Because staring at a blank page shouldn’t feel like a personality flaw.
I get it. You finally carved out five sacred minutes to yourself, pen in hand, journal cracked open… and nothing. Your brain decides to either go completely blank or hit you with a grocery list and intrusive thoughts.

Starting a journaling habit can feel awkward — especially if you’re emotionally drained, overwhelmed, or just out of practice. But it doesn’t have to be complicated, curated, or even coherent. Journaling is not about perfection — it’s about presence.
Here’s how to start, even when you don’t know what the hell to say:

💭 1. Forget the Aesthetic

Let’s start here: your journal does not need to be pretty. This is not Pinterest or Instagram. You don’t need fancy pens, calligraphy, or stickers (unless that brings you joy — in which case, go off).
This is your space to be honest, messy, raw, weird. Your handwriting doesn’t need to be legible. Your spelling can be tragic. The goal? Feel it. Write it. Move on.

🧠 2. Brain Dump First

Try a “brain dump” — a no-rules, stream-of-consciousness writing style. Set a timer for 5 minutes and just pour whatever is in your head onto the page. It can be:
-Chaos
-Complaints
-“I don’t know what to write” over and over
-What’s you’re mad, sad, or tired about

This helps clear your mental clutter so your deeper thoughts can breathe.

✨ 3. Use Journal Prompts

Sometimes the hardest part is figuring out what to say. That’s where prompts come in — they help guide your focus.
Here are a few beginner-friendly prompts:
-“Right now, I feel…”
-“Something I wish I could say out loud is..”
-“If my younger self could see me now, she’d be…”
-“What do I need more of, what do I need less of?”

📅 4. Make It Tiny (and Habitual)

You don’t need to journal every day or write a novel. A few honest lines on a Post-it note count. The trick is not consistency, it’s accessibility.
Try this:
-Keep your journal by your bed or in your bag
-Journal during naptime or even waiting in the school pickup line.
-Pair it with something you already do- like morning or night routine.

The more doable it feels, the more you’ll show up.

💌 5. Talk to Yourself Like a Friend

Not sure how to start? Try writing to yourself like you would your best friend. What would you say if she were going through what you are?
You don’t have to sound poetic or wise. Be real. Be messy. You are allowed to feel all of it.

🌿 My Real-Life Example:
When I first started journaling again postpartum, I didn’t know what to say. My emotions were louder than my thoughts. So I wrote:
“I feel like I’m drowning in a room full of people who love me. I don’t know why that makes me feel worse. I want to be grateful and I want to scream at the same time.”

Was it dramatic? Yes. Did it help me process what was really going on? Also yes.

🪞Final Thought:

If journaling feels awkward at first, good. That means you’re doing the work of reconnecting with yourself — not a curated version, but the real you. And that takes time.
Start messy. Write weird. Cry if you need to. Rip out pages. Yell on paper. Your journal doesn’t judge you — it holds space when nothing else does.