Get Started Journaling with a One Line a Day Journal

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If you’ve ever struggled to get started journaling, consider using a one line a day journal

If you’re having trouble getting started with journaling or are daunted by the idea of keeping a journal, a simple commitment to writing just one line a day may be the ideal solution for you.

Journaling doesn’t have to be complicated nor does it have to take up too much time. You can still benefit from the journaling process writing only a few words a day. This makes it the perfect style of journal to help you develop a daily journaling practice.

Benefits of Journaling

There are many benefits of journaling including boosting your mood, enhancing your sense of well-being, and reducing symptoms of depression. Here are a few of my personal favorites:

• A journal offers a way to document your life

  A journal is a useful way to record the significant events in your life. Over the years you can record the small daily things that are most important to you. Then each year you can compare what happened on that particular date with previous years.

• You can learn to view your challenges in a new way

  Things look different in your head than when you write them down onto paper. When you write things down, it appears to be a little less personal. You might find that many of your challenges aren’t as challenging as you first thought.

• You learn more about yourself

  When you keep a journal, even a one line a day journal, you can learn to see your behavioral patterns and tendencies. In this way you can recognize things or behaviors that you may want to change or adjust as a way toward self-development.

Keep it Simple with a One Line a Day Journal

Regular journaling, at least once a day, is a great way to develop a journaling habit. But when you start making excuses about having no time, or it’s boring, or you don’t know what to write about, it’s easy to let it slide.

A One Line a Day journal is simple and easy to use. If you’re time-challenged you’ll appreciate that with only one line of journaling per day, it only takes minutes to complete. And remember, just because it’s simple, don’t discount the benefits over time.

To make things easy, put your journal and pen in a special place, then every day at the same time write in it.

How to Use a One Line a Day Journal

You can use your daily one line in a variety of different ways. You don’t even have to write full sentences; you can simply write a word or two or a phrase.

To get started, use one of these ideas. Or mix it up and use a different topic depending how you feel.

• record a favorite quotation or saying
• what one important thing happened today that you want to remember
• what is your mood, or how do you feel today
• write down one thing that you’re grateful for today
• something that made you smile

Once you’ve decided on a format for your journaling, pick a time each day in the morning or in the evening where you can be alone with your thoughts. You only need a few minutes. Then simply write.

Get Started with a One Line a Day Journal

There are lots of different types of “One Line a Day” journals to choose from. As with most things in life, what works for one person may not work for another. So don’t procrastinate about which style of journal to use, simply choose one that seems the easiest for you, and get started.

One Line One Year Journals

I couldn’t find a commercial one line one year journal so I designed my own printable. This is a simple and stress-free type of one line a day journal that is my personal favorite.

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One Line Multi-Year Journals

Other types of one line a day journals include lines for 3 or even 5 years per page. As the years progress, it’s fun to review what happened on the same date last year or the year before.

One Line Guided Journals

These are fun to use. If you’re stuck for something to write about each day, the journal prompts will guide you.