My Journaling Rituals, Pen to Paper

My relationship with journaling is like an ended situationship, rekindled every few months. While I have not always been an avid journaler, I am an avid crafter. Some of my favorite crafts have come from the former American Girl Doll Magazine subscription I received each month (may she rest in peace). Reading this magazine as a tween made me want to create my own paper book where my playlists, doodles, lists, ideas, and of course, secrets could coexist. 

Like many, my initial motive for journaling was to have a space to write down my feelings, as I was a very reserved teen who rarely shared my feelings with anyone. However, only using my journal for this quickly tired me out. Instead, I morphed my journal into a world of my own on paper, one I can look back on in the future, a relic of myself. Because of that, I have never felt the need to make my journal look a certain way or fulfill a specific purpose. The overarching objective was, and continues to be, to provide myself a space where my brain could spill onto pages made only for me, documenting the ups and downs of the tumultuous life of a teenage girl. An ode to my younger self, mementos of my young adult years, swelling with lists upon lists, essays, and letters addressed to an older me.

My journal has become increasingly more sacred over time. I have always found comfort in opening up to myself, admitting things on paper that I would usually be too ashamed to say out loud, and discovering new ways of thinking and why I feel the way I do. Apparently, I’m one of the last people who realized that experiences stick with you unless you actively decide to let them go. 

I believe the New Year is as good a time as any to start journaling. And if you do not have any ideas, I have got you covered. Let us welcome in the New Year while celebrating our bests (and worsts) of 2025:

• What is your favorite memory you made? 

• What was your most significant personal achievement? 

• What was your most significant professional achievement? 

• What was the best decision you made? 

• How did you fail? 

• What is the most important lesson you learned? 

• How do you feel most different from a year ago? Who has had the most significant impact on your life? 

• What are you going to remember 2025 for in the future? 

• Describe 2025 in five words.

I prefer to answer these questions in paragraph form, but your journal layout is up to your discretion!

Now, it is time for a fun reflective exercise: The Recap Page.

• Most loved films

• Favorite books

• Most listened to songs or albums

• New friends you’ve made

• Crushes

• Travel destinations

• Favorite purchases

• “Firsts”

Yet another prompted page follows: The Visualization Page. I like to set intentions, think about what will bring me happiness, etc.

• How do you want to remember 2026 twenty years from now? 

• Who do you want to spend more time with? 

• Which personal quality do you want to develop? 

• Which habits do you want to cultivate? 

• What do you want to leave behind in 2025? 

• What do you want to put more energy into? 

• What do you want the overarching theme for 2026 to be? 

• How do you want to spend your quotidian? 

• How will you achieve this?

Ultimately, your journal is for you and your eyes only. Make it a place that feels like you, one that excites you to pick up and write in — in the happiest of moments as much as in the tougher ones.

With love,

Kierstyn

Source: Pinterest