How to Journal (Like a Philosopher)

[@SevenUnwokenDreams]

I have been an avid journaler since I was 12 (I am 31), and I recently changed the way I journal. It was mostly stream of consciousness bullshit about the same things over and over. I realized I was dissatisfied with my life, and I was sick of complaining about it in my journal. So I started making changes in my life. And I decided to start writing more about something significant that happened in my day. I also journal when something makes me think; for example something I read in a book, or a painting I saw. This is a much more reflective way of journaling than what I was doing before, and I am a lot happier because I'm actively looking out for things to journal about, so I am appreciating things more.

[@jakeelsner2963]

I think this is a fantastic approach. For a while, I fell into the same trap you did. It seems like that fatal but sometimes necessary trap is the most common form of journaling. I agree, it seems like a reflective approach is the healthiest form of journaling, to me at least.

[@sonjoiboi]

Kinda feels like journaling when you were 12 was a success even if you aren't happy with what you had been writing. The fact that you did it enabled you to later take a big picture look and decide that you wanted to change something about your life. W video btw

[@popito8366]

I have a separate journal to do stream of consciousness but I don’t complain I just try to dialogue with the parts of my me or my life that I don’t like, and by dialogue I mean literally me talking to specific body parts / emotions my fears etc. and I try to make sense of them to process my feelings and do that from a compassionate voice

[@brownsage6950]

This is so true for me, it was a realization that eventually made me stop journaling. Now that I shifted my focus on appreciating more things in life and working on improving, I finally have the courage to go back to journaling ❤❤❤

[@raya838]

i second this!!! writing about your problems is helpful but i found myself always just dwelling on them through my journal, which just reinforced how shit i was feeling. i've also been journaling since i was a kid and only in the past year i've discovered how much more useful it is to write about actually positive things i've happened in my day and my reflections, and if something has upset me in the day i write it down but i reframe it and try to be practical in the way i write about it. also yes writing about things that make you think and feel is amazing - since i started writing about music, literature and film, it's given me such a deeper understanding of those things. i look forward to journaling everyday now because i know i don't just have to write about my problems

[@raquellima1617]

1. Write about something that happened that day 2. Write about something you did well 3. Write about something you did not do well 4. What this event has in common with other events in your life (larger narrative, internal logic) edit: just to fix a misspell :) thank you for the likes!

[@joyous18]

Wrtie (btw thanks

[@mihramos13]

Please I ask you to not do this! Creating takes time and this doesn't help the youtuber.

[@joyous18]

@Michelle Ramos what are you talking about? What is wrong with summaries?

[@atlas34834]

@@mihramos13 I watched the whole video and still found value in the summary. I was able to take a screenshot of the main points of the video to refer to later.

[@brokenhumor8646]

Thank you!!!

[@00cozy00]

Just watched a Korean show today, the guy said’ Keep journal-ing means you have hope for your future. You are picturing the image someday looking back the words you wrote today.’ AND ‘Putting emotions into words needs logical thinking and grammar. So somehow keeping journals will calm you down.’

[@rashmivats5990]

Which show was this? Seems interesting.

[@00cozy00]

@@rashmivats5990 it called hosted by RM of BTS. But I’m not sure if there English subtitles cause every episode contains great amount of information. There are 3 more seasons ahead and It is top3 program IN MY LIFE literally. Enjoy!!!!

[@sophiacaldwell3722]

I love that

[@ziziscorsese9475]

James Pennebaker says writing for 20 minutes reduces stress.

[@ramirodineroronan]

I have a very uncommon way of journaling myself. Instead of just writing down accounts of my life, I would incorporate my poetic senses in writing my journals. I note down my life, my feelings, books that I've read, movies that I've watched, but in the form of poems or even songs. It is not necessarily easy, but it has really given me a sense of calmness and fulfilment besides a sense of my creativity.

[@ethandoingstuff1433]

I journal daily but rarely do I speak candidly about any event, rather I focus on feelings via metaphor or prose. I find that when I read it later (usually the following day or a few days later), that I often don’t even recall the events that caused the feelings I described, yet I can empathise with my previous self. This really deviates from the philosophies alluded to in this video, as there is rarely consistency due to me being a human and not a story teller. For me, reading over my journals exposes my humanity, my inconsistency, and my passion in the moment, but if there is a story, it is left to the reader to interpret.

[@jharkhandisamurai]

That's a great idea for my journey to write journal again

[@Talesandtexts]

What a great idea! Definitely something for me to try.

[@johndavediano8840]

Same, I do dream journal. I just realized one day that I sucked and having a hard time on writing in that journal of mine because there are details in my dreams that cannot be written literally, it feels as if dreams are mostly abstract-like. But then, I had thought of writing my dreams through a poem because I thought it makes much more sense to describe or write something surreal in that manner.

[@fzzz.8]

I also do the same thing. I use my poetic sense to describe my feelings and thoughts without vividly describing them. My journal consists of random lists , thoughts , letters and things that I wanna keep track of.

