Cannabis and creativity are becoming the coziest trend, as Millennials and Gen Z embrace relaxing, hands-on hobbies.
Move over wake-and-bake. A quieter marijuana movement is taking shape in living rooms, craft studios, and community spaces across the country. Cannabis and creativity are becoming the coziest trend. Millennials and Gen Z consumers are increasingly pairing cannabis with creative hobbies like pottery, journaling, Lego building, watercolor painting, and music production. The shift reflects a broader cultural move toward mindfulness, slow living, and experiences prioritizing self-expression over intoxication.
Instead of nightlife and party scenes, younger adults are embracing what some are calling “high hobbies” — activities blending low-dose cannabis use with tactile, screen-free pastimes. The appeal is simple: these hobbies offer stress relief, a sense of accomplishment, and a chance to disconnect from constant digital noise.
On social platforms like TikTok and Reddit, posts tagged with cozy crafting and cannabis routinely rack up millions of views. Videos show users assembling intricate Lego cityscapes, filling bullet journals with colorful layouts, or shaping clay on pottery wheels, all while describing how a small amount of cannabis helps them relax into the creative process. The vibe is less about getting stoned and more about finding flow.
Mental health plays a major role in the trend’s popularity. Surveys consistently show younger generations report higher levels of anxiety and burnout than their predecessors. High hobbies provide a gentle antidote: repetitive motions like knitting or coloring can calm the nervous system, while cannabis in modest doses may reduce inhibition and encourage experimentation. Together, they create a low-pressure environment where perfectionism takes a back seat to play.
Photo by Cappi Thompson/Getty Images
Artists and hobbyists often describe cannabis as a “creative companion” rather than a productivity tool. A Seattle-based illustrator who hosts monthly craft nights says attendees are less concerned about making something perfect and more focused on enjoying the process. Participants bring sketchbooks, embroidery hoops, or miniature model kits, and the shared activity fosters a sense of community many say has been missing since the pandemic years.
Dispensaries and studios are beginning to take notice. In states where cannabis is legal, some retailers are partnering with local artists to host paint nights, pottery workshops, and DIY terrarium classes. These events mirror the popularity of wine-and-paint gatherings from the 2010s, but with a modern twist resonating with wellness-focused consumers.
The science behind cannabis and creativity remains nuanced. While high doses can impair memory and focus, low doses of THC may increase divergent thinking — the ability to generate multiple ideas or solutions. Researchers also point to cannabis’s effects on sensory perception, which can make textures, colors, and sounds feel more vivid, enhancing hands-on activities.
For those curious about trying a high hobby, moderation is key. Experts recommend starting with a low dose, choosing a comfortable environment, and selecting activities emphasizing process over outcome. Coloring books, journaling prompts, simple watercolor sets, and beginner Lego kits are popular entry points because they require minimal setup and encourage experimentation.
Ultimately, the rise of high hobbies reflects a generational shift in how cannabis fits into daily life. Rather than centering social status or escapism, Millennials and Gen Z are weaving it into rituals of creativity, relaxation, and connection. In a fast-paced world defined by notifications and deadlines, the simple act of shaping clay, snapping bricks together, or filling a blank page can feel quietly revolutionary — especially when paired with a little help unwinding.
Each January, this strategy offers a reset: a way to refocus and set the tone for the year ahead. What you take from it evolves each time, shaped by where you are and what you need most right now.
Listen
How to Start Again Without Starting Over
Andrew hosts a short audio essay with a direct promise: to help you reset and re-orient when starting something new or returning after drift. The piece is organized around three frameworks, one for getting unstuck when you realize you’ve fallen off your last intention, one built on four ancient guiding principles for clarifying what matters to you, and one offering a troubleshooting lens for staying on course as you move forward.
There’s always talk of resolutions and life changes at the start of the year. For many, the holidays are a prime time to drift off course, whether it’s with fitness goals, creative projects, or career plans. Family gatherings, endless shopping, and the Q4 sprint can drain any energy you might have had for long-term ambitions.
And let’s be honest, once-a-year holiday meals tend to win out over calorie counting.
Now it’s January, and the “New year, new me” chorus begins.
Alongside it comes a rising tide of scorn. Cynics are quick to write off resolutions, predicting most will be abandoned by February. Gym regulars complain about the newcomers crowding the squat racks. Then there are those who pride themselves on recalibrating year-round, dismissing the idea of a calendar-defined reset with an air of superiority.
The tradition of making New Year’s resolutions goes back nearly 4,000 years to the Babylonians, who used the start of the year to make promises to their gods. Over time, those promises were made to the gods in our head as practice of self-improvement.
The flip of the calendar is a reminder to pause and refocus. A moment to take stock of what truly matters.
New Years Reflection = Meditation
Reflecting on a new year isn’t so different from meditation. Mindfulness meditation, for instance, asks you to focus on your breath. Distractions will creep in…sometimes immediately. The key is noticing when you’ve wandered off and gently bringing your attention back.
Some use guided apps like Waking Up, other traditions use the sound of a gong. Either way, the goal is the same: to create moments that prompt you to check if you’ve become distracted and help you refocus.
But just like meditation, in life it’s easy to come to and realize, oh wow, I’ve been distracted from what’s important, for like, a long time. In both situations it can be incredibly disheartening and frustrating. “I’ve tried to make goals before, and look, I got nowhere with them. What’s the point?”
To do this is to miss the point of the process.
The following 3 frameworks will serve as the mindset for determining what will create a fulfilling life for you and result in meaningful change. Over the course of the Begin Again series, we’ll build on that mindset with tools and new ways of thinking.
Framework 1: Resilience Can Be Effortless – When You Get Away from Your Goals & Habits, “Simply…Begin Again”
Meditation teachers like Sam Harris and Joseph Goldstein offer a simple tip for moments when you’ve lost focus: don’t dwell on the frustration or waste time beating yourself up. Just refocus your attention and begin again.
This idea also applies to daily life and New Year goal-setting. Realizing you’ve veered off course, whether with fitness, nutrition, or just your daily to-do list, can feel discouraging. But embracing the operating procedure of “just begin again” shifts the perspective, helping you reconnect with what matters and move forward.
It’s a practice rooted in resilience, recognizing that personal growth isn’t linear. Progress comes with distractions and setbacks, but each one is a chance to start fresh. As Harris puts it, this process is about letting go of the past and returning to the present.
But even when you wake up from distraction, how do you determine what’s important? Or what if you’re not emotionally connected to what you’re focusing on? What if you lack the drive to formulate what changes you want to make?
→ Have you downloaded our end of year reflection free printable workbook? It’s fantastic to do any time if you’ve never done an exercise like that. It will provide a lot of clarity, and our free workbook makes the process simple and straightforward.
Framework 2: The Centuries Old Ground Rules for Change
When it comes to defining what matters and building meaningful change, starting with a set of foundational principles can make all the difference. An ancient Tibetan practice called Lojong, or “Mind Training,” offers a framework worth considering.
At the heart of Lojong are the “Four Preliminaries.” Despite the name, these ideas are anything but basic. They’re foundational: providing a clear, unflinching view of reality that helps ground future decisions about what truly matters.
These principles offer a refreshingly honest lens for shaping the changes you want to make this year. Reinterpreted through a modern, secular perspective, they can serve as guiding tenets for your goals and priorities moving forward.
First Preliminary: It’s Incomprehensible That You Even Exist
It’s easy to let life’s demands like work obligations, family routines, and cultural expectations pull you into autopilot, letting the flow of daily tasks define what your life is or could be.
But consider the staggering odds of your existence. Among the billions who came before you and the countless who will follow, the chance that life’s building blocks formed into you is almost unfathomable. In a universe where matter can neither be created nor destroyed, the atoms that make up your body could have become anything else: a cluster of space dust, a rodent scurrying through the Pleistocene, or my monstera plant that never stood a chance.
Yet, here you are: the result of an inconceivable culmination of billions of years of cosmic events. Literally everything that has ever happened in the universe had to happen just as it did for you to find yourself right here, reading this, probably on your phone, while using the bathroom.
And since matter isn’t destroyed, after you’re gone, parts of you may end up as space gas, a rodent, or some other writer’s dead plant. You’re here, in the face of improbable odds, only temporarily.
→ As we begin again, refocusing from distraction, the initial Lojong preliminary reminds us to get out of the flow of the apathy river prompted by the essential question: “What will I do with this rare human life?”
Second Preliminary: You’re Going to Die, Stop Ignoring It
Humans are wired in a weird way: we go through life acting as if death is something that happens to other people. We have a knack for sticking our fingers in our ears and going “lalalalalala” when it comes to thinking about our guaranteed death. It’s an uncomfortable, even taboo subject, one we all, culturally and individually, avoid.
Each of us will face our mortality, and how much time we have left can never be known. This second preliminary serves as a flag boldly planted proclaiming the impermanence of everything. Anything that can die, will die.
