10 Must-Have Types of Journals

We all get this intense desire sometimes to prove that we're here. And while journaling is as historically significant as maps and fossils, it also holds a colossal role in our personal lives.

Simply put, journaling keeps our minds active, relieves our stress, helps us self-reflect, and more. However, it isn't the same for everybody. That's why there are many types of journals available today on the market. We'll help you choose your best fit from the 10 must-have types of journals we'll talk about today! All you have to do is read on.

1. Personal Diary

ِPeronsal diaries certainly fall at the top of our list because no matter what your interests and hobbies are, you should have one. We all like to vent to someone sometimes, and if that someone isn't available, a personal diary can come in handy. You can write anything you think of in it, from what you ate today to what caused your first heartbreak.

Moreover, the importance of personal diaries lies mainly in documenting your milestones. For instance, if you decide to read your journal on a boring train ride, you'll find something interesting.

Not to mention, writing about your day will help empty your mind so that you can sleep peacefully. We all have those nights when we stare at the ceiling and overthink every single detail we've lived through during the day.

In the long run, this will improve your overall mental health, as you'll get in touch with your emotions and learn how to let your stress out on paper. Unlike other types of journals, this one gives you unlimited freedom to write about whatever you want.

2. Gratitude Journal

By default, humans are hardwired to have a bias towards negativity. And while it's in our nature, you can work on it with the help of a gratitude journal.

So, if you want to shift your mindset to a more positive one, you should get this journal. Whether you buy a ready-made one or make one your own, you'll feel a significant change once you start using it.

For starters, writing about things you're grateful for will shift your attention towards the positive aspects of life. Over time, you'll start noticing how grateful you are for what you have instead of dwelling over whatever you can't have.

As a bonus point, gratitude journals can be an activity for your whole family, even kids. For instance, you can gather your family every month and think together about what you're grateful for. In addition to the fact that it'll strengthen your family bond, this activity will also spread positive vibes throughout your house.

As a result of focusing more on the positive side, you'll be able to reduce your stress and improve your overall mental health. Not to mention, writing can enhance your creativity and ability to concentrate, so it's a win-win situation.

3. Dreams Journal

As Sigmund Freud once said, dreams are mere residues of our past days. That's why they can be so important to remember sometimes, whether for nostalgic reasons or, on a more serious note, therapy-related ones. Since dreams sometimes reflect our deep emotions, some therapists request that they hear all about them.

Unfortunately, dreams only exist in your memory, and you won't always remember them. As a result, it's essential to keep a dream journal to write whatever you've dreamt about the moment you wake up. Just don't forget to keep it by your bed.

Even if you don't go to therapy, you may want to improve your overall dream memory and keep a record of the happy dreams you have. Also, if you're interested in self-reflection and self-analysis, you'll want to remember all of your dreams so that you can interpret them well.

4. Travel Journal

Do you know that exciting feeling you get when you're telling someone about your traveling adventures? Well, imagine recording them forever on paper. So many people find joy in this habit, as they get to keep their cherished memories forever and visit them whenever they like.

Keeping a travel journal is an excellent way to do this. It's the equivalent of taking photos of your trip, except you're embodying how you felt at those moments and what you experienced, not what you looked like and the places you visited.

In addition to preserving memories, you'll also be documenting your trip so that if you decide to revisit the same place, you'll have a reference to go back to. It also helps if you write what you packed and bought before the trip. This way, you'll get less anxiety on your next trip because you'll be more prepared.

5. Art Journal

Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to be an artist to keep an art journal. People get inspiration sometimes and like to let it out on paper. So, whether you sketch or write in a journal, it'll improve your creativity and help you express your thoughts artistically.

This is especially important for people dealing with psychotic disorders since it's scientifically proven that journaling benefits them. First of all, they get to release their thoughts freely, which is hard to do with talking. Second of all, it can help them channel their emotions better and view a topic from different perspectives.

With that being said, if you're an artist, an art journal is as essential as your paintbrushes and color palette. This is because you never know when inspiration hits. Artists may get inspired by sights as mundane as people walking down the street. And if they don't have an efficient way to let out their thoughts, many artistic ideas will go to waste.

To sum it up, keeping an art journal will help you preserve your memories, creative ideas, and thoughts.

