Why I Love Journaling // My Journal Collection 2020

Hi everyone!

I have been journaling on-and-off for years now. I still have a diary I kept for a while at the age of eight. However, I had fallen out of the habit, until one of my friends introduced me to it again. Since then, I have been consistently journaling for almost a year-and-a-half.

I love the notebooks themselves -- I am a sucker for any pretty journal. Plus, it's a hobby that allows me to be creative in the ways I enjoy (writing and decorating) without having to be artistic. But more than that, it's a way to look back on the person you used to be and how much you've grown. I love having a record of my life while also being able to express myself.

I don't journal every day -- mainly only when I feel like it or when something important has happened, and I think that has helped me stick to it for such a long time. When you force yourself to journal every single day and jot down every single detail, it's difficult to get yourself excited/motivated. So if you want to journal but are struggling to get into it, try only writing the things you enjoy writing about. Don't be afraid to get creative, either. Add notes people have written you, receipts, brochures, stickers, and fun pictures. It's encouraging as you see your notebook get more and more filled and personalized.

Now that I've talked about why I love it, I'm going to show you guys my journals!

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The first one on the list is this reading journal by Compendium. This is my current journal, which I've been writing in since September 2019. I'm nearly finished; I think I'll be moving onto a new one within a couple of weeks. It took me a while to get attached to this one and personalize it, but now that I have I really like it! Every ten pages or so it has a different piece of artwork with a reading quote.

Next is my only fully completed journal so far. I was in this journal for a long time -- from November 2018 to September 2019. It's a vintage McCall's pattern journal. I got it for my birthday, so I'm not exactly sure where it's from.

A LOT happened in my life during this time, and I wrote about a lot of it. I also have a lot of souvenirs and pictures from my adventures, and I have decorated the front and back. I'm definitely very proud of how it turned out.

Here's how thick it is from the side.

Next, we have all the journals that I haven't filled (read: a LOT!) First are these two Rifle Paper Co. notebooks. They are smaller and unlined but I think they're adorable. I think the blank pages will allow for a lot of creativity.

This journal is from DaySpring. I love it because it has Bible verses on every page, and it has a very pretty design. It's the biggest journal I own and has very large pages, so this will probably take a long time to fill up when I finally get to writing in it.

Next is this lovely cloth journal from Paperchase. I've had it for a long time -- probably around three years. I love anything vintage, so this is perfect for me.

This journal is special to me because I got it on a school trip to Spain. I am not a bullet journal person (as I have mentioned, I am not particularly artsy), but this was too pretty to pass up. In real life, it's more of a light pink. I'll probably just end up using it as a normal journal.

This is a Simplicity Vintage Pattern notebook. You can get this and several other designs at JoAnn's. This journal is fun because the lines are different colors, and they change every so often (pink, orange, blue).

Like my other cloth journal, I've had this for about three years. It's also from Paperchase. Though it's not a big part of my aesthetic, I do love nautical-style things, so that's probably why I've kept it around for so long.

This is by far my favorite journal I own, and will probably earn its spot as my next daily journal when I finish my book one. It's from the company One Canoe Two. I adore the artwork on the cover, and the paper is very nice quality.

Do you journal, scrapbook, or something similar? I'd love to hear about it!

Thanks for reading!

Lydia