I’ve been journaling in some form or another for the past five years. Over that time, I’ve experimented with a variety of approaches: guided and unguided, structured and unstructured, focused on self-development, creativity, or productivity. Through trial and error, I’ve built a hybrid journaling style that works for me. It gives me exactly what I need from the practice: clarity, consistency, and a sense of grounded reflection.

I thought it might be useful to share how that style has evolved over the years, and what my journaling practice looks like today.

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My first attempts at journaling

When I started, I wrote in a diarised format; detailed, factual entries about what had happened each day. It was helpful in some ways, but I quickly realised I was documenting events without reflecting on them. I’d fallen into the trap of keeping a diary rather than a journal (something I write more about in my post “The Difference Between a Diary and a Journal”).

These entries were nice to look back on, especially around major life events like the birth of my daughter, but they didn’t deliver the benefits I’d hoped journaling would bring. There was no growth, no deeper insight, and no motivation toward well-defined goals. I was simply going through the motions.

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The limits of a daily diary

One big challenge with daily, event-based journaling was consistency. Missing a couple of days meant I’d fall behind and end up trying to reconstruct the week in a frantic effort to backfill gaps. What had been a 20-minute daily habit turned into a draining slog of catch-up sessions, and eventually, I gave up.

I learned that diarised entries can have value, especially when they’re reflected on and mined for lessons. But on their own, they weren’t enough.

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Digital vs. Analog

I tried journaling digitally with Notion. It was convenient. I could access my entries on any device, and I loved being able to tag and organise them. But it also came with distractions. I found myself worrying about losing my data if Notion ever disappeared. More importantly, I wanted journaling to be a break from my digital world, not a part of it.

So, I returned to pen and paper.

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Experimenting with prompts and guided journals

Next, I moved into guided journaling. I tried several pre-made journals with predefined prompts. The quality varied, but I found prompts incredibly useful. They took the pressure off deciding what to write and nudged me toward deeper introspection and self-development.

That said, the prompts weren’t always relevant. Sometimes they pushed me to think in new ways, but other times they missed the mark or felt limiting. The small amount of space provided often gave the sense that the exploration should end when the lines ran out.

Still, I took the idea of prompts with me. It was a breakthrough in helping me build a consistent habit, and I now incorporate prompt-style thinking into my hybrid approach.

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Other styles I tried

At various times, I’ve tried:

• Bullet journaling (though I don’t use journaling mainly for organisation)
• Commonplace books, where I collected quotes and ideas
• Junk journaling, creating cento-style poems from cut-up magazines

Each of these formats taught me something about what I do (and don’t) want from the habit. They were stepping stones to building a flexible, self-designed journaling style that suits my needs.

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My current hybrid approach

So what does my journaling practice look like now? Here’s how I structure it:

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1. Daily writing (most of the time)

I aim to write daily, but I don’t beat myself up for missing the occasional day. I’ve learned that playing catch-up is the quickest way to derail my habit. If I skip a day, I’ll either leave a blank page with the date or just move on. Life happens, but consistency still counts, so I try to get back on track quickly.

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2. My values come first

I use grid-layout notebooks, and I start each new one the same way. On the first blank pages, I write out a quote or idea that feels important at the moment. Then I dedicate the first grid page to my six core values, along with brief definitions for each.

Writing these out helps keep my values front of mind and gives me a lens to assess how well I’m living in alignment with them throughout the journal.

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3. I start with a quote

Most of my entries begin with a quote or an idea from something I’ve read or listened to. It acts as a prompt and often leads into a longer reflection on how that idea relates to me or something I’m going through.

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4. Colour coding over layouts

I don’t rely on complex daily layouts. Instead, I use a colour code within the body of my entries:

• Blue for quotes
• Red for ideas to explore or books to read
• Purple for to-do items or action points

This allows me to write freely in a stream-of-consciousness style, while still being able to scan for important notes later.

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5. Monthly reviews

On the first of each month, I do a quick review of the previous one. It includes:

• Highlights
• Wins and setbacks
• Priorities for the next month
• A short reflective summary

I look for recurring thoughts, patterns, or values that showed up consistently and make a note of where I’ve lived (or not lived) in alignment with my values.

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6. Finance tracker

I use my journal for a monthly finance review. I’ve never been great with money, and only started getting serious about it in my 30s. Having a simple written audit each month helps me stay accountable, set saving/spending goals, and track financial habits.

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7. Weekly health and fitness tracker

Each week I draw out a simple health and fitness tracker. It’s a small act, but one that motivates me to follow through with workouts. Maybe it’s a sunk cost fallacy; if I’ve drawn the layout, I’d better use it, but it works!

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8. Commonplace notes

I jot down notes from podcasts, audiobooks, and physical reading on scrap paper, in margins, or in the journal itself. My journal is full of these fragments, sometimes expanded into full entries, other times saved as inspiration or quotes. In that way, my journal doubles as a commonplace book.

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9. From reflection to action

At its core, my journal is a tool for self-reflection and action. I use it to notice where I’m falling short of the man I want to be and to create plans to close that gap. I know my core values. I know the kind of person I want to become. The journal helps me build a bridge between the two.

One big journaling mistake? Stopping with the self. It’s easy to get caught up in self-awareness or self-improvement, but journaling should lead to something more. What’s the point of all this inner work if it doesn’t ultimately help you serve others?

Your journal should make you a better person, not just for yourself, but for the people, society, and world around you.

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Final thoughts

I hope this has offered a useful window into how I journal. I’m not claiming my way is the right way, far from it. There are a hundred different ways to journal that can be deeply effective.

But here’s what I do believe:

• Build a system that works for you. Try different styles. Steal what works. Ditch what doesn’t. Your journaling practice should always be a work in progress.
• Let your journal lead somewhere. The goal isn’t perfection, it’s integration. Becoming a fuller version of yourself so you can offer that self to the world.

I’d love to hear how you journal. What’s working for you right now? What techniques or formats are you experimenting with? Let me know in the comments below.