Over my years as an accountability coach, I’ve held countless clients accountable to their journaling commitments. I’m fascinated by all the different ways that people use journaling and how it can serve as a tool for self-reflection, growth, helping to process emotions, gaining clarity, and enhancing creativity.
Whether you’re new to journaling or looking to deepen your practice, exploring different styles can provide fresh inspiration. Here are four journaling methods to consider:
1. Journaling for Increased Awareness
Journaling can help you track behaviors, set intentions, or simply become more aware of what’s going well and where there’s room for improvement.
Self-Reflection:
Last year, I began checking in with myself daily using a simple 1–10 scoring system in three areas:
- Mind: How are you doing mentally and emotionally?
- Body: How are you feeling in your body?
- Connection: How is your connection to yourself and others?
I’d not only give myself a score but also write why I chose it. This kept me tuned in to these areas and helped me improve over time. I originally heard this approach on a podcast about behavior change (wish I could cite it!), then adapted it for myself.
I’ve also coached someone who used this method to rate their listening skills. You can apply it to relationships, finances, or any area where you’re seeking more self-awareness.
My motivation? I wanted to come off the vertigo medication I’ve been on for several years, and I pinpointed the healing I needed as a stronger mind-body connection. That meant listening to my body: resting when tired, moving when anxious, expressing feelings when scared or uncertain.
Intention-setting:
Later, I found The Lightmaker’s Manifesto by Karen Walrond, which introduced a morning intention-setting practice in three key areas:
- Health: What will make me feel healthy today?
- Connection: What will make me feel connected today?
- Purpose: What will give me a sense of purpose today?
This built naturally on what I was already doing. Instead of looking back, I projected my energy forward, helping me set a tone for the day that I could stay aligned with. When you’re unsure how to journal, questions like these can be a great place to start.
2. Journaling to Clarify What You Want
This approach came to me years ago from a client I admire. She shared that whenever she needed more business, she would simply write about it in her journal as if the business had already arrived.
For example:
I woke up today excited about all the new business flowing in. I love working with these clients because we are aligned on values, and the work is fulfilling on many levels.
Writing like this activates the emotions and mindset needed to bring a vision to life. The brain doesn’t do a great job distinguishing fact from fiction, so creating a picture of what you do want feels a lot better than worrying about what you don’t want.
This has become a go-to practice for me when I’m feeling uncertain, anxious, or “not enough.” It helps calm my nervous system and refocus on possibility. There are no rules; you can write about the day, the year, your ideal client, anything. (Keep reading.)
3. Journaling for Healing and Emotional Processing
Research has shown that expressive writing can have profound healing effects. I came across the work of Dr. James Pennebaker and was fascinated by the benefits of expressive writing. This practice involves writing about your most traumatic life event for 15-20 minutes for three to four consecutive days. You are to write freely about your emotions, thoughts, and experiences, especially the difficult ones, without worrying about grammar or structure.
I will use a similar process if I’m really spinning about something. I find this helps me to sort out my emotions and settle. Whenever I’m writing because I’m upset, this is the form it takes: pages and pages, no time limit or minimum, just allowing your words to flow without judgment or the need to find a solution. I know I’m a better wife, mom, coach, and human because I had that outlet.
This is the most vulnerable kind of journaling. If you’re afraid someone might read it, I support writing and tossing the pages. The goal isn’t to create a keepsake, it’s to process and move forward.
4. Morning Pages
Oh my goodness, the number of people who’ve used our accountability groups to stick with The Artist’s Way! We should have done a subgroup on it.
Julia Cameron’s Morning Pages method is a classic: write three pages (or for 20 minutes) of stream-of-consciousness thought first thing in the morning. Don’t edit, censor, or overthink, just write whatever’s in your head.
I turn to this when I’m stuck or mentally cluttered. It’s like clearing the pipes. Our minds recycle thoughts constantly, this helps you clear space and often leads to surprising insights.
I find it especially useful when I have a little extra time or when I want a more playful, curious approach to journaling.
Ready to Journal Your Way?
Feeling inspired? Pick a style and try it out. As someone who has been very consistent with journaling for a very long time, I will say that I’ve been most successful when I haven’t been too rigid or too perfectionist about my journaling. It’s really about finding what works for you and what you need. I might use the same technique for months on end and then switch or use several in a given week. Journaling is a tool that you can make work for you and what you need at the moment.
Curious about our accountability groups?
Our next session is starting soon, click here to learn more.
