Journal Ideas: How to Fill the Pages

Do you have any blank journals waiting to be filled? Have you been meaning to start a record of your thoughts and experiences, but just haven’t found the motivation or consistency? Maybe you have received a journal as a gift, or bought one hoping to start writing daily. Personally, I just have a fascination with unique, antique, and beautiful books, including blank ones. So I collect empty journals, but sometimes have trouble finding ways to fill them. Keeping a consistent diary of “here’s how my day went” accounts can sometimes be challenging. So what are some other ways to fill a journal? Here are the different ways I record my thoughts via a blank journal.

4 Journal Ideas To Get You Writing

1. Fill it with your favorite quotes. When my parents gave me a colorful, leather-bound journal for Christmas last year, I decided to start recording quotes on its hundreds of pages. Every time I come cross an inspiring saying, words I can relate to, or even a funny quote, I add it to my quote journal. If possible, I organize them by topic so that I can return to quotes more easily when I need specific inspiration or solace.
2. Find reasons to love life. Write down 100 things that make you happy. Start a running list of foods you enjoy, songs that boost your mood, people that love you, and sights that awe you. Record all of the things that make you glad to be alive, whether substantial or slight. My list includes everything from my family members’ names to “bonfires,” “jigsaw puzzles,” and “warm sand on a beach”. Keep the finished journal close, and open it any time you need a pick-me-up. I keep mine in my car or my backpack, so that I can add to my list whenever inspiration strikes, or when I need some positivity on a difficult day.
3. Record adventures. Every time you go somewhere for the first time, or even the first time in a while, take a picture of one object, face, or scene from that place and write a blurb about one exciting event that happened while you were there. If you enjoy photography, you can print photographs and glue them into the journal, then write underneath them. If you’re an artist, sketch the scene and write below. I’m not the best at drawing, but sometimes just trying to sketch the place can produce something entertaining all the same!
4. Highs and lows. My family sometimes does “highs and lows” at the dinner table, where each person says their “high” and “low” for the day. Translate this thought exercise into a journal, and record the most positive event and most negative event from each day, on each page. Sometimes I can’t help myself from adding more “highs” than “lows,” or more “lows” than “highs”. Writing down snippets from each day helps me appreciate the good and put the bad in perspective.

Creative expression has always been a tried-and-true therapeutic outlet.  For me, writing has always been my favorite form of creativity. These journaling methods have helped me process my emotions, record life experiences, and collect thoughts, all while producing journals full of scribbles, doodles, and words that I can carry with me into the future. Journaling is great for kids too! Journaling for kids is a great way to express their feelings and cultivate creativity.

Blogging can also be an especially exciting form of journaling, because it allows you to share your ideas with a community and learn about other people’s experiences. Have you tried a digital online journal? Do you keep a journal? What’s your favorite way of recording your experiences? Share your best journal ideas in the comments!