30 Journaling Ideas to Get You Started

Journaling can be a ton of fun and it usually is but sometimes we all hit that dreaded blank page and can’t see anything past it. Tell me this isn’t just a “me” thing. I’m pretty sure it isn’t since there are so many prompt-filled journals at the bookstore. That’s where lists come in handy. In this post, I’ll give you over 20 journaling ideas to help you when you hit that block or just to get started. Many of these would work perfectly with a bullet journal.

Your journal can be a great resource of information for you as you jot down your daily happenings and thoughts. Lists are a great way to compile details about your life, your interests, and your dreams while also being sure you don’t forget about them completely.

1. Things You Are Grateful For

Gratitude is a common theme when journaling. It’s helpful to write down all that you are thankful for. Gratitude journals are actually very beneficial to your health. When you are feeling discouraged, you can read over this list and remind yourself just how blessed your life is. This list can be made often, such as a “5 Things I’m Thankful for This Week/Month,” or like this “Gratitude Journal for Kids.”

2. To-Do List

I’m the type of person that likes to write down everything I need to do and mark it off as I do it. This helps to remind me of what I’ve already accomplished and what I have left to do. This is another way for me to stay on track and not see a “squirrel” in front of me and get sidetracked. If you have upcoming tasks or events that you need to remember, make a list in your journal.

Your to-do list could be done weekly, daily, or even monthly, and you can mark off the tasks as you complete them. You’ll feel good about it afterward. Your to-do list can include chores as well as the more leisurely things in life. Maybe you want to clean out the attic or try a new recipe. Reflect at the end of each week and pat yourself on the back for the things you accomplished. I even have a bucket list that I hope to start checking more off now that life is a little bit normal again.

Monday: 7 am walk
Tuesday: 6-7:30 pm Bible Study
Wednesday: Early release
Thursday: 8 am meeting with a co-worker
Friday: 7 pm Hanging with friends

3. Short-Term Goals

Start your week by journaling about what you hope to achieve in the next 5-7 days. A college student may shoot for an “A” on an upcoming exam. A mother may want to work on potty training her toddler. Anyone working on getting healthier can jot down a list of weight loss or exercise goals. Walking so many miles in a week, etc.

Everyone should have an abundance of short-term goals, writing them down and crossing them out is an awesome way to make sure you meet them! One of mine is to read the bible every day and write about what I learned. Do you have a short-term goal you want to start working on?

4. Long-Term Goal lists

What are things you hope to achieve in the next year? The next five years? Make a list of your long-term goals. Use this list as a starting point for future journaling tasks, such as how you plan to achieve each and to progress updates. You can also backtrack and turn these goals into smaller steps and short-term goals to keep track of as well.

5. Goals You Have Achieved

It’s important to highlight your progress when it comes to goals. Don’t just make lists about what to achieve. Give yourself a handwritten high five when you achieve them! This list can also include how you feel about your accomplishments. Use this list as a reflection if you are struggling with other goals.

6. Favorite Movies/Music/TV Shows/Books

It’s always fun to make lists of our favorite things in your journal. Creating these lists are often easy, and it counts as journaling time. Make a list of all your favorites, so you can remind yourself of what brings you joy. This is always helpful when people ask for recommendations or maybe it will spark an urge to rewatch a movie you used to love or to listen to a band’s newest album.

Favorite actresses: Gina Davis, Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston
Favorite actor: Johnny Depp
Favorite Family movies: Cheaper By the Dozen, Yours, Mine and Ours, Parent Trap
Favorite Romantic Movies: Frankie and Johnny, When Harry Met Sally, You’ve got Mail, Blended.

7. Movies/Books/Shows You Want to Watch

Everyone has a handful of movies they would like to get around to viewing or books they’d like to read. Make a list of these in your journal, so you don’t miss out on any amazing worlds that might otherwise be forgotten!

The Story Jar by Robin Lee Hatcher
Becoming an Intentional Family by Anastasia Corbin is a book I want to read.
Priscilla Shirer has many Bible study books I would like to get my hands on.
Ticket to Paradise with Julia Roberts and George Clooney looks like a funny one.

