How to Actually Stick With It. I have a confession, I've started and abandoned at least seven different journals over the past five years. Beautiful, expensive journals that I bought with the best intentions, only to write in them for a week before they became glorified dust collectors. Sound familiar? For the longest time, I thought the problem was me, that I just wasn't disciplined enough or that journaling "wasn't my thing." But then I figured out the real reason I kept quitting, and it had nothing to do with discipline. It was about expectations. Most people abandon their journals because they set impossible standards from the start. We tell ourselves we'll journal every single day, write at least two pages, and produce profound insights with every entry. When we inevitably fall short, we feel like failures and quit altogether. The breakthrough came when I permitted myself to be inconsistent, three times a week instead of daily, one paragraph instead of two pages, messy rambling instead of perfect reflections.
Another reason journals get abandoned? We're writing about the wrong things. If you're forcing yourself to write about gratitude every single day when what you really need to process is anger or grief, you're going to burn out fast. Your journal needs to serve you, not the other way around. I permitted myself to write about whatever I actually felt, even if it was negative, repetitive, or "unproductive." Some days that meant venting frustrations, other days exploring fears, and yes, sometimes listing gratitudes. Studies show that expressive writing, which involves letting your thoughts flow freely without censorship, is one of the most effective forms of journaling for mental health, as it facilitates authentic emotional processing.
Here's the secret to sticking with journaling long-term: make it so easy you can't say no. My rule is simple: if I don't have time for a full entry, I write one sentence. Just one. "Today I felt overwhelmed, but I'm proud I showed up anyway." Done! Because the habit of showing up matters more than the length of what you write. One sentence a day for a year is 365 moments of self-reflection you wouldn't have had otherwise. That's powerful! So if you've abandoned journals in the past, don't give up. Lower the bar, be realistic about what you actually need to process, and find prompts that genuinely interest you. Explore our guided journals designed for real, sustainable practice at WilsonWolfJournals.
