5 Ideas for Your Daily Writing Journal
“Tomorrow may be hell, but today was a good writing day, and on the good writing days nothing else matters.”
― Neil Gaiman
Writing is a form of meditation.
I would even argue that writing is the best form of meditation. It clears your mind of all unnecessary thoughts, but doesn’t let it rest. You focus not on your breathing, you focus not on one word, or idea, or feeling.
When you write, there is a whole new world created in your head, and you bring all of your attention to develop it and make it almost real. Once it becomes written words, it is in fact becomes real.
Writers write. They do it everyday to hone their skill, gain more money and fame (just kidding, we never do it for fame! if only sometimes…). Maybe you don’t consider yourself a ‘serious’ writer?
If you are not professional, you don’t need to write every day.
Wrong!
Here are at least six benefits of regular writing for everyone:
- Makes you healthier
Writing is a great stress-relief method and it grants you clarity of mind. It also makes you more attentive to details, hardworking, and improves your self-esteem. - Makes you more creative
Whatever you are writing about — you play with ideas. You create them, shape them and document them afterwards. It stimulates your mind. - Makes you happier.
Truth be told — no one knows how it really works. But it works! - Makes your communication skills better
With every phrase written your next one is getting better. You learn not only to write better — you literally master your language and become better with words in every situation. - Makes you more productive
Writing improves your ability to concentrate on the task. It also helps you control your emotions that otherwise could interfere with other things you are doing. - Makes you smarter
Writing and learning are two processes that come hand in hand. You write more, you know better.
To write everyday is not an easy task. Therefore, writing a daily journal is an ultimate decision to help you stick to writing routine.
“Daily journal? Like, a diary? Nah, it is for children”
Please, sir or madam, do not be so quick with your judgement. I have an idea.
In fact, I have 5 ideas for your daily journal.
1. Free writing
This is more like traditional journalling, with one special trait: no one decides what you write about. You are not obliged to write about your day, screw that. Only if you want to. No one asks you to write about yourself, about someone or something you know. Let your mind wonder and just keep up with it with your pen in hand. Listen to it and let it tell you a story. You may be surprised.
If you were Tim Ferris, this is how your daily journal might look like:
2. Three Things I Learned Today
Or yesterday, if you prefer writing in the morning. The goal is to analyse what has happened to you and to see if you could come to the right conclusions. Of course, you can just write down some curious facts you were not aware of or interesting quotes you’ve read or heard. As a result in the process of writing you will also train your memory, your analytical and reasoning skills, and also may come to important conclusions that will make you wiser.
If you were a president of a very powerful country, your daily journal might look like that:
3. Fiction
Just write the story. Anything you like. Create it in your imagination, replay it in your mind and gift it to the paper. It doesn’t need to be a complete story, or a part of something big. It is not intended to make you famous. Its main purpose (besides making you write) is to hone your creativity, thus making your mind sharper.
If you were Ernest Hemingway, your daily journal could look like this:
4. Aphorisms
Aphorism is a short form of text bringing to the reader one particular idea or just a key to that idea. Aphorisms can be funny or deadly serious, vague or straightforward. Their main purpose is to make you think. You can invent your own aphorisms that reflect your way of thinking, your values and wishes. Write down no more than four at a time — quality and reflection before quantity.
If you were Nicolas N. Taleb, this is how your daily journal might look like:
5. Just People.
Write about a person you met today. If no one comes to mind, write about any interesting person you’ve met recently. Attention to details is important, but being naturally attentive to other people will serve you very well. Keeping your daily journal in this style will help you to gain this superpower.
Please, don’t make me make an example for this one, or I will never finish this essay. Up to this moment you should understand how it works :)
In the end, it is your call — what to write in your daily journal. You only need to start, and then you will figure it all out.
Write. Please.