This one could even be expanded on with a small review to let yourself know what you thought of the item. If it is worth watching/reading again or any other commentary you’d like to provide. ie, if you went to the movies with someone or how much they cost.

8. Places I want to Visit

Traveling is a ton of fun if planned out properly and by this, I mean knowing that the place you are going is actually open. There are so many interesting places to go and fascinating sites to see. Jot down where you would like to have an adventure.

A where I want to visit or where I’ve been journaling list can lead to many more journal entries, including what you’d pack, where you’d stay, what you would do while in a particular city, business hours for those places, or why you want to go there. And eventually, when you’ve gone, don’t forget to scribble down your favorite memories, and reviews of where you visited/stayed, and print out some pictures as well. Don’t forget if you have tickets these would be great souvenirs for your journal.

9. Places You Have Traveled

Just as planning future travel is fun, journaling about past adventures is an equally great idea. From this list, you can create more entries about each destination. What did you like or not like about the place? Write down your favorite memories too, so you can later reflect on them and laugh or smile or cry and someday share those stories with someone else.

My kids are always asking me stories about my childhood, teen years, or early married years. I love sharing the stories with them but fear one day I will forget the little details that I so treasure telling them. A journal will be a good place that they can go to years after you’ve passed and recollect the stories they have heard.

10. Hobbies to Try

There are likely things you have wanted to try but haven’t gotten around to doing them. Create a list so you can find some new hobbies! As you do each one, make a new journal entry about your first time. Did you enjoy it? What didn’t you like? Is it something you would like to continue doing?

Go Ape
Axe throwing
Camping
Fishing
Ziplining
Horseback riding

11. Books You Have Read

Making a list of the books you have read allows you to see your favorite authors or genres. This can spark new journal entries as book reviews, as well as help you find even more books to enjoy. Some people have a list of movies in alphabetical order that they own. Imagine doing that with your book collection.

The Purpose-Driven Life

12. Motivational or Inspirational Quotes

There are times that we all need to read something to inspire us to do better. Maybe you are having a down week and need something powerful to pick you up. Your favorite motivational quotes compiled in your journal will help with this! Refer to this list as often as you need to be inspired to keep winning in life.

Get up and try it again
If at first, you don’t succeed, try it again.
When life gives you lemons, etc.

13. Family Traditions

Do you and your partner/kids have things you enjoy doing often? Create a list of your favorite traditions. Journal about each of them as well. This will not only make for memories you’ll never forget, but you’ll also be able to share those traditions throughout generations to come.

Plastic wrap game at Christmas
5 days of Christmas
Halloween at the house
Water balloon fight at the end of the school year

14. Habits to Track

Habit trackers are all the rage these days. Have you used them? They are commonly found in planners, but you can also use your journal to track all your tasks and responsibilities. Your master list of habits ensures you get everything done as often as you should and can even reinforce the creation of healthy habits.

reading the bible
sleeping time. How many hours a night do you sleep? Do you wake in the middle of the night?
cutting back on something: Sugar/soda/frap
increasing something: more fish, walking or water

15. What Makes You Happy

Write down all the things that make you happy. Maybe it’s being in a library surrounded by all those books, or the chirping of the birds as they wake in the early morning hours, watching a frog jump from one lily pad to another in the quiet creek in town, or that favorite shawl you got as a gift. This list will help you when you are feeling sad. You can look at it and find what brings that smile across your face and brightens your mood.

a song that you hear
a television show you watch repeatedly
the sound of birds chattering in the trees, the wind blowing the leaves

16. What Makes You Sad

Realizing what makes you feel blue can help you avoid the feeling. This list is all about the things that bring you down. Use this list to create another journal entry about your personal triggers and how to cope with these things.

not having lots of pets
sad movies
stress
Kids growing up and moving away (this is both happy and sad)

17. Rainy Day Activities

This helpful list lets you have lots of different things to do on standby. We don’t often find ourselves with nothing to do, but a list of rainy day activities can come in handy when you do find yourself bored. Plus it’s a great way to cure that “I’m bored” nagging from a partner or kids; just give them a rainy day activity to do!

playing board games or make your own
reading
doing craft projects
coloring
playing video games

18. Your Daily Routine

Spend an hour or two making a list of everything you do in a day. This is a great way to see where you are spending your time. A friend of mine does this but it is called the Time Audit and it really helps when making your business plan. You can use this knowledge to cut back on tasks that don’t spark joy or to find a time that could be better used doing something else.

