Journaling - A slightly different perspective

Writing in a journal has always been in my mind but I would become overwhelmed with thoughts that it had to be some profound deep-dive into...something. I have a stack of lovely A5 notebooks that were to serve as my manuscript but are instead gathering dust on a bookshelf. I came across this youtube video about not letting your life go unnoticed or undocumented. This video gave me a whole new perspective on journalling. I realised my mistake was attempting to write as though someone was reading it, it had to make perfect sense and sound very smart. But instead, I should be writing as though I am thinking. When I get lost in thought about something, this is what the journal is for.

I decided to splash out on a gorgeous composition book and fountain pen from Choosing Keeping opting for an A4 size instead of the usual A5 size. I have loved this shop for so long, they are quite expensive so I waited until I had some birthday/ christmas money first. I opted for larger size as i had no previous experience of using this size for this purpose and any involuntary conditioning I had from writing in A5 would hopefully not transfer over.

It is wonderful. I don’t set a writing schedule - this is surefire way to wreck a hobby for me and i enjoy it too much to do that-. I write when I feel like it which has been twice in one day or twice in a fortnight and whatever in-between. I like the writing by hand aspect of it too. It’s not so easy to fix mistakes so it encourages your mind to find the best way to communicate your thoughts.

I started writing in October 2024 and my book is almost half full. I write about the effects that events or happenings have on how I feel and philosophical theories mainly. It really helps with discovering why i feel a particular way about something. As I write, my mind is constantly analysing - it actually feels more like I am taking minutes of mind voice!

Often I have found that the mindset I have when I start writing will completely change when I have finished writing. Actually, this is often the reason I will sit down to write; something someone has done or said will have upset me incredibly, writing about it helps me see from the perspective of a bystander or the person that has upset me and it will change how I feel about it.

This shift in how I approach journaling has made all the difference. Instead of trying to craft something polished and profound, I now let my thoughts flow naturally, and in doing so, I’ve found clarity in places I never expected. My journal isn’t a manuscript—it’s a conversation with myself, a record of evolving perspectives, and a space where I untangle my emotions in real time. It’s strange to think that something as simple as changing the format—both physically and mentally—was what finally made it stick. But here I am, pages filling up, thoughts unfolding, and for the first time, truly enjoying the process.

I may share some excerpts on PTD in the future….