Journaling: The Wild World of Paper, Paint, Pens, Pencils and Unfiltered Thoughts
The first thing that comes to mind when thinking of journaling, is writing, right. Maybe writing about your deepest thoughts and biggest dreams.
But nowadays journaling has evolved into an umbrella term for a vast, wild world of creative chaos.
Today we actually can talk about a buffet of journaling styles, each one as unique as your last attempt to organize your closet (which, let’s be honest, didn’t go well).
Art Journaling
First up, there’s Art Journaling, the glittery, paint-splattered cousin of traditional journaling. This is where your notebook turns into a canvas for your wildest ideas.
Want to draw, paint, or glue down some random magazine clippings while expressing your deepest emotions? Go for it!
Need a space to overthink every little thing in vivid color? This is your jam. It’s like you’re a mad scientist, but instead of mixing potions, you’re blending watercolor, markers and your thoughts. Picasso who?
Junk Journaling
Then we’ve got Junk Journaling, the art of taking all the scraps you’ve been hoarding and turning them into an actual thing.
Old receipts? Perfect for this journal. Ticket stubs from that concert you almost remember? Yup, throw them in.
It’s the chaotic “I might need this later” side of journaling, where every scrap of paper you’ve ever encountered gets a second life. Your junk drawer just became a creative treasure chest.
Writing Journaling
Writing Journaling is the classic, the OG where your pen meets paper and your thoughts pour out like the next best-selling novel (or at least a dramatic retelling of what you ate for lunch).
It’s simple: no glitter, no magazine cutouts, just pure, unfiltered writing. You can vent, plan your day or get philosophical about your obsession with pineapple pizza. Bonus points for trying to sound like Shakespeare while you’re at it.
Smash Journaling
Now, for the Smash Journaling crew; this is the art of literally smashing things together. Like, who needs order when you can throw everything in a journal, and somehow it all works out?
It’s the controlled chaos of the journaling world, where receipts, stickers, photos, and words collide in a beautifully unplanned mess.
Think of it as a scrapbook, but without the pressure to make it look perfect. It’s the visual equivalent of throwing paint at a wall and hoping something meaningful happens.
Scrapbooking
And let’s not forget Scrapbooking; the cousin who shows up to the journaling party with an organizational system so complex, it might require a flowchart to understand.
It’s the Pinterest-worthy journaling style where you document every moment of your life in perfectly crafted layouts.
You’re basically building a scrapbook, but with way more washi tape and way less actual scrapbooking expertise. It’s for the meticulous planners who want their journaling to look like it could be displayed in a museum.
Bullet Journaling
Finally, there’s the reigning champion of “I’m secretly Type A but also a little extra” journaling: Bullet Journaling.
The journal that’s part planner, part to-do list, part motivational speaker, and entirely about color-coded pens. You want a system to track everything from your water intake to your mood to how many times you’ve avoided adulting?
Bullet journaling’s got your back. You’ll be so organized by the end of it, you might even plan out your dreams for next Tuesday.
No rules
So, whether you’re doodling your way through Art Journaling, creating a masterpiece from your junk (literally), spilling your thoughts in Writing Journaling, smashing things together in a Smash Journal, crafting perfect memories in a Scrapbook, or living your best, hyper-organized life with a Bullet Journal, just remember: Journaling has no rules.
It’s whatever you need it to be; deep, soul-searching thoughts about life’s mysteries or a random scribble about how you just remembered that thing you forgot to do last week. No rules here. Just be yourself, unapologetically and fabulously.