I have a somewhat complicated relationship with journaling. I love the how it provides direction to my day & clarity amongst the chaos of my mind, however I've really struggled to make it a long term habit.
The 'no time' excuse comes up fairly often for me as it does for many people for many things, but what I've realised is actual time is not the issue here (it can literally take just 2 minutes to journal). It's the time & energy I'm perceiving it'll take to recall all my shit, write it all down and somehow on reflection sort my life out... And that's not the purpose of journaling!
Journaling is a process to gain awareness and hold yourself accountable.
You're not going to open your notepad one day and have the answer to life's mysteries, along with a step-by-step 'How To' on happiness & fulfillment (if you do, please send me a copy immediately).
As always, the above awareness is really helping me stick to this habit at the moment along with these other tips:
✏️ Combine this new habit with an existing habit - for me, this is journaling with my coffee when I sit at my desk in the morning.
✏️ Use a purpose made journal to start with as they often provide great prompts - I love @dailygreatness journals, and despite my awful commitment have got through two!
✏️ Keep it messy because trying to maintain a perfect journal for a substantial amount of time is not only a recipe for procrastination for perfectionists, but it's entirely unnecessary - nobody else needs to see it, so let it go.
✏️ Go for an undated journal so it's easier to pick back up and start again if you miss a day/week/month.
If you want more help on creating new habits, I recommend reading @atomic.habits_ for some great advice & practical tips.
Hazel x