Whenever I’m going through a lot of stress or just want a moment of reflection, my favorite thing to do is write in my journal. It’s fun to look back on my entries from years ago and know exactly how I was feeling and what was going during that time in my life. Plus, it’s a great way to meditate and gain clarity.
We’ve talked before about why you should keep a journal. However, many people don’t do it because the task can seem daunting, they don’t know where to start, or they think that they have to write every day for it to be effective.
Luckily, there are tons of guided journals on the market that make journaling more fun and less intimidating. Below, I’ll list the three best guided journals to get you started in the journaling habit.
Table of Contents
1. Start Where You Are: A Journal for Self-Exploration by Meera Lee Patel
With its beautiful, hand-painted watercolor illustrations, inspirational quotes, and creative writing prompts, Start Where You Are: A Journal for Self-Exploration has quickly become one of my favorite ways to reflect on where I’m going in life and where I’ve been.
Some of the prompts (seen above) are fun and simple, like drawing the people you love, while others require you to delve a bit deeper, like reflecting on what you learned from a difficult experience.
With every entry I feel a little bit more in tune with myself, and for that reason I highly recommend this guided journal to all of you.
2. 52 Lists for Happiness: Weekly Journaling Inspiration for Positivity, Balance, and Joy by Moorea Seal
It’s so easy to get wrapped up in life and forget to take a moment to appreciate what you have. With 52 Lists for Happiness, I always find time to remember the simple things that help me find joy in my busy life.
Each list (example above) is meant to be completed weekly, so you can start one on Sunday, add to it throughout the week, and reflect on it during the weekend.
My favorite feature of the book is the action prompt that goes along with each of the lists. The action prompt helps you implement what you’ve learned that week. Not only is 52 Lists a great journal for beginners, it’s a great way to become more positive about your life.
3. 1 Page at a Time: A Daily Creative Companion by Adam J. Kurtz
A huge movement right now is mindfulness, which is basically dedicating yourself to living in the moment. While we love meditation, we’re also obsessed with this journal for practicing mindfulness.
1 Page at a Time follows this outlook by encouraging writers to unleash their creativity by putting down their phone and just writing down what they’re feeling or drawing a silly picture.
This guided journal (as seen above) is definitely the most laid-back and easy to begin of the three guided journals on this list. Even so, the prompts can be very insightful. 1 Page at a Time can be used for drawing, writing, listing, reflecting, and even encourages the user to share the journal with others.
Do you use guided journals or journal prompts?
Learning about who are you are and the amazing person you’re becoming doesn’t have to be time consuming or difficult. Just take a little time out of your day and grab a pen.