The 5 journaling styles that might actually work for you

Noteworthy

15 July 2025 by WTF Notebooks

So you think journaling means lighting a candle, sipping herbal tea, and calling your mental chaos a “mindful reflection.” Sure, that’s one way to do it. But if you’re just trying to stay vaguely functional and trying to organize your daily dose of food for thought – there’s a simpler approach.

Journaling – cringe reputation and all – is one of the most underrated tools for clearing your head, boosting creativity, and getting your life mildly together. No crystals. No circles of emotional sharing. No “Dear Diary.”

At WTF Notebooks, we believe journaling should be whatever you need it to be: a brain dump, a rant log, or just a place to park your thoughts so they stop bouncing around at 2am. There’s no wrong way to do it. No structure required. Just raw, honest, uncensored thought – the kind of stuff that’s too weird for your Notes app and too real for Instagram.

If you’re curious but not sure how to start, here are five dead-simple journaling methods – no fluff, no woo-woo, just stuff that works.

1. Highlight journaling 

Aka, the one-good-thing-a-day method

Let’s face it – some days are dumpster fires. Highlight journaling helps you spot the one decent thing that didn’t go wrong. The idea is simple: write down the highlight of your day. Just one sentence.

That could be:

• “Went for a walk with Rocky today.”
• “Finally called Mom and had a great long catch-up.”
• “Visited Dave in hospital and he’s doing so much better.”
• “Slept in today and then enjoyed a coffee in bed.”

Why it works: It trains your brain to scan your day for something positive – even if it’s tiny. Over time, your journal becomes a log of little joys, victories, and reminders that your life is not just a series of deadlines and reheated leftovers.

This method is perfect for people who like to keep it short and sweet – or are terrified of blank pages. One line is enough. If it turns into a paragraph? Cool. If it doesn’t? Also cool.

Bonus tip: If the highlight of your day was “taking off my bra” or “remembering to water a plant,” that still counts. This is your notebook. No judgment.

2. Daily log

Aka, your external memory drive

Think of this as your journal’s version of a Captain’s Log – no deep emotional introspection required. You’re not writing poetry; you’re just keeping track of what happened.

Example entries:

• 06:45 AM – Woke up confused. Blamed the cat.
• 10:30 AM – Attempted productivity. Failed. Ate a croissant.
• 3:00 PM – Google searched “What’s that lump on my big toe?”

Why it works: Daily logging helps you notice patterns. When you look back, you’ll start seeing connections – when you felt good, what triggered stress, when your “I hate everyone” mood peaked. It’s also great for people who love structure but hate emotional labour.

Even better? There’s no expectation here. You can bullet-point it, ramble it, doodle it, or skip entire days. This is your space – and WTF Notebooks are built for this kind of beautiful, chaotic inconsistency.

3. Gratitude journaling

Aka, the stuff that doesn’t suck

Gratitude journaling gets a bad rap for being all sunshine and rainbows. But really, it’s just the practice of not being a total pessimist for five minutes a day.

You don’t need to be thankful for world peace. Instead, try:

• “Grateful that Dad helped me with my car today.”
• “So pumped that I finally stood my grounds in the team meeting.”
• “OMG, I’m so grateful for the existence of garlic bread.”

Why it works: Research shows that expressing gratitude actually rewires your brain to be less of a grump. And when you force yourself to write down three things a day – even tiny ones – it helps shift your focus from what’s going wrong to what’s barely holding it together.

Pro move: Make it a list. Keep it casual. No need to cry happy tears – just notice the stuff that doesn’t suck.

4. Prompt journaling

Aka, the daily Q&A

Some days your brain is emptier than a New Year’s gym. That’s where prompts come in. Prompt journaling gives you a specific question or theme to answer. You’re not expected to have life-changing insights – just thoughts. Words. Anything.

Prompt examples:

• “What’s something you’ve learned the hard way?”
• “What advice would you give your 13-year-old self?”
• “What’s a hill you will absolutely die on?”

Why it works: Prompts take the pressure off. You don’t have to invent a topic – you just react. Over time, this can lead to surprisingly meaningful self-discoveries… or at least some pretty entertaining rants.

Use online prompt lists, a prompt app, or even create your own. And if today’s answer is just “IDK” or “everything is stupid,” that’s also valid.

WTF Notebooks are perfect for this – especially the ones titled Arguments and conflicts I’ve had with myself or Useless stuff to overthink. Because sometimes, answering a question leads to another, weirder one. That’s kind of the point.

5. Morning pages

Aka, the brain dump that keeps you sane

Made famous by Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way, morning pages are basically stream-of-consciousness journaling. You write whatever comes to mind – no filter, no editing, no rereading. Three pages if you can manage. Or two. Or one and a half and a weird drawing of a crocodile in a suit.

It might start like:
“I don’t know what to write. I’m tired. I need to buy milk. My neighbour’s windchimes are ruining my life.”

Why it works: Morning pages clear the mental gunk. You’re not trying to be profound – you’re just unloading whatever nonsense is bouncing around your brain so you can function like a semi-competent human for the rest of the day.

It’s about letting your thoughts run wild. Morning pages don’t care if you spell things wrong, go on tangents, or write the same sentence ten times. Neither do we.

So… why bother with journaling?

Aside from having a socially acceptable excuse to buy carry around some funny notebooks, journaling actually does have some real benefits:

• Better self-awareness: You get to know yourself, and not just the version who smiles in Zoom meetings.
• Less stress: Venting to a page is cheaper than therapy (though therapy is great too).
• More clarity: You’ll start to notice patterns in your moods, habits, and behaviours.
• Stronger focus: Writing helps you untangle what matters and what’s just noise.

And perhaps most importantly, it gives you a private space to say all the unhinged, ridiculous, brilliant things you want, while providing a log of memories that aren’t just ones and zeroes.There’s no wrong way to journal. No required number of pages. No “you must write every day” guilt trip. You’re not writing for an audience — you’re writing to let go. WTF Notebooks are made exactly for that: real thoughts, real mess, real you.

Need a journal to get started?

You don’t need a 30-day plan, an app, or a perfect routine. All you need is a notebook, a pen, and five minutes of honesty. Start messy. Start inconsistent. Start wherever your brain is currently spiraling.

And if you’re still journal-less… well, you’re in luck. We make notebooks that are just the right mix of functional and unhinged. Browse hundreds of hilarious notebook titles at WTF Notebooks, and order your custom-printed journaling companion today.