The Notebook to Make Journaling a Forever Habit
I’ve been journaling since I was little. There are years that I did better than others. But all in all, that amounts to about 10 years of journaling expertise. I have an entire shelf filled with notebooks just written by me. Some were thin and pink, others look like novels with gorgeous covers and shiny golden edges. And you know what? My favorite style of journal of all time has got to be the good ol’ fashioned, college-ruled composition notebook. You know the one that was on every school supply list from kindergarten to senior year of high school. It was usually filled with half hearted notes about covalent bonds and drawings of a singular eye. Never a pair of eyes. Always just one alone. That’s the very book that will get you from writing in a journal every year on your birthday to every single day. There are two reasons why the composition notebook is perfect for journaling:
1. They're Cheap
I think I got my last one for about one dollar. Because they are so cheap, the barrier to entry for the “journaling hobby” is slim to none. Just about anyone can start journaling right now with one of these notebooks. Often you’ll see people online with fancy pens, washi tape, or books with pre-filled journaling pages. They’re making it way too complicated. And too expensive. Some of those journals go for $20 a pop. At the rate I go through notebooks, that would seriously add up. All you need to journal is some paper and a pen. Not leather or gold or pretty designs. A plus side to the low price point is that you’re never worried that you’re going to “ruin” a pretty journal. Which newsflash, you can’t ruin a journal. You’re journaling. But I get the sentiment. You want something pretty to stay nice and neat. Well pretty isn’t helpful if you’re journaling. Take my advice. Get a cheap composition notebook, don’t worry, and just write.
2. 31 Lines for 31 Days in a Month
The system that has stuck with me the most and that has been the most helpful for journaling TO THIS DAY is to write daily gratitude. When I tell you I was ecstatic when I discovered that a standard college-ruled composition notebook has the exact number of spaces for a 31 day month; I was ecstatic. At the beginning of the month I’ll set aside one page for quotes I find throughout the month. The next two pages directly after that I’ll number from 1 to 31 (or 28, 29, 30 depending on the month). The first page I label “gratitude”. The second page I label “one line a day”. So everyday, if nothing else, I’ll write both one line about that day and three things I’m grateful for. It’s simple and doesn’t take too much time. The genius part is that at that point I already have my journal in my hand. So I’m much more likely to start a regular journal entry in the next page of my notebook everyday.
My composition notebook is my tried and true. I don’t go on a single trip without it. It’s been with me through thick and thin and has kept me consistent with journaling each and every day for years. Sometimes I get a fancy journal as a gift for birthdays or Christmas. I’ll start writing in them, but all the while I’m trying to write more each day, excited for when I can go back to writing in my trusty college-ruled composition notebook.
So take a page from my journal, grab yourself a composition notebook, and fill out your monthly spreads. Then use the rest of the pages to write out your thoughts, lists about your favorite things, and maybe even draw. You can make it as simple or complex as you want. There’s so much room for creativity.