[@Tontoquienloleation]

I write about two things: 1. My (not so) platonic crush, which changes every other day. 2. "I have nothing to say, I feel so empty 😭" and proceed to ramble for several pages. I started when I was 13, now I'm 28. I'm never gonna get tired of it.

[@fleurvnrcisse]

why is this so real omg

[@fleurvnrcisse]

currently im 15 but this is literally how i write…

[@darthtyranous4514]

Bro I do the same.

[@nitinroy1331]

You are such a precious cute being

[@LM.312]

Are you me? Been writing since I was a preteen, and I'm 27 now, and #2 is so spot on. Literally every single entry always begins with a question along the lines of "I should write in here more, but what even about? I feel so numb inside, so empty." And then proceed to ramble and rant for pages.

[@labsanta]

- Journaling Steps: 1. Get a journal you like. 2. Choose a writing tool you prefer. 3. Develop a habit of writing regularly. - What to Write About: - Notable events: Write a factual account of something that happened, selecting notable events rather than everything. - Achievements: Reflect on something you did well, a success, or a habit you relied on. - Areas for improvement: Identify problem areas, recurring mistakes, or bad habits to work on. - Dealing with anxiety: Recognize anxious moments, analyze triggers and thought processes, and find ways to combat anxiety. - Benefits of Journaling: - Self-improvement: Journaling can be a tool for personal growth. - Philosophical aspects: Explore the philosophy behind journaling and its relationship to self-improvement. - Journaling helps in understanding the bigger picture and fitting events into a larger narrative about one's life. - Philosophers like Charles Taylor, Aleister McIntyre, Mario Sheckman, and Martin Heidegger consider humans as storytelling beings who construct and tell narratives about themselves. - Constructing a narrative about oneself gives coherence and meaning to life events. - Most people engage in narrative construction out of habit and routine, but journaling allows for a more intentional and active role in telling one's life story. - Journaling helps in making sense of one's life as a whole and reflecting on personal development. - Ancient ethics, as discussed by philosophers like Aristotle, focuses on achieving happiness or eudaimonia, which requires reflective work on one's life as a whole. - Regular journaling can provide a practice of reflective work, aiding in the pursuit of happiness and personal growth.

[@06-tranchien40]

that's a great comment, thank you for me a new lesson. You make me feel better ❤

[@rosieb471]

You have to really be motivated to develop the habit of journaling but if you persist, it will become a rewarding and much- needed habit you will find.

[@rattunailah5890]

Wowww ❤

[@antoniosantonakis3794]

Thanks for the information but I don't know , it might feel like an addiction at some point,what do you think?

[@lewisburton1852]

I just write. I don't put much thought into it. I think that defeats the purpose of journaling. It isn't to make it complex; it's to get the emotions and tangled thoughts out of our heads so that we have clarity. And on the left side of the page, I write why I'm grateful. Just keep it simple.

[@ashrafulalamkhan6723]

What have i learned from this video: We can practice telling our stories every day in our journal. We can critically examine something that was good and bad going in our lives. This can form good journalism practices. I will add them up in my journaling strategy hopefully. Also got to learn about a cool book: morality of happiness. Thanks Jared.

[@Harlequin52]

1. I decided to journal in a new way which was to journal on loose-leaf pages for a month without reading anything I wrote. At the end of the month I would read everything all at once like a book and I would highlight to select what parts of the loose-leaf journal I wanted to put into an *actual* journal to keep, since so much of what we write is repetitive, boring, unenlightened or simply negative (things we don't need to revisit). I then simply destroy all the fluff pages to keep a nice, positive, useful journal of reflection and growth. 2. I also sometimes write on loose-leaf paper just to vent with the intention of immediately destroying it. This, I find, is the best way to say what you truly think and feel even when it's painful, spiteful, mean, or ugly, without risking curtailing our thought-process with the fear of the shame or disgust we will feel about ourselves, re-reading those ugly thoughts. 3. Random word of advice: If your journals are too negative, it doesn't necessarily mean youre a negative person. The reason we often don't write about positive experiences over negative ones is because with positive ones, we want to *experience* it. We want to stay in the moment and prolong the experience, not extricate it from ourselves by writing it on paper (which is exactly what we do when we vent).

[@lepeedefeu2019]

Writing everyday does not work for me since I start to feel like it's a chore. What worked for me was writing on it only when: 1. I go through hard times and I need to process feelings (contrary to people, journals are supportive and don't judge your thoughts and feelings - welcome to being a man. no one gives a flying f about you, so journals are your best friends) OR 2. When I get life-changing insights about myself that could help me in the future or understand life in general in a new light(and a journal is the perfect place to record those) I highly recommend it. Especially when you read philosophical books. You can track how much your mentality has changed.

[@esha8737]

I do the same

[@justjoyce21]

Yes much more effective

[@sihora3742]

same here

[@hawthornfx]

yea! totally this

[@alexfoxleigh9443]

The one small thing to note about this approach is that you may end up doing what I did. I looked back through my old journals and realised that it was actually just a misery log. Only the really good days had journal entries and not even all of those as I didn’t feel like I needed to “get anything down” because I was having fun. So looking back over those entries now does not paint an accurate image of what my life was like at that time it just seems like I was always unhappy, which was not the case.