To suggest thinking about this could easily be described as morbid in our culture and that only drives home the point. Your inevitable death is science, not bad luck. Just because you feel uncomfortable when you think about it, doesn’t make avoiding it helpful.
Facing the reality of death unveils insights and benefits that transcend the fear or avoidance it often instills. As we grasp the impermanence of everything, including our own bodies, it becomes clear that excess money, possessions, and even the companionship of friends cannot provide solace when we inevitably face our death.
Think of the way a looming deadline can jolt you into action, surprising you with how much you can accomplish when time feels scarce. Embracing mortality works the same way. Understanding how little time we really have can bring urgency to the present, turning idle moments into opportunities.
Unfortunately for many people this acceptance only comes at the end of life, reflecting on how life could have been lived, if only they could have understood what’s at stake: One day, it will be the last day.
→ You can embrace this in every moment, from here on.
Third Preliminary: Your Actions – or Inactions – Have Consequences
In pop culture, karma often gets miscast as some mystical force, a cosmic referee ensuring bad deeds get punished. But at its core, karma is simply the law of cause and effect, a reminder that what you do (or don’t do) shapes the reality you’ll face later.
As a framework for starting again, this preliminary reinforces an obvious but often overlooked truth: your future self will live in the world created by your actions today. Joining a gym or starting a business won’t guarantee success, but between the version of you who tries and the one who doesn’t, only one has a shot at the outcome they’re after.
The same logic applies to self-sabotaging thoughts. No matter how real or convincing they may feel, they don’t excuse inaction. The truth is simple: inaction only leads to outcomes dictated by inaction.
→ If there’s something you want to change, no one else can set the wheels in motion for you. The third preliminary calls this out plainly: you are the cause that creates the effect.
Fourth Preliminary: Dedicating Your Life to Only Material Goals is Unfulfilling
When we hear about goals in modern media, they often revolve around familiar aspirations: launching a business to amass wealth, climbing the corporate ladder to secure a prestigious position, purchasing a home that exudes pride and investment potential, or getting shredded to be more attractive to potential partners.
The fourth preliminary challenges us to look deeper. While these aspirations aren’t inherently wrong, they can’t stand alone. Pursuing possessions, status, or validation as the ultimate aim creates a never-ending loop of desire and fleeting fulfillment.
And you’ve experienced this in your own life, I’m sure. The car at 17 that would just change EVERYTHING. The first big job with the first “big” paycheck that ended up being a slog 12 months in. The one partner you were sure was the one, but ended up…not so much. Or after you realized upgrading to the new camera didn’t magically make you take more photos after the first week (ask me how i know). As life goes on, the fourth preliminary becomes all but obvious: we chase things with a primal misunderstanding that the reward they offer when we get them is laughably short.
It’s not that we shouldn’t aspire to things or get excited about things we want.
As we refocus, it’s essential to embrace that while it’s acceptable to set goals that yield these outcomes, they alone will not break the desire-fulfillment cycle.
→ Think of the emptiness of short-term pleasures, such as binge-watching TV shows or indulging in excessive eating. Focusing only on superficial goals like wealth, status, and image across a lifetime create the same result.
Framework 3: Rethink Your Entire Approach with First Principles
Now that we’ve let go of ego and embraced a clean slate, it’s time to focus not just on the why behind our goals, but the how. Enter first principles thinking, a concept rooted in philosophy and championed by figures like Aristotle and, more recently, tech leaders.
At its core, first principles thinking breaks complex, sometimes unknowable, problems down into their most basic truths, allowing for innovative solutions that aren’t constrained by conventional approaches.
In business, this method has led to breakthroughs by abandoning traditional practices and reconstructing problems from the ground up.
A well-known example is the office building plagued by complaints about slow elevators during peak hours. The building owners initially considered costly upgrades or replacements, but structural constraints made that impractical.
Instead, they simplified the problem:
People are upset because the wait feels too long.
The speed of the elevator cannot be changed.
With this clarity, the solution turned out to be both simple and affordable. Mirrors and televisions were added to the lobby, providing distractions like news, sports, and reflections. The wait times didn’t change, but the complaints stopped entirely.
The real issue wasn’t the speed of the elevators, it was the riders’ awareness of waiting.
This same approach can transform personal goals. Instead of defaulting to old methods that never quite worked for fitness, relationships, or career growth, break your goals down to their most fundamental truths. Start fresh and build strategies that address the real problem, not just the symptoms.
→ Ask yourself, “What is the true purpose behind this goal? What do I know is true and what am I actually trying to achieve?”
Over the course of the Begin Again series, we will be exploring tools and strategies that will help to begin again and refocus on what is actually important to you, using the ideas of these 3 frameworks as a foundation for dramatic and meaningful direction:
Simply begin again: When you realize you’ve become distracted from your habits or goals, don’t get demotivated. Clear your head and begin again.
All decisions and brainstorming should reflect the four preliminaries:
Your life is unfathomably rare, make use of it.
You will die. Your life is shorter than it seems, act with a sense of urgency while you still can.
The universal law of cause and effect. If you want change, you must take continual action.
Fulfillment is not possible from buying things or being seen as important alone. Don’t forget to anchor your ambitions to things that are not based on acquiring money, things, or status.
Don’t just blindly continue on a path that may not be working. Break your ambitions, goals, or problems down to their base ideas and create previously unknown, innovative solutions using first principles thinking.
Have you ever felt confused or overwhelmed or wondered how a friend or partner feels? Maybe you’ve gotten to the point in a relationship where you aren’t moving forward. Perhaps the relationship has plateaued. When this happens, it is possible one or both of you are emotionally unavailable.
Thinking about a few things to do more and less of can help you embrace new patterns and let go of habits that aren’t serving you. As a social worker, here are a few things I recommend embracing and letting go of in order to improve your mental health.
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Ready to transform your life one habit at a time?
Imagine a companion that not only encourages accountability but also turns goal-setting and productivity into an adventure of self-discovery.
Whether your aims include meditating, improving sleep quality, financial management, or boosting your daily water intake, documenting your journey offers a vivid snapshot of your personal evolution.
Among the diverse methods available for habit tracking, the bullet journal distinguishes itself with its unparalleled adaptability and creative potential.
We’ve carefully selected 49 Bullet Journal Habit Tracker Ideas & Examples to ignite your creativity and assist in tailoring your tracking to fit your unique needs and interests.
Our collection ranges from the streamlined DHG Monthly Habit Tracker to the enchantingly detailed Gingerbread-Themed Habit Tracker, and the indispensable Pet Care Habit Tracker, ensuring there’s a perfect match for everyone.
Experience the delight of vibrant colors with the Colorful Habit Tracker, seek tranquility in the precision of the Moon-themed Habit Tracker, or tap into your magical side with the Hogwarts-Inspired Habit Tracker.
Each concept offers a glimpse into the myriad ways you can visualize your progress and commitment, whether through the blossoming design of the Pink Flower Habit Tracker or the meticulous organization of the Square and Grid Habit Tracker.
Dive into our curated selection and find the ideal habit tracker that resonates with your personal aspirations.
Remember, every entry you make is a step forward towards becoming the version of yourself you’ve always dreamt of.
Key Benefits of Habit Tracking Journaling
But before we get to our list, we want to share with you some of the benefits of habit tracking:
Accountability. Keeping a habit tracker helps you develop your sense of accountability. Whenever you don’t accomplish a task or habit you promised yourself to fulfill, it makes you feel a little guilty. Thus, you try your best to achieve it the next time.
Goal-setting. Habit trackers improve your goal-setting abilities, too. It is true that there are specific goal-setting planners you can use to focus on achieving your goals, but a habit tracker is a good tool in general to help you break down the tasks you need to master in order to achieve them.
Motivation. Habit trackers allow you to see your progress on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. If you have long-term goals, you can even create one that is designed to depict your yearly accomplishments. And whenever you look at that progress, you feel more inspired and motivated to continue your habit development.
Productivity. Motivation is what keeps us going, and helps us maintain our productivity. Whenever you look at your planner or tracker, you feel a sense of accomplishment knowing that you’ve been doing things according to plan. That can give you the motivation to be more active and consistent in doing your daily habits and tasks.
Self-development. Bullet journalists and writers agree that one of the best ways to practice self-care and self-development is through habit tracking. You get to know yourself better and understand what you are best and worst at. Habit tracking helps you define your strengths and weaknesses.
These are only a few of the many advantages of having a habit tracker in your journal. Now let’s check out our list of habit tracker ideas you can use!
If you’re looking for a calendar-format habit tracker for major habits, you might want to give our monthly tracker a try. It allows you to track up to four habits for a particular month and comes in a muted pastel color scheme.
Each habit calendar features encircled dates that you can mark with a check or an X. You can also fill them in with colored markers to indicate you’ve done the habit for the day. A section at the bottom of the page allows you to write down important notes and reminders.
Tired of complicated habit trackers? We’ve got you covered with our minimalist template that’s specifically designed to be easy to use without sacrificing the functionality of an effective habit tracker.
