Is Journaling A Hobby Or Is There Something More To It?

We all have kept a journal at some point and enjoyed writing down our thoughts. Many of us have also wondered how – and if – Journaling can be more than just a hobby. It is indeed a form of writing we can enjoy and benefit from simultaneously ( just like any writing). 

Many people wonder if journaling can be considered a hobby.

Journaling can be considered a popular hobby. It involves regularly expressing thoughts, feelings, and experiences in writing. Many people find it therapeutic and enjoy the creative outlet it offers. Journaling can be a rewarding and personal activity for self-reflection or improving writing skills.

Journaling can quickly become a part-time job. Just like writers write down their thoughts and create a book, we can as promptly write journals and share them. We can accomplish that by creating an online journal or sharing our stories with newspapers and magazines that include people’s stories. We can write a book if we believe that our thoughts and adventures are unique and exciting.

Journaling As A Hobby 

Journaling can mean and be more than one thing for each of us. Some people write down their goals, and others list all their problems. Journaling has many forms and purposes.

Journaling as a hobby is a creative practice that offers numerous benefits. It helps improve writing skills, boosts self-reflection, and promotes emotional well-being. Journaling allows individuals to express themselves, track personal growth, and explore their thoughts and ideas in a private and introspective manner.

Before evaluating how Journaling can offer us an income, we will look at a few different Journaling kinds.

Gratitude Journal

Keeping a gratitude journal is very beneficial and good for your mental health. Keeping notes of what you feel grateful for daily helps you see and be grateful for the essential things in life. Remember that family and a job are only two things to be thankful for. If you give it some thought, you will find many more!

Bullet Journal

Bullet Journal with Muji fountain pen and eyedropper fountain pen

I believe this is something every person does. Despite having a bullet journal on paper or on our smartphones, bullets are the perfect organizational tools we need to prioritize our tasks. Yes, this is considered Journaling!

From grocery shopping to New Year’s resolutions, we like bullet journaling because it is efficient, fast, and organized. I’m using a bullet journal to keep track of my tasks and goals and as a place to organize my ideas. You can find more information on bulletjournal.comOpens in a new tab.

Freewriting

This type of Journaling is considered to be the most satisfying one. Since it’s “free” and there are no rules, you can write whatever pops up. It needs to be a bit messy or not very clear. This kind of Journaling is a way to express ourselves without obstacles and “let it all out.” 

Prompt Journal

Prompt Journaling is a convenient way of Journaling. Writing daily, we sometimes need some inspiration. Prompts do the work! Having specific questions to answer can inspire us to think of parts of our lives that we sometimes ignore. For example, the question “What is the last adventure you had?” really motivated a person to think of the adventurous part of him/her. 

Dream Journal

woman-taking-a-note-in-bed

Despite our plans and goals, we all have actual dreams. It is exciting and useful to write down our dreams. The nightmare you had last night may mean something. Also, seeing the same dream repeatedly might require your attention. Our subconscious usually draws from our reality and displays our sometimes hidden selves and needs. Hence, writing down your dreams can help you.

Did List

This is a very particular way of Journaling. You focus on your daily accomplishments. Often, we feel like we haven’t done many things, but if we keep track of everything we accomplish every day, we gain a more positive life aspect. On some days that we need to feel better, we can create this list and feel proud of ourselves for everything we have accomplished.

It all comes down to the issue of which kind of Journaling can we turn into a profession after all. It is not difficult to accomplish that. Taking into consideration all the categories of Journaling mentioned above.

The Psychology; Essence of Journaling

To explain the above argument better, we need to talk about the “psychology” of Journaling. It is an activity that contributes to the overall health of the writer. Psychologists also suggest journaling to understand better and communicate with ourselves.

By writing down our problems and issues, we can gain a clearer perspective on how to deal with our problems. We acknowledge our faults and our responsibilities.

Hence, when we write everything in a journal and share it with others, we not only help ourselves, but we help others as well. Reading about a person’s real and challenging times helps us better understand the people around us. We can also find comfort in each other’s stories since we all have one or more unpleasant stories that have taught us a lot to share.

Turning Journaling Into A Profession: Ideas

Considering how Journaling can be a profession, we have some options.

Blogging As Online Journal

Journaling is very similar to Blogging. We can also offer our stories to blogs or create a blog/journal ourselves. For example, Gratitude E-Journals can be interesting. By sharing the things we are the most grateful for daily or frequently, we can motivate other people to understand if they are thankful for the same things we are and for something they were unaware of. 

Also, Blogging is an efficient way to share our stories, adventures, and incidents with people. We can see how people react to our Journal and how our stories influence people.

Furthermore, blogs allow us to have more than 1 type of Journal, for example, a combination of a Dream-Journal and a Prompt-Journal. This combination can offer fascinating conversations!

Write a Book

man with a fountain pen writing

If you are a person that always kept a diary, this won’t be a problem for you! Looking at our old diaries and journals, we all have content we can write a book with. In particular, if you can sort out your freewriting pages, you will most certainly find days and moments you can describe almost perfectly. Why not turn them into a good book?

Promoting Journal Writing 

Apart from being a healthy hobby, Journaling is a form of self-care. If you consider yourself an “expert” and have been writing journals for an extended period, you can share your knowledge over this. You can join a conference and maybe “teach” or share journal writing tips. 

You can also create a conference where you present Journaling as a form of self-care and describe its benefits. By counseling some psychologists, you can also provide a scientific approach to writing, and Journaling helps us communicate with ourselves better and more deeply. I wouldn’t like to miss that conference!

Conclusion

Viewing this point from many perspectives, Journaling is not just a hobby. It can be more than that, and it means more. Everyone is different and views Journaling differently, but we all know it is advantageous and beneficial. Promoting it and making good use of it for our benefit and others is necessary.

If you have never tried it before, grab a pen and Journal away! 

Jaap

My name is Jaap, and I am a passionate collector of pens and stationery. I am excited to share my knowledge and love of this hobby with you through my website. From fountain pens to notebooks, I strive to provide in-depth reviews and information on all things stationery. Whether you're a student looking for the perfect notebook, or an artist searching for the ideal sketchpad, I am here to guide you through the process of finding the perfect items to suit your needs. Join me on my journey of exploring and documenting all things pen and stationery.

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