[@DreamUN]

I remember working at a fast food place and it became too stressful for me to manage the emotional meltdowns I had because of it. I soon turned into journaling. Everyday I journaled on my break times for 6months straight to distress. I can’t even begin to explain how relaxing it was. Journaling became a coping mechanism. I no longer journal but I might get back into it… see how that goes!

[@churchgrim5655]

I've been journaling for almost twenty years. One thing that has stayed constant in my tradition is how I begin my journal entry....I always list 5 things at the top before I start writing: What I ate for breakfast before I began journaling, the first news headline I noticed when I woke up, the current song I am playing as I write, the current book (or books) I am reading, one question I would like to answer before the day is over. The body of my journal entries are always different. Even when I first began...each day, the writing differed from the next. Sometimes I like to write about my day...things I thought were memorable, objectives that I need to do (or those that need to be accomplished tomorrow). Sometimes they are disjointed paragraphs or conversations I had with someone or that I had overheard, a line of lyrics from a song that touched me, a joke from a movie that I would like to remember, and so on. Other times I won't write anything....instead I will paste in a photo I took and write a caption underneath detailing the who/what/where/when/why, or I will past in a candy wrapper (mostly so I won't forget the brand) and the how/who/what/where that caused me to give it a try, or I will put in a pressed flower my nephew picked for me, and so on and so on. I think the hardest part of journaling is doubt. It is hard to create when you feel pressured. My advice to anyone thinking about starting is...don't force it. Journaling should be for you, and only you. The moment you forget about comparing yourself...your creativity and writing....to another, is the moment that it becomes easier to start the process. Easier said then done, I know, but it is so worth it in the end.

[@zavalajoseraul]

What if my journal is just a bunch of complains to God? It's like reading the Psalms or Lamentations.

[@MartyScorchedEarthse]

Well, try including the things you’ve thankful to Him for and the things you’re sorry you did

[@zavalajoseraul]

@@MartyScorchedEarthse that's such a great answer. Thank you

[@dudemynameiskevin]

@@zavalajoseraul reflections & lessons you’ve learned/are learning too

[@Fliang]

I think it’s fine. Eventually you’ll find new things to write about after writing all your complaints to god.

[@MikeThePike316]

​@@Fliang I second that.

[@kokolores8923]

when he said "If my life is a Story, I want to be its author" I was like damn... this is actually so deep.

[@DirkJacobsz]

Jared - excellent tips - well done. I have been journaling since 1983. What I discovered after a while - is that I started to notice my patterns - my triggers - where I consistently stumbled/choked/fell flat on my face/things that pushed my buttons... and then I like you suggested - I started to break down my responses - and improved like you suggested - the big picture at the end is vital. I also have a personal mission statement in my journal - that took ages to write - which is my true north compass and helps me with my big picture - so thanks - and good luck everyone with your journals,.. if you do not write your story - someone else will.

[@neelufarmir8410]

My journal consists of incessant conversations between my own two contradictory selves.

[@kaushiksunapu5657]

Wait that's actually a good place to start for me, all I do every day is have conversations in my head between the 'real me' and the 'me I behave like'

[@allelss-oh8sj]

​​@@kaushiksunapu5657more of a soliloquise

[@ilv839]

exaclty like these 3 are always fightung over something

[@ilv839]

​@@kaushiksunapu5657u made me laugh but u have act like u are not real person society made u something infront of them and the real u

[@loganmackenzie3355]

This was very inspiring! Thank you. I often feel like when I’m journaling there’s no “point” to writing down my daily actions. Then I get discouraged and stop journaling because I feel it isn’t improving me in any way. I need to let go of that narrative and think of it more as practice, as you’ve stated.

[@rickytanrmst]

Great video! If you just feel like writing but have no noteworthy event for the day, I'd like to share my past-present-future format. 1. PAST - Write about stuff that happened in the past. I'm mostly a focused person, so I tend to write about the previous week. 2. PRESENT - Write about stuff that's currently going on. Typically, I write about the current week. 3. FUTURE - Write about what will likely happen or what you want to happen in the future. This is the longest section, because it's where I make plans. Again, I try to keep it short-term only going out 1-2 weeks but sometimes I'll take the opportunity to look at the big picture. This should give you a nice page or two if you just feel like journaling, but can't figure out which event you want to write about.

[@taytay19111]

Love how you broke this down into simple things to start journaling. Thank you!

[@arinaira1417]

Hi! I just found your channel. I have been journaling since I was 14 years old and now I'm 30. Back then I wrote about everything that happened about my day, my conversations and what I saw what I experienced. But it changed when I became mentally ill. Nowadays I don't even put a date when I write. I always start with stream of consciousness and write whatever comes to mind. But somehow I treat my journal, i call her 'Dear Diary' as sort of friend, i can tell her this and that. And I genuinely write about what I think about something and when I have problem it become a moment of problem solving because I come into a conclusion about what I need to do. And I avoid words like 'should' or 'must' when writing to myself privately. I'm easy to feel guilty in general. But writing always help. Writing kept me sane during pandemic. 💜

[@tasha4225]

I really like fantasy stories and characters, so much so that i actively wish to be a part of them, a hero with a purpose. And you mentioning creating a narrative of one's life yourself really pulled me in. I'm gonna give this a try and i hope it goes well. This was really helpful!