This teal-themed template provides space for keeping track of eight habits over seven days. The tracker has a Sunday start.
More importantly, this tracker has a section for writing observations and reflections about your routine (e.g., which habits worked and which need improvement).
3. Three Time Periods Habit Tracker
What makes this habit tracker template unique is the division of morning, workday, and night habits—three time periods that you can further organize via color-coding. You can use various colors if you prefer to come up with your own beautiful design.
4. Butterfly Habit Tracker
With this journal template, you can include as many as 10 habits. If your journal notebook is big, you can even add more habits at the bottom. Then, you can customize it by pasting cuttings like the butterflies in the example, according to your preference.
5. Another Minimalist Habit Tracker
This is a great minimalist bullet journal habit tracker and sleep tracker (or any tracker you may want to put on the other side of the notebook, for that matter). It is perfect for a dotted notebook, as the dots can serve as your guide when tracking.
6. Weekly Habit Tracker
This is another great habit tracker for minimalistic bullet journal users. The dates are even divided on a weekly basis, making your habits easier to track. In addition to being simple to use, it is also not very time-consuming to create.
7. Graph Habit Tracker
Try out this template if you want to keep your habit, mood, and sleep trackers all in one place. According to the creator of this tracker, it is perfect for those with self-destructive tendencies and sleep problems.
8. Three-in-One Habit Tracker
This design comes complete with daily, weekly, and monthly habit trackers. It even has an affirmations schedule and space for notes. The way the space is used is just so adorable, plus you can put a lot of elements on one page.
9. Mandala Habit Tracker
This circular, mandala-like habit tracker is perfect for those who are practicing Zen-related habits. Mandalas are known to increase focus and attention, and reduce stress and tension. However, this template can also be useful for anyone who simply wants a circular habit tracker.
10. Pink Flower Habit Tracker
Here we have a minimalist habit tracker that is perfect for those who love flowers. You can also change the design if you want to, but can still keep the boxes, which you can highlight, shade, or color.
11. Meditation Habit Tracker
This template is specifically intended for your meditation habit. It can be useful if you want your trackers for each habit to be on separate pages. You can track 10 habits—one per page—so you’ll have a better (and wider) view of your progress. This is recommended if you have a journal notebook with many pages.
12. Beauty Routine Habit Tracker
This is a tracker for your beauty and skin care routine, as well as your reading and knowledge habits. It is a great way to keep tabs on the positive habits you are trying to integrate into your life.
13. Pink & Floral Graph Habit Tracker
We personally like this tracker because of the graphs and simplicity. It is an excellent template to use if you want to see correlations between your habits and mood. It is also very clean, and has a lot of space where you can add notes.
14. Savings & Spending Habit Tracker
This is another saving and spending habits tracker, albeit a bit more detailed than the previous one. It separates your savings from your spending, and even has values for your target savings. There is also space for notes where you can write reminders about the things you decide to buy.
15. Sleep, Work, Study, and Exercise Tracker
This habit tracker may take a while to create, but it is easy to use once done. You just have to highlight the days you did a habit, and you’re set. But don’t forget to use color-coding so you don’t get lost when you are reviewing different habits.
16. Piano Lessons Habit Tracker
Here we have a habit tracker in landscape layout. In the example it is being used as a piano tracker, but it can be a good template for just about any kind of habit. It can even serve as a general tracker where you can list all of your habits.
17. Baby’s Height and Weight Tracker
This example is designed for moms who want to keep track of their newborns. It has height and weight elements on one page, and a record of the baby’s teeth on the other. If you want, you can even track your baby’s sleep and food or milk intake.
18. Baby’s Feeding and Sleep Log
Here is another template specifically for the mommies out there. This design helps you keep track of your baby’s feedings and sleep. It is printable, so you can have as many copies as you want.
19. Pet Care Habit Tracker
This is a habit tracker for your pet—since pets need good self-care habits too! This tracker will be most useful for those who take pet care very seriously.
20. Another Pet Care Habit Tracker
Here’s another pet care habit tracker for you and your favorite animal. As you can see, this is actually a planner with a habit tracker, which will come in handy if you want to track your pets’ progress in a variety of categories.
21. Square and Grid Habit Tracker
This habit tracker is great for those who like geometric lines and illusions. It is a combination of a habit tracker and a mood tracker, and looks absolutely beautiful when the month is done (assuming, of course, that you have accomplished most of your goals).
22. Simple Habit Tracker
There’s something about this habit tracker that is so refreshing to the eyes. It’s probably the combination of black and pastel colors on white paper, plus the habit names written in a floating style. Whatever it is, you can try this format on your next bullet journal spread.
23. Moon-themed Habit Tracker
If you are following marthasjournal on Instagram, you probably know that she is one of the most popular bullet journalists at the moment. This moon-themed habit tracker is just so calm and peaceful, it will inspire you to meet your habit goals every day.
24. Cloudy Habit Tracker
This is another design from marthasjournal, and is laid out in calendar form per habit. The design is what makes the difference. You can customize this template with cut-outs from your used magazines or art papers at home.
25. Flower-themed Monthly Habit Tracker
It’s no mystery why the lovely designs from marthasjournal are some of our favorites. This particular habit tracker is flower-themed, and includes eight categories. If you are in the mood to do some artwork, you can even use the next page to include eight more habits.
Are you a fun and playful person? Then this habit tracker design and template might just suit you. It also has a mood tracker format that you can copy into your bullet journal notebook.
27. Black and Yellow Habit Tracker
If you are a fan of the combination of black and yellow, you will likely appreciate this template. It’s simple yet fancy, and very appealing. If you happen to like any other color instead of yellow, then that’s perfectly fine too, since black works well with any color.
28. Printable Two Designs Habit Tracker
This printable habit tracker by Savanna Williams is available on Etsy.com, and provides a nice dose of variety. There is a vertical version and a circular one. If you purchase it, you’ll get a copy in four sizes—letter, half-letter, A4, and A5.
29. Flower-themed Printable Habit Tracker
This lovely, printable habit tracker from Anna Galiano is available on Etsy.com in A5 and half-letter size. It has all the essentials of a habit tracker, such as the month and date, and a space where you can write the habits you want to monitor.
30. High-Contrast Tracker
If you prefer a high-contrast spread, you might try something like this example. You can track up to 10 habits, using pre-assigned symbols for each one. It also comes with trackers for steps and fluid intake.
You can use neon highlighters or markers against a black background to represent days when you’ve accomplished an activity.
31. Take the Cake
In this scrumptious example, the owner drew slices of different cakes to represent each day of the month. She then colored in each slice, using the colors she had assigned the different habits she’s tracking.
32. All Colors of the Light Spectrum
Tired of minimalist spreads? If you love to see an explosion of colors in your bullet journal, here’s a habit tracker example that incorporates every color of the rainbow.
33. Fuzzy Wuzzies
This spread features more subtle colors. It allows you to track up to five habits, and each one is represented by a cute caterpillar.
34. Gorgeously Illustrated Habit Tracker
Get more inspired to perform your daily habits with this gorgeous, hand-drawn spread. The tracker page features mini-calendars with headers in shades of blue and green. Providing visual interest on this page is an underwater theme created using brush pens and fineliners.
35. Cacti Spread
Here is another colorful example of a habit tracker. As you can see, this one has desert scenes, with succulents and sand dunes as the feature images.
36. The “Envelope System”
Incorporating tactile elements is a great way to create a unique and eye-catching habit tracker page. In this example, the owner created tiny felt envelopes and placed mini-calendars within. Each envelope represents a habit that the owner wishes to track.
37. Watercolor Tracker
This habit tracker features a watercolor silhouette of a city skyline. There are calendar boxes for tracking up to six habits. Just use markers or highlighters to fill in each box, representing that you’ve accomplished a habit on a particular day. If you are into watercolors, you might want to try this kind of tracker for your next habit tracker spread.
38. Golden Hearts Habit Tracker
Metallic gel pens produce a stunning effect when used in black-paged bullet journals, as shown in this example. There are three habits being tracked in this spread. Each one is written in calligraphy, serving as vertical headers. Once a habit has been accomplished, a heart is placed on the row corresponding to the date.
39. Green-and-Orange Color Scheme
This habit tracker uses brush pens in orange and green tones to create a gingham effect in each habit calendar. Each colored square within the calendar represents a day when the owner has performed a habit.
40. All That Matters Most
This habit tracker from creator @leftyartlover features a beautifully illustrated two-page layout. The trackers are drawn as part of the overall artwork. For example, the window is the tracker for the owner’s workout routine, the painting is the vitamin-intake tracker, and the bottom of the bed is a month-long sleep log. Pretty clever, isn’t it?
41. Yuletide Habit Tracker
This tracker features a seasonal theme, and there is enough space to track a multitude of habits. However, for the greatest chance at success, it is recommended to track no more than 10 habits at a time.