6. Reading Journal

Books let us experience many lives that are entirely different from our own. To have an enjoyable experience, you should keep a reading journal. Reading journals are for bookworms who find comfort between the pages of fascinating books. They give you a chance to analyse the book you're reading and the characters better.

In addition, you can write the quotes you want to remember and your thoughts about the book in your reading journal. This way, you get back to them whenever you want and reflect on your thoughts again.

Keeping a reading journal is especially important if you're a book club member. It'll help you recall all the details you want to talk about during the session, including your feelings and opinions. Accordingly, you'll be able to have a successful discussion with your fellow members.

You can also consider your reading journal a review site. Instead of writing an online review somewhere about a book you've read, you can report it on paper so that you'll have a record of all the books you read and your opinions of them.

7. Food Journal

A food journal is a must for care-takers with busy schedules and food enthusiasts who try new recipes every day. Owning a food journal will get you even more excited to collect recipes. Moreover, if you travel a lot, you'll be able to keep a record of all the international dishes you've tried in one place.

Alternatively, if you plan on going healthy and want to keep the process organised, you can benefit from a food journal in many different ways.

Firstly, you can record many healthy recipes so that you won't get bored. Secondly, you can put a detailed nutrition plan for yourself, along with goals, and mark them once achieved. This will give you a much-needed boost of motivation.

And if you're a busy parent who barely has time to cook, you can benefit from a food journal in terms of organization. For instance, you can record many quick recipes to cook when needed. Moreover, you can write the ingredients so that you'll know what to buy when you go to the grocery store.

Finally, a food journal can help keep you in check because you'll be able to review your meals and determine how healthy your eating habits are.

8. Fitness Journal

If you decide to go fit and have a healthy lifestyle, a fitness journal will come in handy. It'll help you plan your workouts, meals, and daily habits. You can also plan your workouts according to types, such as strength, cardio, and tempo training. Accordingly, you won't focus on just one type and forget about the others.

In addition, a fitness journal will help you keep track of your progress and see what you've achieved so far. This way, you'll be more motivated to keep your chain of achievements going in your journal. Also, you'll want to challenge yourself more as time passes.

Finally, if you barely have time to exercise, this journal will help you put a detailed schedule so that you don't miss a workout. Generally, it'll keep your fitness process more organized and fun.

9. Pregnancy Journal

Pregnancy is a unique and emotional journey for both women and their partners. Accordingly, it deserves to be well documented. Whether you're doing this for sentimental reasons or because you want a reference for the next time you get pregnant, a pregnancy journal will be your best friend during this period.

For instance, you can write about your feelings and how you've coped with hormonal imbalances and food cravings. This journal will come in handy if you get pregnant again and want to know how you got through it the first time. Moreover, it'll help you answer your gynaecologists questions if pregnancy caused you to forget essential details.

In addition, you can brainstorm ideas for baby names, the baby room, baby clothes, and many more fun things that'll lift your mood in case you're feeling a little down.

Finally, the most rewarding part of a pregnancy journal is that it lets you record your baby's monumental moments while they're still in your uterus. For example, you can write about the first time your baby has kicked. In general, this journal will make your pregnancy journey more fun and nostalgic.

10. Productivity Journal

We all struggle with procrastination sometimes, and while it's often hard to snap out of it, a productivity journal can help. You can either buy a ready-made journal or make one according to your needs. For starters, it'll help you organize the tasks you should do by priority. Then, you'll know where to start and where to stop.

Furthermore, one of the most common reasons for procrastination is having too many tasks and no motivation to do them. By organizing them, you'll feel less overwhelmed and defeated. As a result, you'll be able to focus more and get to work without distracting yourself. Also, low self-confidence and fear of failure won't have a strong hold over you.

In addition, a productivity journal will help you keep track of your goals and achievements, which will motivate you even further. When you see your progress on paper, you realize how real it is and gain a boost of self-confidence so that you get over procrastination.

To Wrap Up

Overall, journaling is an ancient hobby that has helped many people across the centuries. All journals are essential for self-reflection and improving your mental health, ranging from personal diaries to travel and food journals. Not to mention, they help you keep better track of how your life is going.

Now that you know all about the types of journals you should keep, you can start your fascinating journaling adventure!