[@nematarot7728]

I was actually journalling when I came across your channel just now! This is a lovely video 🙏 For anyone looking for more writing ideas: 1. Take a walk and pay attention to what animals and plants you see. Take notes on the specific species- I use the app inaturalist for species identifications 2. Note what you're drinking and listening to. A certain brand of tea? Coffee in the afternoon? A podcast? Song? The wind in the trees? 3. Whatever you remember from your dreams 4. Imagine a conversation with a heavenly being. What question do they ask you? Use that as a prompt 5. Keep a few blank pages at the beginning or end of your journal as an epigraph; you can stick interesting quotes you come across there 6. Notes on what books you're currently reading. Transcribe the passages that stand out, or argue with the author's messaging 7. Recipes, interesting ephemera like packaging from tasty snacks, bird feathers, letters, snake skins, butterfly wings, pressed flowers; simply tape them down with clear packaging tape 8. Copy poems that inspire you, or try your hand at writing your own 9. Log what plants you're growing and when you've fertilized and watered them, what their specific needs are 10. Print out sexy selfies and glue them in, then write down compliments to yourself 11. You can literally do whatever you want in a journal, there are no rules. You can get really weird and creative with it, and no one can stop you 😈

[@That.Capricorn]

These are all great ideas! I see someone we need to start a journaling yt channel ✨👏

[@e.matthews]

It's worth noting that life narratives are a practice with many forms. If you're a big fan of astrology or tarot readings, that's because it helps frame your life, gives you a lens with which to appreciate yourself, notice qualities, struggles, etc. Journalling is a more self-directed method that can take you down a similar path.

[@rosieb471]

I started off journaling when I took up the Runes. (Ralph Blum)

[@danielholmes-nj5nq]

I started journaling this week, and I love it. I just write down things I need to remember, or notable things I've done throughout the day. Or just random ramblings to myself. I'm finding it so therapeutic and freeing, like once it's down on the page, I don't need to worry about it anymore. I was skeptical before I started but honestly, I love it and it's something I intend to carry on doing.

[@bekah9344]

I've also been journaling for about a decade, and it's interesting how similar our journal habits are. I write out events, evaluate how I handled it (good and bad), and what I want to move forward towards

[@pokuhere6231]

I use it to criticize myself and people with their possible solution

[@jimgrant1776]

Jared - Excellent video. Many good points about journaling. I'm in my 70s and just re-started journaling. I have two particular “needs” that caused me to start again: * I frequently want to recall "when" something happened. * I want to track change in some topic to confirm improvement in my life. It seems I do not write as much detail as you and other people who publish videos on journaling. I think the distinction is because others are interested in documenting their thoughts, while I am interest in tracking particular topics / events in my life. I realize there are benefits to handwriting, but I use a spreadsheet. It is a more effective way for me to meet my “needs”. The spreadsheet has these columns: * Topic - Examples are: My health, books I read, food / beverage consumption, socializing, logs of problems with merchants, etc. * Who - This is the name of the primary person associated to the topic / event. (These are typically my wife, my son, and me.) * What - This is a description of the event and/or details about the topic. (It’s typically 10 - 100 words. * When - This is the date & time. (Filled in by the spreadsheet app.) * Where - The location of the event. So, instead of ending up with one or more long paragraphs for each day, I commonly end up with 2-6 line items. - - - Both methods likely end up with the same amount of documentation, but my method allows me to search the history to find things. When I want to search for something, a specific event, or track my progress on some topic, I just select it from the drop-down menus.

[@domingo-osabel]

Absolutely agree ‼️ Journaling is the best way to capture one's narrative.

[@keanuvillanueva8128]

I am 29 and I have been so intimidated by journaling ever since. I was too anxious of what should be the content. Until one day I just started writing down what is on my mind. No format no rules no anything. It was liberating. It helped me reduce my screen time. Which primarily caused me distraction. Journaling really helped me in a lot ways. It really helped me to organize my thoughts.

[@avici0182]

I've got the Matthew Mcconaughey Greenlights Journal. The journal itself is full of quotes but it was just a tool for me to actually start. I write whatever I want, whenever I want. No structure, no rules, just feelings. It has honestly changed my life and attitude on things.

[@ziziscorsese9475]

I’ll write I’ll write I’ll write.😅

[@cedarrock8330]

Too funny, I hope others catch your write, I'll write, I'll write, play on his iconic phrase.❤😂

[@NWong]

Thank you this is really helpful - a lot of journaling videos advocate journaling but leave it to viewers to do anything more what went well or poorly. But our lives are a narrative and its a structure that I sorely need. It does help to have a philosophical and theological view of life to dialogue with but anyone can start without one. The important thing is to start.