42. Gingerbread-Themed Habit Tracker
Looking for more hand-drawn examples? If you’re artistically gifted and have sufficient time to make a hand-drawn habit tracker, then this tasty example might serve as inspiration.
43. Inspired by Honey
This tracker is inspired by honey, which is considered to be nature’s liquid gold. The bright colors of this tracker make it fitting for a spring-themed spread.
44. Sweet and Simple Theme
Here’s a figure-skating theme that you might try for your own bullet journal tracker page. This tracker’s charming design belies its power to motivate and encourage the owner to stay on track with their chosen good habits.
45. Gingham-Themed Tracker
In this example, the owner of the bullet journal tracks their reading, workout, and self-care habits. The background of this tracker takes inspiration from gingham cloth. The two-color, checked pattern evokes a cozy atmosphere, such as during the fall season.
46. Hogwarts-Inspired Habit Tracker
Here’s a habit tracker that takes inspiration from the wizarding world of Harry Potter. The hand-drawn, striped scarves are filled in with specific colors, indicating the days a habit has been accomplished.
The colors represent each of Hogwarts’ houses: red for Gryffindor, green for Slytherin, yellow for Hufflepuff, and blue for Ravenclaw.
47. Tracker for Health Habits
This tracker pays tribute to the moon and keeps track of your healthy habits. The spread is decorated with scraps of printed magenta paper, Kraft paper, stickers, and doodles drawn by the journal’s owner.
48. Halloween-Themed Habit Tracker
If you’re looking for a Halloween-themed tracker, here’s a minimalist example with just the right amount of creepy and spooky. This tracker has sufficient space to log 12 habits.
49. Grayscale Tracker
This minimalist tracker features a two-page spread, with different habits grouped according to category. For example, you’ll notice that training habits are divided into different activities and focus areas. The spread also has areas on the right-hand side to keep track of events for the month.
Conclusion
Habit tracking is one of the best ways to help you know which areas in your life need a bit of work and improvement. At the same time, it allows you to reevaluate your choices and eliminate the things in your life you no longer think are worth spending time on.
Personalizing your bullet journal habit trackers is also a great way to stay motivated and on track to follow through. There are many kinds of bullet journal supplies that you can use to enhance the look of your habit trackers.
If you want to live an organized yet interesting lifestyle, we suggest adding a habit tracker to your bullet journal and also a bullet journal index.
“The more specifically participants wrote their to-do list, the faster they subsequently fell asleep, whereas the opposite trend was observed when participants wrote about completed activities,” the study authors write, adding, “Therefore, to facilitate falling asleep, individuals may derive benefit from writing a very specific to-do list for five minutes at bedtime rather than journaling about completed activities.”
A new study finds that a “Science of Happiness” university course, designed to teach students a variety of happiness hacks, provides the most long-term benefits when participants stick with the tools and exercises after completion.
There have been many experiments showing the short-term benefits of positive psychological interventions like gratitude, meditation, kindness, and journaling, but not many studies have looked into these effects on a longer timeline.
At the University of Bristol, there’s a popular course known as “The Science of Happiness” that aims to teach students how to use various happiness hacks to improve their mental health and well-being. This course has been running since 2019 and has been offered both online and in-person.
The program balances practical advice with important information on topics such as: the nature of happiness, the role of biology and environment, cognitive biases, brain mechanisms, problem-solving, and the importance of social connection. At the end of each week, students are instructed to try evidence-based activities or “happiness hacks,” as a way of fostering positive mental well-being.
In previous years, individuals who took the course reported significantly increased mental well-being from the first week to the final week, as shown by a 10-15% increase in their scores on the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale. Participants also reported reduced loneliness and anxiety. A follow-up after six weeks continued to show sustained benefits, but it was unclear how long these positive effects lasted.
In a new study published in the journal Higher Education, researchers analyzed 228 undergraduate students from various disciplines who had completed the positive psychology course either 1 or 2 years ago. Interestingly, while most students reported short-term benefits, later group analysis revealed that these benefits did not persist uniformly across all participants during the long term follow-up period.
A deeper look at the data revealed a crucial factor behind the program’s success: continued engagement. Approximately 51% of the students who actively practiced the recommended activities taught during the course maintained their increased mental well-being over the follow-up period. These students consistently applied positive psychology principles in their daily lives at least a year after they completed the class.
Here’s a chart from the study illustrating the findings:
As you can see, those who continued to follow the “happiness hacks” maintained their gains in subjective well-being during the long term follow-up.
The most commonly reported technique that students continued to use was gratitude (37.17%), including writing letters of gratitude to others and making lists of things that they were grateful for (“three good things”). Other commonly reported techniques were mindfulness/meditation (33.63%), exercise (21.24%), journaling (17.70%) and kindness (10.62%).
How to Create Sustained Positive Change
The study recommends that schools and institutions consider the long-term impact of psychoeducational courses. While initial benefits are essential, sustained effects depend on prolonged engagement and commitment.
Course designs should incorporate mechanisms to encourage continued practice:
The goal of psychology – whether it’s with a course, book, article, therapist, or coach – is always to take what you learn and integrate it into your real world living.
In the moment, learning about these tools and exercises can provide a nice temporary boost of relief, but then we quickly get bored, forget about them, stop applying them, and lose out on their benefits over time.
Much like a diet or exercise regimen, you need to create a mental health system in your life that works for you and is sustainable into the future. Quick fixes are a myth. You’ll always snap back to your old ways if you don’t choose a course of action you can follow continuously and indefinitely.
In theory, choose habits you can do for the rest of your life. That’s the mindset you need for continuous growth, happiness, and well-being. Gratitude, kindness, meditation, exercise, and journaling can become habits that are just as second-nature to you as tying your shoes or driving a car. Make self-care an everyday occurence.
Ultimately, if you want to build a happy life, you have to be in it for the long haul.
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Looking for awesome idea journals?
Wonderful ideas often come in like a sudden flood that catches us unprepared.
As much as we’d like to trust our ability to recall these thoughts later, chances are there’ll be details that get unintentionally omitted.
Sometimes there are so many ideas churning around in our heads that we simply need abrain dump.
An idea journal ensures that you’ll be able to keep all of those great thoughts in one place (or clear space in your head if it’s a brain dump you need). Moreover, you’ll be able to access them whenever you need them.
But with so many options available these days, it can be challenging to find the best journal for your needs.
Fortunately, we’ve done the hard work for you.
Today, we’re reviewing seven of the best journals you can use to track the great ideas that come to you throughout the day.
Hopefully our recommendations will help you make an informed decision when it comes time to buy your next journal.
Our Picks for the Best Idea Journals
Don’t have time to read the entire review? Then check out this table for a quick review:
Quick Tips for Choosing the Best Journal for Your Ideas
Regardless of your preference for ruled, blank, or grid pages, you’ll need a reliable journal that is available any time an idea springs up. Here are some tips to make sure that you get the right journal.
Take note of the craftsmanship. You need a reliable repository for your thoughts when they come, and choosing a well-crafted journal ensures that it holds up better to daily handling.
Get a journal with high-quality paper. Thicker, high-quality journal paper can accommodate most types of pens, as well as collages, paint, and other embellishments.
Get the right size for your journaling needs. Your journal should be easily within reach so you can jot down ideas that come to you at any time. It should be conveniently sized to fit in your bag (or, if you’re working in the field, in your pocket).
Choose a design that resonates with you. The overall aesthetics of your journal should be something that inspires you to write, sketch, paint, or draft your ideas on its pages.
Let’s take a look at today’s journals!
7 Best Idea Journals to Track Your Great Thoughts in 2022
Each journal from this company has been manufactured by artisans using high-quality materials. You’ll immediately notice the careful attention to detail that went into creating your journal.
The vintage design is aesthetically pleasing and the journal’s overall quality makes it an ideal gift for both beginner and seasoned journal enthusiasts.
Top-grain buffalo leather makes this journal very durable. Furthermore, its recycled cotton paper provides the ideal writing surface for jotting down thoughts.
The paper itself is also impressive, as it can accommodate any writing tool. Even fountain pens will not bleed through the pages.
One more thing to note about this journal is the manufacturer’s dedication to customer service. When you purchase a journal, it comes with a note encouraging the buyer to contact the manufacturer for any issues they encounter with their purchase.
The journal also comes with a one-year warranty.
If you need a well-made, high-quality, giftable option, we highly recommend this journal.
PROS
Durable.
Visually appealing design.
Cotton paper ensures ink does not bleed through the pages.
Comes with a one-year replacement warranty.
CONS
At 1.28 pounds, it can be a bit hefty for some people.
If your ideas usually come in visual form or if you use different art media to capture your ideas, Leda A5 Sketchbook from Leda is worth considering.
Its 130 gsm paper can accommodate pens, charcoal, markers, pencil, and watercolors. The sketchbook/journal contains 160 beige-toned pages and the paper is tear-proof.
It also lies flat, making it easy to work on the pages and making it easy to scan images.
