The most common type of journaling is the process of recording your daily tasks and events at the end of the day, often before you go to bed. However, journaling isn't just for the purpose of memory keeping but of self healing and creativity. Here is some examples of why you should journal at all times of day and which hours are best for certain purposes.
Morning pages: ☼
Morning pages are journal entries written as soon as you awake from your night sleep. Theses pages often hold records of yours dreams, or worries you held onto from the night before. Theses entries give you the opportunity to start the day off with a clear head and good intentions. You may choose to share your goals for the day with the page which leaves us feeling more motivated to be productive in the hours to come.
Allow your brain to completely connect to your hand and don't hold back on what comes to mind first. This journal is for you so don't be afraid of writing down how you really feel about things. Share everything and anything that comes to mind until you feel completely satisfied with the amount you've written. The first day you try morning pages, start with a couple paragraphs. Once you've developed this practice try to work all the way up to three pages of writing.
Theses pages will not only give you intel on what your mind is processing while you sleep but also leave you feeling more joyous after you've written your last word on the page.
Daytime:
I often journal at some point in the day if i've been struggling with something for a couple hours. Whether it's a disagreement you had with a friend or family member, or stress you are feeling about a mistake you made, journaling about theses worries will leave you with a better mindset. Theses pages offer you clarity on your struggles and give you permission to make mistakes as well as forgive yourself for theses actions. Theses journal entries are to help you sort through one thing in particular that you can't seem to resolve.
Feeling hatred, sadness or anger and taking this out on those we care about is a destructive way to live. Give yourself just a few minutes to share how you are feeling on paper and you may just work out the reason or solution for your dilemma. The key to this is to write exactly what you are thinking, then try and make sense of it.
Nighttime: ☽
As previously mentioned, night journaling is a wonderful way to memory keep. You are sharing with your future self moments you may have forgotten had they not been written down. Theses entries are my favourite to write as they help me wind down before bed. Some soft music and a candle never hurt either to really treat yourself to some alone time. Use theses minutes to let your creativity flow, making up stories or poems.
Journaling is a self healing practice, which indicates a need for discovering one self. Choose which times work best for you and your needs, whether this means journaling 3 times a day or just once every couple days. Sometimes our lives get busy, so never feel as though this is something you have to do. This process is not one forced upon you but one you wish to treat yourself with.
-- Sarah