[@louvaissh]

the fact that this video started SO quickly. 10 seconds in and this guy is already at the third step. i love it

[@me-ig1fj]

This is awesome, thank you so much! I’m only 18 but I’ve been journaling pretty consistently for the past 2/3 years, and it’s been great. Just lately I was reflecting on the fact that I need to be a bit more careful with what I write, or, even better, HOW I write it: since I tend to be pretty negative when things get tough, the thoughts I put on paper usually end up being negative too, and journaling becomes a spiral down my negativity rather than a ladder to get out of a rut. So now I’m trying to always look at the bigger picture, putting things into context, and to use writing as a tool to improve myself. It’s a messy practice for me, but it helps me so much when I feel like I have no one to talk to, and I’m so glad I can look back and observe how my mindset has changed over time. Moreover I love writing (though I doubt my English is as good as my native tongue, sorry about that), so it’s a good practice for that too! I hope this video helps many others get started with this practice, I reckon it can really improve one’s life

[@SpringNotes]

My goodness, I wouldn't have known english wasn't your first language. But, every time someone mentions that, they're usually better than native english speakers 😂 But, I agree with you about NOT just focusing on the negative. Even it out, with some positive outcomes from life as well. Even the ones, that appear to be minor and trivial 😉

[@rosieb471]

It’s like being your own therapist.😊

[@jordantherubio]

I recently just started journaling and I notice I just keep writing until I’m out of a page but readying it over made me feel I want to be more considerate and shorten my writing in to specific topics making it easier to read back. But these tips seem like something that can help me more journal my day

[@elyaequestus1409]

A close friend of mine advised bullet journaling to me, 4 years ago. I notice that when I started journaling, my handwriting was consistantly difficult to read and that I was making list of stuff that I needed to do. I tried to chase after my tasks and what I was supposed to do. My goal, in hindsight, was becoming instead of being. A major shift in my journaling came when I participated in the Right in the Feels event of Dr K. During the event I logged my emotions 4 times a day and reflected on my previous entries. Now I am looking for a different system that helps me with consistantly reflecting and shaving off the thoughts that offer me no solace. I am going to give this method a try, see how it works out.

[@walidmouahid]

00:24 , unrelated, but you wrote that page in my birthday yay

[@Benji_Jokjo]

happy bday :D (6 months later- idek if ur bdays past or not but yay :D)

[@PumpkinPeach83]

I've jumped hack into journaling this last week due to a bad depressive episode and it's been amazing, very uplifting. Just writing anything that comes to mind but also having to slow down my thinking to write has made me feel less overwhelmed. Also asking questions to myself and writing a few answers has made me see things a bit better, break them down. Started once a day then upped to 2 and now I'm obsessed and just want to write.

[@widepootis]

My comment is gonna look a bit odd I think, because your channel is more about philosophy. But I wanna thank you a lot because I began watching your videos with one on journaling a couple of weeks ago, and I had been struggling a lot with dysphoria. So since I didn't know what to write about, that's what I wrote about, and writing about it and being able to put my feelings down on paper and being able to analyze it thoroughly and making connections with past events (which I couldn't do in my head) helped me tremendously, and every day I try to understand it more and understanding myself as well. Even though that's not the purpose of your channel and not the purpose of your video, I just can't express enough how important your video was to me.

[@studentofthesaviors.o.s]

This is kind of how I want to journal. I want to do like a journal/memoir/autobiography. Because I want to write to help myself see patterns and triggers and things that can help with my mental health but also in my head what I wanna do is have my own story passed down to my children’s children’s children. Normally they wouldn’t know nothing about their ancestors and it seems like a lot of people don’t even care about their ancestors. But if I write my ups and downs, and my thought process, and my reasonings and justifications, and events, and am able to paint myself in words then they can learn from it and they can experience a person who is their father, who birthed them and it could be like a continuing tradition. I started today although it was very all over the place. I don’t know what format or how I want to write it. There’s so much to talk about. How I think, what’s going on around me, what do I believe, How my day was, My plans for the future, personal relationships, my fears, my secrets, what made my anxiety go up today, what made me depressed, what made me happy, etc. How do you pick what most important. Maybe doing a mixture of it all… 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@lukedurlingawake]

Thanks for not wasting my time. Getting straight into it should be the norm on KZbin.

[@Lucamon90]

I started this 5 days ago and already I can feel my anxiety brain shutting down a bit as I know these thoughts will have time to come later when I write them down. And often, I can then understand and deal with these thoughts better and use the anxiety as a motivator to tackle the problem instead of it paralyzing me.

[@munkhdorj2360]

Thanks for the video ❤ I started my journal a month ago and wrote down all my my darkest thoughts that tormented me for years. Now I can see my view of life is slowly changing to positive side.

[@eveyrichardson]

I have now written in my diary every day for the last year and a half. When i started out, I never knew what to write and generally just noted down what I ate that day or what classes I had. But gradually I've grown accustomed to writing more about my feelings and opinions, and now it comes more naturally. So I'm glad I started off in such a stilted, boring way - else I probably never would have started at all. It takes practice, but over time you work out what it's helpful for you to write about :)

[@guilhermegomes7917]

Man, this is the most important video that i watched since the beginning of this year, thx!