19. Self-Care Ideas

Think about ways you can destress and pamper yourself, and create this list. Refer to it often when you need some “me” time. This can include simple things like getting your favorite coffee or taking a bubble bath. This will be a page you want to bookmark or make a tab.

20. Your Best Jokes

These are great to have compiled in one place when you need a laugh. Include inside jokes you have with certain people, as they are sure to bring back humorous memories too.

Lists are a great way to collect details and information, but also an amazing place for reflection. Have fun creating these 20 lists, if you have an idea we missed, let us know below!

21. Cooking ideas

There are so many dishes I’d like to try making and having on hand. Do you know some that you’d like to try out but just haven’t done it yet? So many times I go to the fridge in the morning and can’t think of what to layout for that night’s dinner. If I had a list of things I wanted to try and a recipe page for them I wouldn’t come up blank.

Baked apple with ice cream
Irish Meatball Stew
Brisket

22. Favorite Bible Scriptures

Keep a list of all your favorite verses with a topic beside them so you have it to go to when you need it for certain things. Imagine a friend that is struggling and you can easily flip to your scripture list and send a quick text with the verse they need. If you had a page for each topic this could become very handy to you and others you know.

Encouragement (I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will advise you with My eye upon you. -Psalm 32:8) I have a blog post for September full of Encouraging bible verses
Love (Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 1 Corinthians 13:4-5)
Fear- I have an entire collection of October Bible Verses for fear
Jealousy (Psalms 37:1-3)
Joy (Romans 15:13)

23. Weightloss list

If you are trying to lose weight or get in shape there are a variety of lists you can write down. Not to mention ways you can reward yourself (that don’t include eating food), you can track new routes, etc.

Foods to avoid
Foods to eat
Foods that can be substituted for when you have cravings
Food intake/calorie intake list
Exercise log
weightloss tracker
Water intake log sheet

24. Challenges you’d like to do

Writing lists about yourself such as challenges you’d like to try, where you’d like to be in 5 years, etc.

25. Prayers you might have for others

Do you have a prayer room? Prayer wall? I keep a prayer journal, yes I have a completely seperate journal that I write all my daily prayers in and I have a section where I write down the ones that have been answered. Or answered in ways I did not expect. this helps me keep track of all the people I am praying over so I don’t forget.

26. Savings Tracker

Are you wanting to save money for something in the future? You can write out or draw out a savings tracker or saving plan. Mark off or fill a dollar in every time you have saved that much. Imagine a page full of 50 $1 dollar bills. As you save up each one you color it in green, do this until it reaches your goal.

You might even want to write down ways you can save. Deals you see using the paper and coupons, etc.

27. Spending Tracker

If you are trying to save money or simply curious where all your money goes simply start listing what you make on payday and what you spend. Don’t just write down how much you spend. Write down exactly what you spend and on what. When you spent it, etc. This can show you if something is not needed or if there is a certain time of the day you are spending. This will help you figure out your spending habits.

28. Trials You’ve Gone through

With life comes many trials that we always have. Now is the time to get out your journal and your pen and begin writing about all those trials you have gone through. Maybe why they happened, if you even know. What you learned from them? This can also make you feel good about what you have overcome.

29 Your Own Address Book

There have been so many times I needed someone’s address and didn’t have it. Maybe you’d like to surprise someone that is sick or just because with a card or flowers. If you have their address handy you can do that. Better than having to ask them and letting them know you want to send them something.

30 Out of the mouth of Babes

This is one of my favorite ones. Why? Because I have five kids and I love keeping a list of all the funny, honest or completly crazy things my kids have said in the past. This would be neat to write in a book and look at years later.

A few bloggers that have on-going Journal list ideas for you: