for yourself only. You have permission to disregard everyone else’s opinions about what you write. Journaling should be done in your own words and don’t get caught up in spelling and grammar.

Write in a Variety of Ways

Journaling doesn’t have to just be writing paragraphs. Somedays you might want to make a list, draw a picture, or even come up with some new prompts. Maybe you have a business idea, so go ahead and write it out.

Keep in mind that this is your journal and there is no one way to do things. Make sure what you are doing is a reflection of who you truly are and not other people’s ideas of who they think you are.

My hope for you as you journal for self love is you not only discover who you truly are, but that you embrace the wonderful person you are.

Check out this Free 10-Day Devotional as a resource to use during your journaling time.