A pocket at the back of the journal provides space for keeping loose pages and even your phone. The high-quality, protective, soft cover keeps your ideas intact. You’ll feel confident carrying this journal in all weather conditions.
This journal allows you to unleash your artistic ideas, helps you keep track of them afterwards, and keeps them safe from the elements.
PROS
Thick paper can accommodate most art media.
Protective cover keeps pages safe from the elements.
Lies flat for easier drawing and scanning.
Pocket stores loose pages and small items.
CONS
Some people find that the binding splits after several pages of use.
3. Best Value for Money: DSTELIN Soft Cover Spiral Notebook
If you need a compact and affordable notebook that can accommodate your awesome ideas, DSTELIN Soft Cover Spiral Notebook is the best value for your money.
This lightweight journal is ideal for keeping track of your thoughts while on the go.
It comes with unlined paper and the pages are thick enough to accommodate lists, collages, drawings, and scrapbooking.
This is also a great option for introducing children to the art of idea journaling.
This journal is the best value for money if you’re looking for a straightforward journal that does its job recording and preserving your awesome ideas.
PROS
Very affordable.
Pages can accommodate sketches and other artistic works.
Compact size makes it ideal to take anywhere.
CONS
Cover is not sturdy enough to provide protection for the pages within.
4. Best Basic Hardcover Notebook: Leuchtturm 1917 Ruled Hardcover Notebook
Looking for a classic hardcover journal? Leuchtturm has long been a well-recognized brand that manufactures high-quality journal notebooks.
The Leuchtturm 1917 Ruled Hardcover Notebook is a classic staple and is the perfect journal for keeping track of your ideas. There are 24 colors to choose from, and you don’t need to worry about losing your place within the notebook, as its pages are numbered. Furthermore, a cross-referencing system is included for easy retrieval of your thoughts.
This journal has 249 pages and its dot-grid layout easily accommodates your personal system for journaling. The 80 gsm paper can also accommodate most types of pens.
PROS
Has over 20 color choices.
Durable.
Cross-referencing system provides easy retrieval of notes.
CONS
Some people find the paper to be very thin.
5. Best for All-Weather Use: Rite in the Rain Weatherproof Top Spiral Notebook
The Rite in the Rain Weatherproof Top Spiral Notebook is primarily intended for people whose professions take them out into the field in any type of terrain or weather conditions.
It is also a wonderful journal for when your ideas pop up unexpectedly.
This journal’s cover is made with Polydura material, which provides a tough outer shell that protects the notes within. Not only is it designed to withstand water, it also repels sweat, mud, and grease. And its small size makes it portable and easy to store in your pocket.
Regardless of the weather, having this notebook ensures that you’ll have somewhere to jot down your greatest ideas.
PROS
Very durable.
Its size makes it very portable.
Can be used in different weather and environmental conditions.
CONS
Only pencil works on the pages when they are wet.
6. Best for Travelers: Moleskine Traveller’s Journal
Moleskine Traveller’s Journal is the best choice if you’re looking for a journal in which to record your ideas as you pursue your passion for travel.
Whether you’re recording life-changing insights or a straightforward to-do list while you’re on the road, this is the journal you want to reach for.
This journal is crafted with a hard cover to protect what you’ve written within. It also comes with a couple of ribbon bookmarks and tabbed pages to provide ease in accessing your notes.
The journal contains 400 pages of 70 gsm acid-free paper.
Accompanying themed stickers make it possible to customize your entries.
PROS
Contains 400 pages for more spaces to write down your ideas.
Tabs allow for easy retrieval of your notes.
Stickers provide extra customization.
CONS
The paper may be too thin to accommodate writing tools other than a ball-point pen.
Looking for a journal to give as a gift to a loved one? You might want to consider Beechmore Ruled Notebook.
The Beechmore Ruled Notebook provides a luxurious journal writing experience and is handcrafted from vegan leather.
Its 120 gsm paper provides a smooth writing surface and accommodates most writing implements, including fountain pens. It contains 160 ruled pages, which is sufficient for many weeks of journaling.
There are six available colors and the journal comes with an elastic closure and a color-coordinated ribbon bookmark that adds elegance to its overall appearance.
This is the perfect giftable journal. It comes packaged with tissue paper and an elegant box.
PROS
Luxurious journaling experience.
Thick paper.
Comes in elegant packaging.
CONS
Does not lie flat easily.
Final Thoughts on Idea Journals
There you have it—our in-depth review of the best journals to keep track of your life-changing ideas.
The idea journals featured today are the best in their respective categories. Overall, today’s best choice is the KomalC Handmade Leather Journal. It has earned praise for its craftsmanship, durability, paper quality, and overall aesthetic design.
Meanwhile, here are more resources you might be interested in:
The good news is, there is no right or wrong way to journal. Like getting exercise, prayer, or meditating what matters is only that your process works for you and doesn’t keep you from doing it. If the process is prohibitive, review the first principles framework in the Begin Again intro.
Types of Journaling
“Journaling” isn’t defined by a specific method, like “exercising,” there are many styles that can suit different goals or preferences.
The best part about journaling is your practice does not have to be the same every day. You can focus on emotional intelligence one day, creative stream of conscious the next, and gratitude after that. Or, you may prefer creating some kind of consistent format, where each session you identify what you’ve been feeling, thinking, something you’re grateful for, and respond to a short prompt.
Here are a few prominent forms a journaling practice can take:
Stream of Conscious Journaling
Stream of consciousness journaling, exemplified by “Morning Pages” from Julia Cameron’s “The Artist’s Way,” involves writing down thoughts as they naturally occur, without editing or filtering. This technique, often done first thing in the morning and with a goal of simply filling 3 pages without a focus on quality, is known for enhancing creativity and self-awareness in daily life by providing an unstructured space for spontaneous expression.
Diary Journaling
Diary journaling is a more time-based form of journaling, typically focused on documenting daily events, thoughts, or feelings. Unlike stream of consciousness journaling, it is a recounting of the day’s happenings and reflecting on them. This method is valuable for memory keeping, self-reflection, and tracking thinking over time.
Prompt-guided Journaling
Prompt-guided journaling begins by writing responses to specific prompts or questions. Unlike free-form journaling, it directs your focus to particular topics, ideas, or self-reflections. This method is particularly helpful for exploring specific aspects of your life, emotions, or values that you may not think to write about (or want to write about) on your own. See my 14 journal prompts below to get started.
Gratitude Journaling
Gratitude journaling is regularly writing down things you’re grateful for, with the goal of fostering a positive mindset. This practice is often recommended for boosting mental well-being, especially for overcoming a sense of negatively or helplessness. By focusing on smaller and more abstract things you’re grateful for over time versus large and obvious things, this practice can infiltrate your everyday life, allowing you to be happier and more at peace with day-to-day experiences.
Reflective Journaling
Reflective journaling involves writing about personal experiences, thoughts, and feelings with a focus on introspection and analysis. To do this, you reflect on specific feelings or events, interpret their significance, and consider how they impact your beliefs and future actions. This style of journaling encourages a deeper understanding of oneself and is often used for personal development and problem-solving.
Vision journaling is a forward-looking form of journaling where you articulate and explore your future aspirations, goals, and dreams through writing. It differs from traditional diary-style journaling by focusing specifically on envisioning and planning for the future. In this practice, you write about your desired outcomes in various aspects of life, such as career, personal growth, relationships, or hobbies. This method serves as a powerful tool for discerning intentions, clarifying goals, and mapping out steps to achieve them. By regularly engaging in vision journaling, you create a written manifestation of your aspirations, helping to keep you motivated and focused on your long-term objectives.
Bullet Journaling
In contrast to long-form prose, bullet journaling is a popular organizational method that involves using bullets to log tasks, events, and notes in a concise, structured manner. It’s a customizable system that combines planning, tracking, and reflection, often enhanced with creative elements like layout designs, doodles or calligraphy. This method is known for its efficiency and flexibility in helping manage daily life and long-term goals. Read How to Bullet Journal.
Decision Journaling
A decision journal is a tool that helps individuals improve their decision-making by recording and analyzing their current decisions. It helps to prevent hindsight bias, encourages self-awareness, and provides a feedback loop for better decision-making. The key components of a decision journal include recording the situation, problem statement, variables, complications, alternatives considered, expected outcomes, and personal feelings during the decision-making process. Read more about how to create a decision journal.
Dreamlining
Dreamlining, as conceptualized by Tim Ferriss, is a goal-setting method that blends vision-setting with specific timelines. It involves listing your deepest desires or goals, assigning them 6 to 12-month timelines, and breaking them down into actionable steps. This technique encourages a focus on personal aspirations over societal norms, aiming to transform distant dreams into achievable objectives within set time frames.
Habit Tracking Journaling
This is a method focused on recording and monitoring daily habits to build self-awareness and achieve personal goals. It often involves keeping a structured journal where you track the consistency of various habits, such as exercise, diet, or meditation as well as the daily factors that influence whether you meet or miss your habits. This technique helps in identifying patterns, fostering discipline, and measuring progress over time.