[@girlscandrum22]

Journaling is so underrated. I especially love handwriting in a journal as opposed to typing. It forces you to slow down and really think about things in a more meaningful way.

[@isaacixtupe8983]

I love your pen/pencil organizer

[@SethPiperHere]

Thanks for the video Jared! I've really been trying to get a journaling habit going in 2023 and haven't really known where to start so this helps a lot.

[@blaze9872]

The best way to start is to just start. :) Best of luck friend.

[@dqan7372]

"It's pretty simple...just get a journal." I was stuck on that step for years. I found it recently so maybe I'll get back into it. I definitely need to improve myself.

[@MrEmanthedrummer]

It's a bit weird for me. I have a deep affection for journaling, but only when it's completely free writing. I get why some people suggest writing about specific things like an event, or something I'm either proud or not proud of and I see the value in it. But that comes along with a level of artificiality to my thought stream. If I write in a more organic way where thoughts just flow, that's when it feels the most real and helps me to heal and grow. Revelations come as I discuss things over with myself as if I’m talking to another person.

[@mike1995197]

I feel like there's as many journaling styles as many people doing it. There's no right or wrong, it's like creating art, we do what feels right :)

[@niloufarbalouch8818]

What I recently started doing is to add my knowledge and the solution that I think it can help me to the last part so through time I can see how my problem solving skill improved and how I saw the solution before so I can compare.

[@greyhawk5990]

This was quite helpful for me -someone who often overthinks the process of journaling. You’ve broken the process down into simple, meaningful tasks. 😊

[@debiweakley2828]

The only solution I've found to the inherent anxiety when something goes wrong, (so glad someone else does this) is using the OODA loop process (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act). The process engages my rational mind and disables my reactionary side.

[@trent.langley]

Thank you Jared. I have been journaling myself for a couple of years now and have come to enjoy and look forward to it each morning as part of my daily routine. However, some days it’s hard to sit down and put pencil to paper (especially when I’m in a funk). When this happens, I notice my journal becomes this place where I put all of my frustrations and come to blows with myself… and this can be a bit discouraging when you string together several days like this. However, with this template in mind going forward, I believe that i can still do this (review my frustrations) but zoom out and appreciate/evaluate alongside this narrative you mentioned and that i continue to seemingly stringing together day by day. Additionally, i agree with you in that it’s a great idea to force ourselves to write about the things that are going well for us, especially when things are tough, even if that’s a challenge in the moment. Anyway, my thoughts after watching your vid. Thanks again!

[@TiaLei-e7c]

Took me 39 to start journaling regularly. It’s a game changer for mental clarity and reducing stress and anxiety. I just free flow usually, writing whatever pops into my head. I do make it a point to write what I’m grateful for and what im excited about to keep me thankful for what has passed and hopeful for what is yet to come.

[@Jolley86]

It’s like a road map from where you’ve been to where you’re going and all the lessons learned in life in between. Starting journaling at 37. Thank you for the advice.

[@ElizabethCar]

I've been journaling off and on for most of my life, as a little girl I did a lot more than as an adult. I would write all about my day in my "diary" and how I felt, including stick figure pictures. Looking back, I realize those pictures were also a reflection of my emotions as I would end up scribbling all over people or events that made me mad or sad and ones that made me happy would be in pretty colors LOL. I gave up journaling as an adult because I felt like you absolutely had to journal everyday and as my life felt monotonous I felt less and less like I had anything to journal about. After watching this video I don't feel like there's an invisible pressure to journal daily anymore and I'm thinking about getting back into it.

[@arizonael]

did you get back into it? :)

[@rosieb471]

Did you?

[@ElizabethCar]

@arizonael Yes. Sometimes I journal daily, and sometimes I'll have a 2 - 3 month gap between an entry, but I always come back to it though.

[@misssnostalgic]

Thank you, this video has been very helpful. I have been encouraged to keep a diary since last year but I have written very little over the year. This year I have written more but it is somewhat disorganized, sometimes I write important events , other times about my plans, or what I did in my routine. Sometimes stress really makes me lose track of writing because I have so many things to tell.

[@alinao625]

Julia Cameron‘s “morning pages” helped me get into journaling.

[@KevinTumlinson]

Years ago I developed a daily journaling habit, and it's evolved over time. I now use it, in part, to create content I post daily and have managed to monetize (not much yet, but it's a stream). But the benefits to my soul and mental health have been invaluable. I can trace all the growth of my life back to this daily habit.

[@itsyomama6744]

I keep a word document on my OneDrive. Its called a thought dump. When I feel stressed or like I need to get my words down I can just pick up my phone or laptop and type it out. It's a great way to vent and you can ramble whenever you want. At the same time, I journal so I can look back on what I did that made me happy before I declined into depression. I wish they taught this in schools around the world instead of just giving us motivational speakers and having to rely on others. Instead we can rely on ourselves and then others. Some people scream into pillows and cry, others write or type it out. I sometimes look back and realise how insane I was and how I don't want to feel that way. Take the idea of journaling and make it for you. Great video.

