10 Types of Journals…….Okay, confession time: I’ve started and abandoned more journals than I’ve finished. Like, if half-used notebooks counted as a hobby, I’d be a black belt by now. But here’s the thing—I kept coming back to it. Because journaling (yes, that’s the focus keyword, boom, done in the first 100 words, look at me being all SEO-smart) is sneaky. It doesn’t care if you’re busy or chaotic or if your handwriting looks like a crime scene. It’ll wait for you. And when you finally figure out your 10 Types of Journals? Game changer.

So, instead of me pretending I’ve got it all together (lol, never), I’ll walk you through 10 types of journals I’ve tried, messed up, restarted, and sometimes—miraculously—stuck with.

Grab a coffee. Or wine. Or an aggressively large water bottle because apparently we’re all dehydrated?

1. The Classic Diary Journal

This is the OG. You know—“Dear Diary, today Tiffany said my hair looked like ramen noodles, and honestly, rude but also accurate.”

I started my first diary in middle school. Pink cover. Tiny lock I lost immediately. It was basically a place to complain about homework and wonder why nobody picked me first in gym class.

How to start one: Literally just write what happened that day. No pressure. Write like nobody’s ever gonna see it (because hopefully they won’t, unless you’ve got nosy siblings).

2. Gratitude Journal

Listen, I resisted this one. It felt a little too Pinterest board at first. But then I tried it, and wow. Turns out writing “I’m grateful for coffee, my bed, and the fact that Target sells sweatpants for $12.99” actually does make life feel brighter.

How to start one: Before bed or in the morning, list 3 things you’re thankful for. Don’t overthink. It can be tacos. It can be your cat’s stupid face. Boom—you’re done.

3. Bullet Journal (aka BuJo for the Cool Kids)

This one is like journaling, but make it aesthetic. I tried bullet journaling once and… yeah, it ended up looking like a kindergartener’s art project gone wrong.

But people swear by it. It’s part to-do list, part planner, part doodle playground.

How to start one: Get a dotted notebook. Start with super basic spreads—like a monthly calendar, a habit tracker, or literally just a daily to-do list. Don’t get lost on Instagram watching artists draw perfect layouts (you’ll spiral).

4. Dream Journal

Okay, hear me out—dream journals are wild. I once wrote down, half-asleep: “purple dog stole my math homework but forgave me after we danced.” Tell me that’s not cinema.

How to start one: Keep a notebook right by your bed. The second you wake up, scribble anything you remember, even if it’s just “teeth fell out AGAIN.” Apparently, your brain loves patterns, and over time, you’ll start noticing themes.

5. Morning Pages (The Julia Cameron Special)

If you’ve ever heard of The Artist’s Way, this one’s straight out of there. The idea is: first thing in the morning, you brain dump three pages. No filter, no editing, no nothing.

When I did it, I discovered 1) I complain a LOT about my neighbor’s leaf blower and 2) writing before coffee is basically just me scribbling “ugh” repeatedly. But hey—it clears the mental cobwebs.

How to start one: Set aside 15–20 minutes. Write whatever’s in your head. No rules. Rip the pages out and burn them if you’re scared someone will read them (therapeutic, tbh).

6. Travel Journal

Not just for people backpacking in Europe. Even a weekend trip counts. I kept one when I drove cross-country with my college roommate, and now I can re-live how we got lost in Kansas for six hours.

How to start one: Toss a notebook in your bag. Jot down what you see, funny road trip quotes, or the weird gas station snacks you tried. Bonus: tape in receipts, maps, or Polaroids for scrapbook vibes.

7. Fitness Journal

Yeah, I rolled my eyes too. But writing down workouts actually made me do them. I mean, nothing’s more motivating than seeing “leg day” written in Sharpie and realizing you already bragged to yourself about it.

How to start one: Write the date. List your workout or steps. Jot a quick note about how you felt (example: “hated every second but kinda proud”). Boom. Done.

8. Food Journal

Not like calorie-counting misery. More like a “here’s the amazing burrito I ate” record. I started one after binging way too many cooking shows, and now flipping back feels like reliving a menu of my life.

How to start one: Write what you ate, where, and maybe how it made you feel. Add doodles if you’re artsy. Bonus: you’ll finally remember which Thai place had the good noodles.

9. Creative Writing Journal

This one saved me in college. I had a professor who said, “If you want to write, you need to practice every day—even if it’s nonsense.” So I filled a notebook with random poems, bad short story ideas, and one truly terrible rap about pizza.

How to start one: Set a timer for 10 minutes. Write anything. A haiku. A fake movie plot. A conversation between your plants. No rules, no grades, just your imagination.

10. Hybrid “Everything” Journal

This is my current jam. Basically, it’s a little bit of all of the above. Some days it’s a diary. Some days it’s gratitude. Sometimes I’m doodling a llama because my brain said so.

And honestly? It works. Because life isn’t neatly categorized, so why should your journal be?

How to start one: Don’t overthink it. Just grab a notebook you actually like looking at (yes, the cover matters), and start filling it with… whatever.

Final Thoughts : 10 Types of Journals

Journals don’t have to be perfect. Mine are full of half-baked thoughts, scribbles, lists I abandoned, and notes to myself that literally say “don’t forget deodorant.” And that’s kind of the point.

It’s not about creating something pretty. It’s about catching pieces of your life before they slip away.

So yeah. Pick one (or ten) of these types of journals. Start ugly. Stay messy. And maybe—just maybe—you’ll look back one day and realize those scribbles tell the story of who you were, in the best, most unfiltered way.

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