Affirmation Journaling
Affirmation journaling primarily aims to counteract negative self-talk by focusing on positive statements about yourself. This practice helps in reprogramming the mind to adopt a more positive and empowering belief system, combating self-doubt and reinforcing self-worth and confidence.
Creative Journaling
Creative journaling is an unstructured practice where you express yourself through various creative mediums such as short stories, lyrics, or drawings. This form of journaling fosters creativity and self-expression.
Things to Write in a Journal
For our generation in particular, this can be an especially tough habit to break. In a world where everyone’s online, it’s a daily battle just to stand out as an individual against the anonymous masses. We’re used to branding ourselves. We’re used to self-promoting. We’re used to relentlessly maintaining a pristine persona and assuming that everything we ever do will be permanently recorded. And that’s all the more reason for us to have a refuge from that.
The more we’re able to let go of that urge and explore ourselves uncritically, the more effective this discipline will become. Fundamentally, journaling gives us a place to be honest with ourselves while simultaneously training us to be more honest.
When we’re switching from one mask to another, it can be dangerously easy to lose track of the real us, and journaling gives us a chance to truly examine our own lives and grapple with the people we are.
Every one of us is a twisted jumble of impulses, instincts, insights, irrational fears, and Ghostbusters trivia. These pages are where we’re going to untangle what we’re thinking and feeling, and that’s only going to happen by letting ourselves spill out everything (again everything) onto the page.
In a world where it feels like everyone’s watching (or equally terrifying – like no one’s watching), it can be strangely difficult for us to truly see ourselves. Journaling not only helps us discover that, but allows us to ultimately become the people we actually are. Whether you’ve been on the road a while or if you’re just starting out on your journey, every one of us could benefit from the tried-and-tested practice of logging our distance.
Start the year strong with our new series, beginning with a foundation of 3 frameworks that will change everything.
There’s always talk of resolutions and life change this time of year. For many of us, the holidays represent the annual peak of veering off course whether it’s health, a side project, or career-trajectory related.
Family functions and gift gathering and the barreling corporate train toward the end of Q4 don’t leave a lot emotional energy for nice-to-have future goals. Plus, lots of great food you don’t get the rest of the year can take priority over weight watching.
But now it’s January: “New year, new me.”
Inevitably, with all the talk of resolutions, there’s been increasing scorn of the yearly revamp. The pessimistic naysayers dismiss resolution-goers as dreamers who will be off course by February. They commiserate with the other regulars at the gym about all the new people and how hard it is to get a squat rack now.
What bothers me more about the negativity surrounding resolutions is the dedicated and diligent among us, who sneer, “I don’t wait for New Years to recalibrate.”
The tradition of New Year’s resolutions, originating about 4,000 years ago with the Babylonians, has evolved from religious promises to gods into modern secular commitments focused on self-improvement.
The cycling of the calendar is used as a reminder to recollect oneself and refocus on whats important.
New Years Reflection = Meditation
On a different scale, this is exactly the same as the introspective and restorative practice of meditation. In mindfulness meditation, for instance, you sit and attempt to focus on your breath. You will inevitably start thinking, maybe even immediately. But when you realize that you’re distracted you return your focus to the breath.
Some people may use a guided meditation app like Headspace while others make use of timed gongs, but the purpose is the same: To use an outside voice or sound as a reminder to check if you’ve become distracted. If you have, refocus on the breath.
But just like meditation, in life it’s easy to come to and realize, oh wow, I’ve been distracted from what’s important, for like, a long time. In both situations it can be incredibly disheartening and frustrating. “I’ve tried to make goals before, and look, I got nowhere with them. What’s the point?”
To do this is to miss the point of the process.
The following 3 frameworks will serve as the mindset for determining what will create a fulfilling life for you and result in meaningful change. Over the next week, we’ll highlight practical tools and methods that can help you rediscover what’s truly important to you.
When You Get Away from Your Goals & Habits, “Simply…Begin Again”
Prominent meditation teachers like Sam Harris and Joseph Goldstein offer a tip for when we get distracted: Release the disappointment or frustration, don’t chastise yourself or give up – simply refocus your attention on what’s important and begin again:
This meditative wisdom can be a powerful tool for our New Year restarts for our goals and ambitions. Instead of succumbing to disappointment when we realize we’ve strayed from our fitness, nutrition, or other personal goals, the mantra of “just begin again” encourages us to refocus. It’s a call to realign with what truly matters, not the fleeting emotions of disappointment or past failures.
This approach values resilience over perfection. It acknowledges that the path to personal change is not linear but inherently filled with ebbs and flows. By adopting the practice of “beginning again,” we foster a mindset that embraces every distracted moment as a new opportunity, a fresh start to recommit to what’s important, as Harris says, that is “free from the past.”
But even when you wake up from distraction, how do you determine what’s important? Or what if you’re not emotionally connected to what you’re focusing on? What if you lack the drive to formulate what changes you want to make?
The Centuries Old Ground Rules for Change
Establishing a set of founding principles can be incredibly helpful when it comes to defining what’s truly important in your life and creating lasting and meaningful change. An ancient Tibetan practice called Lojong, which translates to “Mind Training,” offers a profound perspective on this.
Lojong begins with what are known as the “Four Preliminaries.” They are ‘preliminary’ not because they are less important or basic, on the contrary, they are the core principles everything is based on.
The tenets of the Four Preliminaries establish a brutally honest baseline of the reality we all live in and can serve as a sobering perspective as we begin again this year and decide on the types of changes that would be most meaningful to us individually.
Here is a new vision of each, in a modern secular approach for making positive change. Embrace these as the core principles your goals will be based on.
First Preliminary: Reconnect to The Preciousness of Human Life
It is easy to fall into a river of apathy, letting the tasks of our work, our family obligations, and cultural expectations dictate our life. To let the natural flow of life to define what our life is or could be.
Amidst billions of humans who have lived before us and countless more who will follow, the mathematical infinitesimal rarity of life forming into the highly specific and unique combination that became You is staggering.
In a universe where matter can neither be created or destroyed, the building blocks constituting your body could have coalesced into anything else—space gas, a primitive rodent on the bottom of the food chain 50,000 years ago, or my monstera plant that never stood a chance.
Yet, here you are—the result of an inconceivable culmination of billions of years of cosmic events. Literally everything that has ever happened in the universe had to happen just as it did for you to find yourself right here, reading this, probably on your phone, while using the bathroom.
And since matter isn’t destroyed, after you’re gone, parts of you may end up as space gas, a rodent, or some other writer’s dead plant. You’re here, in the face of improbable odds, only temporarily.
→ As we begin again, refocusing from distraction, the initial Lojong preliminary reminds us to get out of the flow of the apathy river prompted by the essential question: “What will I do with this rare human life?”
Second Preliminary: You are Going to Die, Guaranteed
Humans are wired in a weird way—we all start our lives with an unspoken assumption that the pain and death others experience are distant specters, while we remain immune.
We have a knack for sticking our fingers in our ears and going “lalalalalala” when it comes to thinking about our guaranteed death. It’s an uncomfortable, even taboo subject, one we all, culturally and individually, avoid.
But the truth is undeniable: Each of us will face our mortality, and how much time we have left can never be known.
This second preliminary serves as a flag boldly planted proclaiming the impermanence of everything. Anything that can die, will die.
Facing the reality of death unveils insights and benefits that transcend the fear it often instills. As we grasp the impermanence of everything, including our own bodies, it becomes clear that excess money, possessions, and even the companionship of friends cannot provide solace when we inevitably face our death.
But paradoxically, this isn’t meant to cast a shadow of hopelessness; but instead illuminates the significance of this, and every future, moment.
Have you ever put a project off to the last minute, having a fraction of the time you thought you’d have, only to be impressed with just how much you got done in so little time? A realistic sense of just how little time we have can do the same for your life.
Coming to terms with the inescapable nature of our mortality becomes a potent motivator.
Unfortunately for many people this acceptance only comes at the end of life, reflecting on how life could have been lived, if only they could have understood what’s at stake: One day, it will be the last day.
→ You can embrace this in every moment, from here on.
Third Preliminary: Your Actions – or Inactions – Have Consequences
Karma as it’s thrown around in our culture is often misrepresented as an ominous, mystical cosmic justice system that will punish you if you do a bad thing.
Karma, in its essence, is the principle of cause and effect.
As a foundation to beginning again, it’s an acknowledgment that our actions or inactions will shape the reality in which our future selves will exist.
Starting your own business or joining a gym for the first time will not guarantee you achieve your desired outcome. Between the two versions of yourself—one who makes an effort and the other who doesn’t—the possibility of success exists only for the one who tries.
Regardless of how “real” any self-sabotaging thoughts may seem, the third preliminary sets in stone an inarguable truth: If you don’t take action, you will only end up with outcomes that can result from inaction.
