Do you find that you struggle to journal consistently? Do you feel lost when it comes to knowing what to journal about? I truly believe that there are no right or wrong ways to journal, it is purely a journey of finding styles and methods that feel right to you and bring you joy.
In this blog post I will be sharing some of my most recent journal pages in the hope that they spark some ideas that you can use too. We're all different and will be drawn to different things on different days, so it's great if we have a variety of styles and techniques that we can pull from.
In the journal pages above, I really wanted to create with colour and texture, so using some die-cut papers and watercolour was the perfect outlet. I nearly always include lots of room for journal writing, but expressing myself creatively is a really important part of the process for me too.
*You can click on any of the images below to enlarge them.
On the days that I created these journal pages I was in the mood for lots of colour and beautiful imagery. I left plenty of room for writing space, but really enjoyed spending time on adding the creative elements.
In terms of writing, these pages are quite focused on things that I want or need to get done. This is often a mixture or work and personal tasks, so helps to give a good picture of how I'm spending my days. The first journal spread documents my broader plans for the month, whereas the second two spreads are more specific and based on those particular days.
Another thing I vary depending on my mood is how much time I spend on a journal page. Sometimes I want to get lots of supplies out and get really creative, whereas on other days, just adding some washi tape, stickers or pretty papers is all I have time for. I try not to put pressure on myself and just go with what feels right each time I sit down to journal. This can vary hugely, depending on my mood and how much time I have available.
On the first journal spread of this row, I wanted to express myself but wasn't really in the mood for writing. I added some watercolour splotches with lots of detailed line work and finished off by typing out my thoughts to print out and add on top.
The second spread is a more typical mix for me, of one page decoted to creative expression and the other page being mainly left free for writing. Though even on those writing pages I do enjoy breaking the space up with stamping or stickers, it feels more inviting to me.
The final spread shows the power of adding a photo and a few words to sum up your feelings. This documented my morning walk where I noticed the beautiful sunlight shining through the canopy of the tress. It was a wonderful reminder to pause and "look up".
The first two journal spreads on this row are both from my daily journal, but I've used them in different ways. On the first spread I was in the mood for a botanical sketch whereas on the other one I really wanted to add some photos to document a trip I had taken. They both tell their own story and served different purposes for me at the time.
The final page is from within my junk journal, which is such a wonderful place to get creative without needing too much time. As the pages are already quite decorative, I often only need to add a couple of creative elements and a writing spot to complete a page. A really lovely way to document if you are short on time.
I really hope this blog post helps you see that there is no right and wrong way of journaling. As long as you focus on what feels right to you each time you pick up your journal, then it should hopefully bring you lots of joy, along with the satisfying feeling of knowing that your life is being documented on those pages.
If you are interested in more journal inspiration, then I would love to see you in my journaling club on Patreon or you could take a look at my online classes. Happy journaling, Helen x
Thanking for sharing your pages Helen. I would love to get to just one journal where I put everything in it, (except for a typical Bullet Journal with lists of tasks etc..). I think my main trouble is deciding what paper should the journal be made off, it might have to be either hot pressed watercolour paper or mixed media paper. Still trying to figure it out.