[@pennsylvaniapatriot22]

I’ve been journaling since 2014. The reason I started is because I had to do an internship with a local police department for my criminal Justice major; I was required to write in a journal for each day I worked. I looked back on the journal after the summer was over. I loved being able to travel back in time to relive those experiences. Some events I had forgotten altogether, as for some events I forgot some the details. My journaling started off quite fragmented and there was no sense of direction or purpose to it. It was more like a gratitude journal; it was like me talking to God. Since then I’ve grown as a writer and as a person. It wasn’t too long before I began doing literally everything you spoke about in your video. Journaling, to me, is therapeutic, and it gives me a sense of power over my life. I feel like I am controlling the narrative of my life. Great video man. Haven’t seen any of your other videos. I’ll check out some of your other content.

[@rigelthurston]

This is so great Jared! I am definitely sharing this with my songwriting community. People are always getting stuck with what to write about that is meaningful. How about your own story?

[@ОлегБобров-в7ъ]

I just have to say how I love that his videos fit in with both formats. Wide screen, narrow screen alike!

[@marinellaoneri6381]

I discovered that my favourite way of journaling is through envelopes. I write my pages as I would write a letter to a dear distant friend. I find this method really useful in order to explore more important topics and add the little poetry touch I need in my writing..also the feeling of writing to a distant friend makes these letter so warm and precious

[@kayan5539]

I am really impressed. I am lucky that I found this on KZbin. The tone of speech and content are very smooth and very understandable. I also liked that there is no annoying background music. A bunch of thanks🦋.

[@nobita_king_0001]

As I watched the warmth of spring slaying the coldness of winters, the hopeless trees began to bloom again the yellow ground turned green, the sour scent of the flowers turned sweet and the faces of those people with whom, I spent those days disappeared that day, at the last, I could not even had the chance to hear her voice for the last time and it disappeared in the coldness of the short spring...

[@YvonneCorbett-s4h]

I am really impressed. I am lucky that I found this on KZbin. The tone of speech and content are very smooth and very understandable. I also liked that there is no annoying background music. A bunch of thanks.

[@christianinfinity8206]

Okay j haven’t watched the video yet. And although journaling is a great habit to get into. I feel like journaling your own way is what makes it unique. Write freely as if you’re literally writing down your thoughts as they come. It shouldn’t be well organized or like a school essay. Yes it’s good to have structure especially when doing doings like shadow work or answering a prompt. But when it comes to just journaling thoughts to clear your head. Do it in whatever way your heart desires.

[@anthonyfischer8299]

ive never been into journaling because ive never been able to find a cohesive way to do it efficiently, this structure helps a lot.

[@mariafeescajadillo5331]

Jared, I started journaling for you. Thank you for give every lesson to my soul

[@Lassi-kq3ct]

"Thanks to you" or "due to you" would be better framing to avoid misunderstanding, just tryna help a possible non native English speaker, don't take it in the wrong way

[@rosygrimaldi8042]

Great video! As a philosophy student who is trying to start journaling this video was helpful and ispiring

[@rosieb471]

Every Philosopher should write in his journal.😊

[@joshjohnson735]

As a philosophy student any reading recommendations?

[@joelturnbull4038]

I have never been able to sustain a regular practice of journalling, but I sometimes find it helpful to put my feelings into poetry. I’ve done this a few times this year - sometimes it’s light-hearted and frivolous; sometimes it’s heavier - but it makes me feel like my thoughts and feelings are real, tangible and specific. I really like your suggestions here, though: a concrete list of things to write about can make it less daunting.

[@affafbilal5970]

This is such a comprehensive video. l've also revived my writing with journaling on regular basis. Its very exciting at first, but you do experience a dip when it seems monotonous or like a task. And I've had to find different prompts to keep it interesting. You have to keep on doing it until it sticks. Until it becomes that part of the day which you eagerly look forward to. Excellent ideas explained impeccably. ❤

[@KmartKingpin]

I write about everything. Either an hour or two at night, or even just here and there throughout the day. I write about what I’m doing, something I’m learning, how I learned it, reviewing books. I do it because as an isolated introvert, it’s therapeutic to externalize anxiety and thoughts. We think in abstraction so sometimes personifying your problems gives you the solution as well. Aside from helping me in life emotionally and epistemologically, it would be really cool if someone gets these journals long after I’m dead and also gets to learn something. Like imagine 200 years from now, someone reads about how much I loved the book “The Body” by Stephen King and then heads down to their local book store to pick it up. You are influencing and helping generations long after you expire, that’s longevity in its purest form.

[@surbhisingh4322]

Thank you for this insightful video! I have been journaling since I was 12. Now, at 26, stumbling upon your video made me pause and actually think for the first time about my journaling style. Thank you!

[@floopa5941]

I started journaling for fun, 5 years ago. I was 13 at that time and I just wanted to journal because I thought it would be cool if someone read it from the future and didn't really think anymore than that. Then a year ago, I was at my lowest. School and the pandemic messed me up to the point where I was crying everyday. I wrote to my journal on what was happening and also decided to read my old letters. I had so many goals and dreams but I wasn't able to achieve any of them. I realized that I barely did anything in those 4 years and all I did was make empty promises. I felt really bad after reading all of it but I suddenly had the thought if ending that depressing cycle. I told myself "I won't do it tommorrow. I will do it now"I cried for a long time and after, I went outside and draw. Everyday after I wake up, I drew and drew until a month later, I saw improvements. I was proud. Then I excercised and made new friends. 6 months later I was happy. I wrote all those 6 months in my journal and I was happy to how far I've come.