→ If there’s a change you want to make, only you can initiate the cause that results in that effect.
Fouth Preliminary: Dedicating Your Life to Only Worldly Goals is Unfulfilling
When we hear about goals in modern media, they often revolve around familiar aspirations: launching a business to amass wealth, climbing the corporate ladder to secure a prestigious position, purchasing a home that exudes pride and investment potential, or getting shredded to be more attractive to potential partners.
However, as we begin again, the fourth preliminary reminds us that our goals should not be solely centered around attaining desirable possessions or status and self-worth.
As we refocus, it’s essential to embrace that while it’s acceptable to set goals that yield such outcomes, they alone will not break the desire-fulfillment cycle.
→ Think of the emptiness of short-term pleasures, such as binge-watching TV shows or indulging in excessive eating. Focusing only on superficial goals like wealth, status, and image across a lifetime create the same result.
Rethink Your Entire Approach with First Principles
Now that we’ve dropped our ego and embraced a fresh restart, with some sobering reminders about the reality of life, we move to the final framework that centers not only on the why, but the how.
First principles thinking, a popular business concept rooted in philosophy and popularized by figures like Aristotle and more recently Elon Musk, involves breaking down complex problems into their most basic elements and then reassembling them from the ground up for a holistic, previously unknown solution.
In business, first principles thinking is used to innovate and solve problems in a radically original way. Instead of following the usual methods or traditional industry practices, leaders and entrepreneurs deconstruct ideas to their basest elements. They then rebuild these ideas from scratch, leading to innovative solutions and strategies, not encumbered by the problems of existing ones.
A classic example of this was the wait time in an office elevator lobby. The office goers were constantly complaining about how long it took the elevator to arrive with how many people needed to get up and down during peak hours.
The building owners looked into upgrading or replacing the elevator system but due to the limitations of the building design and the estimated cost, it was clear that wasn’t feasible.
So the problem was reduced to its basest parts to find a solution:
People are angry because they have to wait too long for the elevator.
The speed of the elevator cannot be changed.
That may seem like an impossible problem to solve, but the solution was ultimately super easy and affordable.
Instead of solving the riders’ annoyance at the long wait time, the building owners installed large mirrors and televisions with the news, sports, and other content of interest.
The elevator speed did not change – but the complaints about the wait time completely stopped. The building couldn’t solve the riders’ perceived problem (the elevator speed), but they could make the actual problem (their awareness of waiting) go away.
As we begin again, don’t just restart the same old process you’ve been using for your goals, fitness habits, or relationships that may not have ever been able to solve the problem.
Apply first principles thinking to your personal goals and resolutions by stripping down your goals to their most fundamental truths and reflect on new ways that may solve the problem in a more frictionless way.
→ Ask yourself, “What is the true purpose behind this goal? What do I know is true and what am I actually trying to achieve?”
Over the next couple of weeks, we will be exploring tools and strategies that will help to begin again and refocus on what is actually important to you, using the ideas of these 3 frameworks as a foundation for dramatic and meaningful direction:
Simply begin again: If you realize you’ve become distracted from your habits or goals, don’t get demotivated. Clear your head and begin again.
All decisions and brainstorming should reflect the four preliminaries:
Your life is unfathomably rare, make use of it
You will die. Your life is shorter than it seems, act with a sense of urgency while you still can
The universal law of cause and effect. If you want change, you must take continual action.
Fulfillment is not possible from buying things or being seen as important alone. Don’t forget to anchor your ambitions to things that are not based on acquiring money, things, or status.
Don’t just blindly continue on a path that may not be working. Break your ambitions, goals, or problems down to their base ideas and create previously unknown, innovative solutions using first principles thinking.
The ending of one year and the beginning of the next can be a busy, emotional time, yet it’s also a natural time to feel contemplative as well as a powerful window of time to set intentions. As part of your self-care, self-love, and mindfulness practice, answer some or all of these prompts in your journal.
From the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to the Big 5 personality assessment, who doesn’t love a good personality test? The Enneagram is another popular personality system that categorizes people into one of nine types based on how you answer a series of introspective questions.
There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.
If you’re new to bullet journaling, you might be looking for some pointers to get you started.
Although you can dive right in and start bullet journaling with just a notebook and a pen, having other journaling supplies on hand can give you a truly satisfying creative experience as you track of your schedule, to-do list, ideas, and artwork.
Today’s post features a list of the essential bullet journal supplies you need to get started organizing your life.
The cover of Dingbats Earth Dotted Hardcover Journal is made from 100% PU vegan leather, with 12 vibrant colors to choose from. It feels luxurious and provides an elegant protective cover for the pages of your bullet journal.
If you’re looking for a notebook that’s primarily designed for bullet journals, you might want to try this one. It features dot-grid, numbered pages. The first few pages are labeled for bullet journal use, including index, key pages, and future log. The pages are creamy white 100 gsm paper, so they’re thick enough for sketches and heavy writing.
This notebook also comes with an expandable envelope for essential documents you need to carry with you. In addition, there are 16 perforated pages, so you can easily detach art work or to-do lists. Lastly, there are a couple of ribbon bookmarks that make it easy for you to find your place within the journal.
If you’re looking for a high-end notebook, this is a very good option.
This notebook also has 100 gsm paper. Its cover is made from PU leather and comes in 10 colors.
Many bullet journal enthusiasts prefer using a dot grid notebook because it allows them some flexibility in creating their spreads, which can be a bit difficult to pull off on a squared or lined page. A dot grid notebook also provides some structure compared with a plain notebook.
Here is another notebook from the Dingbats line. This time, the notebook contains plain pages.
Dingbats Wildlife Collection Notebook is ideal for those who do bullet journaling, but also use their notebooks as sketchbooks. This product also has a vegan leather cover. Its 192 pages are entirely perforated, and it comes with a pen holder, an expandable envelope, and a single ribbon bookmark.
Its sturdy black cover has a classic, elegant design. There are 240 pages on 120 leaves of acid-free paper. That gives this notebook an archival quality, ensuring that your notes do not fade with time.
It also comes with a ribbon bookmark and an expandable pocket.
Scriveiner Luxury Pen provides a smooth writing experience, such as you’d get when using a fountain pen. In addition, it offers the convenience of a ballpoint in an elegant writing instrument.
If you want a luxury pen for filling in the daily, weekly, and monthly spreads in your bullet journal, this pen is worth a try.
Are you looking for pens that are suitable for both writing and sketching?
Sakura Pigma Micron Pen set offers various nib sizes, making it ideal for writing and sketching. The set provides great value for money. Furthermore, the ink is archival quality, which ensures that what you write in your journal won’t fade as time passes.
Using colored pens adds visual interest to bullet journals. Gel pens, such as those found in Paper Mate InkJoy Gel Pens, are popular for drawing icons, sketches, and other images for your spreads.
Gel pens have the advantage of working on almost any type of paper. They produce less ghosting, and rarely bleed through a page.
There are a lot of choices for writing tools that work well with bullet journals. Your choice should be determined by how comfortable you are when handling these pens, markers, etc. Always take into consideration:
How comfortable you are using the pen
If you’re doing more sketching or more writing
How well your pen prevents bleed-through or ghosting
Remember, just because a pen is expensive does not necessarily mean it will perform best for your needs.
Most bullet journal users have a favorite set of fineliner pens. These are typically used for creating graphics. However, they are also a favorite for writing by hand. Perhaps this has something with the softer feel of the fiber tip that you cannot get with a regular ballpoint pen.
iBayam 18-Color Fineliner Pens comes in 18 colors, and provides great value for your money. The ink does not bleed through your journal’s pages, and people have used the pens for creating calendars, drawing, coloring, charting their trackers, and more.
Zebra Mildliner Creative Marker is a favorite amongst creatives. It features soft colors that are pleasing to the eye. The highlighters come with double tips—a broad and a fine tip—that can accommodate all types of journaling, drawing, and other applications.
This set of black, felt-tip pens is awesome for bullet journals. You’ll appreciate the vivid black ink that makes note-taking a pleasurable experience. The best part is that these Paper Mate Flair Felt Tip Pens do not bleed through paper. And in bullet journaling, that is a big plus.
If you’d like to incorporate more color into your bullet journal, colored pencils are ideal. They do not bleed, feather, or ghost on paper.
Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils comes with 150 richly saturated colors, providing a smooth coloring experience. In addition, they are durable and lightfast.
Wanshui Oily Color Pencils are more affordable alternative to the set featured previously. It comes with 12 metallic colors and 8 fluorescent ones, for added fun while you’re coloring.
Although inks are often considered “advanced” bullet journal supplies, you can start incorporating them into your journal designs early on to make interesting spreads. Tom Holtz Distress Mini Ink Set provides awesome effects when used as a medium in bullet journals.
It can be written, stamped, and drawn over. Tom Holtz’s Distress Ink guarantees no bleed-through when used even on the thinnest journal paper.
