We've all heard that making space in our lives to write can help us get focused and accomplish our goals. Black Girl in Om’s Lauren Ash talks about how journaling is helping her to live her best life, and of course we’ve heard Auntie Oprah talk about how journaling has been included in her daily ritual for years now.

It should be so simple to do, yes? Pick up a notebook, get on my self-care and write. And the thing is, I do! I mean, for the first 10 days (four, if we’re being real) I am the queen of journaling. But after that, it’s like … I just cannot keep up with it. I’ve bought every kind of notebook — a plain, notebook with suede covers, journals that lay it all out for me — and I even bought myself a journal pen. A $14 gel inked 0.7 fine tipped pen. And even then, I've only journaled for six days, max. I’ve come to face it and walk in my truth: journaling ain’t for me. So instead of forcing myself into a pace that clearly isn’t mine, I’m going to explore other ways I can increase my energy and live my best life.

1. Send a Text

I’m not saying type up your secrets and share them in a group text (but while we’re here, definitely get you a village you can trust). I’m saying send a text to yourself. It’s something we’re doing on the daily anyway. It’s convenient, and you don’t have to wait for the downtime that you probably weren’t going to get anyway.

Pro Tip: Backup the messages as you go because depending on your phone settings, it may auto delete some messages before you’re ready to let them go.

2. Follow a Writing Prompt

Let’s be real. Sometimes I don’t want to recap my day. To keep your momentum of writing, pick up a writing prompt book. 642 Tiny Things to Write About has prompts that range from “[describe] the smell of the place you love,” to “what’s the biggest leap of faith you’ve ever taken”. What I like about this collection is that each page is divided into four sections, so right away I’m not pressed to sit and feel like I’m supposed to fill up the entire page. I can jot down a few sentences and be done; or if I feel like it that day, and have the time, I’ll sit and answer a few. The prompts make it easy for me to keep in the habit of writing.

3. Try Bullet Journaling

I know, fam. We’re talking about not journaling, so why would this list include a journal? Hear me out. Bullet journaling isn’t so much journaling, as it is listing. Basically, bullet journaling consist of creating a list of "to-dos" for the day (or the week), all while leaving room in the margins to jot down thoughts and goals.

The bottom line is that writing down paragraphs that detail the comings and goings of our lives is great — if that works for you. But for the rest of us, a few lines here or there via text, or a list, just might be the thing that makes the habit stick. So here’s to finding what works, and completing our goals!

j.estelle

Writing since September 2017 · 1 story contributed