[@laurarichardson7187]

I have been journaling for years, and right now, I find it helpful to simply answer 2 questions every night in my journal. 1) What did I do? 2) What did I learn?

[@eyeofsauron2812]

Journaling is an amazingly helpful habit, and I'm glad that I enjoy it.

[@popito8366]

I have a separate journal to do stream of consciousness but I don’t complain I just try to dialogue with the parts of my me or my life that I don’t like, and by dialogue I mean literally me talking to specific body parts / emotions my fears etc. and I try to make sense of them to process my feelings and do that from a compassionate voice

[@Self-University]

Very helpful video. I have been journaling since 2013 and changed my life now take it another level.

[@danielgutierrez5522]

You cannot imagine how useful is this video for me! Thanks for sharing your advices sir! Greetings

[@belsempai2671]

You have a very comforting voice.

[@zatzu]

I've been writing on and off since high school. My handwriting is too messy, and I always make spelling and grammar mistakes, so I'd always buy new notebooks every time I start again. I cared too much about its appearance over its contents. Media shows journals have these beautiful writings and I compare mine to that. Afer realizing that permanship doesn't matter, I finally got to write more. First time in my life that I was able to write 6 months worth of (almost) daily logs in a single notebook. And I'm happy with that. I even added doodles in it to give it a sense of 'life', it works really well.

[@redbones6046]

The lighting and depth of field in this video is 💯

[@nickbreaux2635]

You are very rapidly becoming my favorite KZbinr!

[@invadernate3985]

I write a famous quote from someone first, then write about my accomplishments that day like cleaning or studying or exercise and then I put what I’m grateful for like Family, Friend, Pet, Home, Clothes, Food, Health and write my own quote at the end of that. Thanks for your video got great ideas, I also use fountain pens, makes me feel like a great I’m a writer.

[@yeomantrader9505]

I think it's romantic endeavor to journal ( and fountain events). Coffee and journaling is romantic. I love your channel. Thank you.

[@IsaNoelJoyeux]

I wrote throughout my childhood, my adolescence and the beginning of my adult life. Then I stopped. I started this writing work again last year because I needed it (I'm 50). I had and still need to solve some things in my life. However, during all that time, I think I underestimated what I was doing. Your video is very enlightening. THANKS. (sorry for my english, I'm french).

[@warleyxavier7142]

Amazing video! I've been waiting for some kind of motivation to start writing about myself. Thanks!

[@blaze9872]

Wow, I actually use these basic prompts already. It really does help! I've been doing this for about 3 months now and I've been feeling so much better. I'd like to add that it is nice to go through and see patterns between the positive and negatives throughout the previous entries. I turn these basic daily entries into examples of a thesis that I can turn into a goals. I really like the idea of writing it as a narrative. I am going to try to focus a bit more on how I'm writing. Right now, I've just been word vomiting. I've never been a good writer, and there's so much in my brain, it feels nice to just get it all out.

[@samsonyu5679]

I find Gibbs' Reflective Cycle really helpful and comprehensive if you need more structure or prompts to get started. It focuses on specific situations/events too.

[@kathleenhensley5951]

I've always tried to listen to what I am writing... what is really bothering/worrying me? Where can I find an alternative solution? I entirely agree with the idea that we are story telling creatures, by our very nature. It is what separates us most from the animal kingdoms, I realized that a while back, myself. We have been telling stories since (at least) the caves of the last ice age.

[@melissa.9694]

Journaling literally changed my life

[@angelartamesia2]

That’s what I’ve been doing. I have this huge gold edge book. I wrote a love letter to it that I’d keep it with me for my life. I write a title at the top for my subject which gives me a guideline 😊

[@billieswife2282]

I'm so grateful to find this channel. You are asome!

[@MoskosFriess]

This advice coming in useful more sooner than I expected

[@writtenbywahab]

i do journaling every morning, and this video is really give me another great perspective about journaling. thanks for sharing this video. ❤

[@aussenbords4984]

very good, very concise and no waste. thank you!

[@haleylquinton]

I journal every day... but definitely not like this! I love the idea of creating a narrative about my life... unfortunately my journals are usually just my personal feelings that I can't actually express out loud, lol.

[@rosieb471]

Try writing your memories.

[@67comet]

I recently took up journaling, and what kicked me off was .. collecting typewriters. I needed a reason to type, and journaling gave me a reason to use a typewriter every day. If I am feeling like a jabber jaw, I click it to single space, and if I am feeling less "typity", then I double or triple space it. So fun, so healthy, and very enriching.

[@DannySabraArt]

What a cool concept. I have journaled a lot over the years but only ever just whatever is on my mind. I can see how this style of journaling can actually be useful outside of just the process of writing itself. Very cool