Stencils are an easy way to create an artistic effect in your bullet journal no matter what level of artistic talent you possess. They work well with any writing medium.
Furthermore, stencils give you consistent shapes, letters, and other images every time. This is quite useful when you’re creating icons for your trackers and banners for your page headers.
20-Piece Journal Stencil contains the alphabet, banners, and other icons and shapes that you usually encounter in a bullet journal. Enjoy using them to add artistic touches to your journal pages.
Here are some other types of stencils that you definitely need in your collection:
Alphabet stencils – For a more orderly penmanship and creating a more polished look, especially for headers and title pages.
Architectural stencils – Different sizes of squares, circles, triangles, and other shapes work well in bullet journals, especially when creating monthly/weekly spreads and trackers.
Seasonal stencils – These are great for when you’re creating monthly spreads or depicting the seasons.
Stickers are another way to add attractive designs to your journal. Featured here is Zicoto Sticker Set with over 1,500 designs that you can use in your trackers, monthly pages, and other parts of your bullet journal.
If you want to create a themed bullet journal layout, stickers provide a professional look with minimal effort on your part.
So Many Planner Stickers has 2,600 stickers and is great for decorating planners and bullet journals. The stickers are just the right size, and there are a lot of designs to choose from.
The book’s format is wonderfully convenient, especially when you’re doing your bullet journaling on the go.
You can also check out more sticker options in this post.
Washi tapes are another quick and awesome way to decorate your bullet journal. They can be used for practically anything, such as:
Page borders
Tabs
Covering up mistakes on a page
Highlighting
Notepaper
Word art
Swatch decor
Color coding
Decorative adhesive
Kovano 48 Rolls Washi Tape Set depicts charming landscape scenes and are a great addition to your collection of journaling supplies. This set has 48 uniquely designed washi tapes. They are versatile, eye-catching, and durable.
Aguatape 48 Rolls Washi Tape features assorted designs that are great as page dividers in your bullet journal. The set provides great value for your money, and is a great way to grow your washi tape collection.
When you get serious about bullet journaling, you tend to accumulate a lot of supplies. If you don’t have the right storage system, items could get misplaced or lost.
Furthermore, if you’re constantly on the go, you will want to make sure that you have all your essential bullet journaling supplies with you.
Qianshan Pencil Case Holder has the capacity for up to 202 colored pencils, and comes in nine eye-catching designs. There are four compartments so you can organize your pens, coloring materials, adhesives, etc. in their appropriate receptacles.
If you are carrying only the basic supplies for your bullet journal, you can use the non-expanded version of this carrying case. Easthill Big Capacity Pencil Case expands if you need to store more items, and it comes in a size that’s convenient for taking in a backpack.
The design is minimalistic, and is available in four color options.
Final Thoughts on Bullet Journal Supplies
There you have it—our recommendation for the best supplies you need as you begin your journey into bullet journals.
As a rule of thumb, the best products are those that you feel most comfortable using. We hope you’ve found several favorites among the supplies featured here today.
If you need further resources about bullet journals, the following posts are worth checking out:
There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.
Are you looking for the best writing tool for your Moleskine journal?
If you’ve owned a Moleskine notebook before, you know that not just any pen works well in writing on that specialty paper. Some users have reported feathering and ghosting. However, using the right kind of pen will definitely prevent this problem.
In today’s review, we’re featuring the 5 best pens for your Moleskine journal.
If you’re an avid journal writer, you know that using the right pen will help your thoughts flow with ease on paper.
So, we’ve found pens that worked magnificently for the purpose, whether you’re using it for daily writing or for graphic work (as many of us also draw in our journals). There are pens that we’ve chosen for their durability, as well as the ideal one for lefties.
Our Top Picks for the Best Pens for Your Moleskine Journals
Now, if you’re a busy person who doesn’t have time to read this entire review, then we’ve simplified everything. Here is a table to show you a quick rating of the best pens for your Moleskine journals.
Before we introduce the products in this review, let’s first discuss the importance of writing stuff by hand.
The Advantages of Writing by Hand
While it is true that with the technology we use these days, you rarely have to write by hand, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t do it.
While apps, such as the gratitude gratitude apps showcased in the video below, are convenient to use, writing by hand still has a lot of benefits.
This means that you have to absorb the information that is being said to you and analyze which important pieces need to be taken out and written down. Writing by hand helps you connect with the words and helps your brain to understand and learn from them.
Writing also helps develop hand-eye coordination, resulting in better agility, faster reaction time, and more productivity. Practicing this hand-eye coordination and using your motor skills activates the parts of your brain called the reading circuit, which can help improve your memory and keep your mind sharp.
Finally, writing by hand increases language skills by slowing down a person’s thought processes in order to formulate a better expression of one’s thoughts and opinions. This gives your brain some time to think of the most descriptive words and gives you time to double-check your grammar.
Slowing down your thought processes can also help boost creativity because writing works the parts of your brain that control your artistic expressions–so giving yourself time to absorb the content that you are writing is key.
Now that you know why it is important and beneficial to write by hand, let’s look at some factors you should consider when shopping for pens that don’t bleed through Moleskine.
How Do I Choose the Best Pen for My Moleskine?
There are several things you will want to consider when shopping for the perfect pen for your journaling needs.
The paper in a Moleskine notebook is most commonly acid-free and ivory in color. While the paper is considered to be smooth to write on, some writing implements work better than others.
First, choose a pen that does not smear on Moleskine paper. This is especially important for lefties who are more often the ones to encounter smearing and smudging as their hand moves across the page.
You don’t want to feel like you have to lift your hand up in an uncomfortable position when you are writing in your notebook.
You also want to avoid pens whose inks are prone to feathering or ghosting. Pens that emit a lot of ink can bleed through your paper to the other side of the page, rendering both sides of the paper useless.
This often means that you will want to avoid classic fountain pens, as these are notorious for smearing and bleeding through Moleskine paper. Rather, it is best to stick to writing with a ballpoint pen, a rollerball, a gel pen, or simply a pencil.
In addition to choosing a pen that will help you avoid feathering, you will want to have a pen whose nib produces a fine line. This is best for daily writing because you otherwise will not be able to fit much writing on a single page. With a thick pen, the letters may also bleed together, making your work illegible.
You also don’t want to be hindered by a pen that is difficult to write with. Choose one that does not skip but writes smoothly so you can freely record your thoughts as they come without vigorously shaking your pen and trying to doodle on something to get the ink to come out.
Another factor that can hinder your writing is if your pen is too big or too small for your hand. Choose a pen that is appropriate for the size of your hand.
It’s important to choose a size that fits your hand comfortably because if the pen is either too small or too large, you will be unable to properly grip the pen, therefore writing for longer periods of time may become uncomfortable.
Try some pens out first in order to make sure that you can choose a pen that you’re comfortable holding during writing. While one may not look to be too large or too small, once you start writing with it, you might realize that it is, in fact, uncomfortable to use.
There are several factors to consider when choosing the perfect pen for your Moleskine journal.
To save yourself time and money in the long run, you will want to choose a pen that’s known for its durability. This way, you won’t have to stop halfway through your journal and pick back up with a new pen that looks completely different on paper. You also don’t want to rely on cheap pens and end up throwing them away every few weeks.
If you tend to add some creativity to your Moleskine notebooks, choose a pen that’s appropriate for both journal writing and drawing. Even if you don’t think you will draw too much in your Moleskine, it is better to have a pen that is conducive to drawing in case you need it in the future.
This means finding a pen that can provide you with a fine, consistent line and is capable of variation if you choose to get creative. Speaking of drawing, you want to have a pen that is available in numerous colors is a plus for your bullet journal spreads and layouts.
Not only will the various colors keep your journal organized by category, they can also be good to use when you are being creative and drawing.
If you intend to preserve your journals, choose pens with archival and acid-free ink to prevent fading and discoloration over time.
Many people want to preserve their bullet journals, not only because they spend so much time working on them, but also because they can be looked back upon in several years and provide you with a glance of what your life looked like at this stage.
Finally, when looking for the perfect pen, remember that expensive pens do not necessarily write better on Moleskine paper than inexpensive pens. The most expensive fountain pen may ruin part of your journal by bleeding through the pages, while a simple pencil could work better on the paper.
The best pens for Moleskine bullet journals may even be an inexpensive ballpoint pen. You will want to try out your options to see what is best for you.
Now that you have these factors to keep in mind, let’s look at the best bullet journal pens that don’t bleed
This is the best overall option. It helps users create a text that is both clear and visible, making it perfect for Moleskine journals. It is also available in a wide choice of colors, so you can stay organized and color-coded easily.
This is the best pen for daily writing and taking notes because the ink settles well on Moleskine paper, meaning it does not bleed after the ink has touched the paper. It also does not fade with time, so you will be able to look back on these years far into the future to recall what was going on in your life.
The rich color of the ink is great for creating archival-quality work. The pigment forms a secure bond with the paper, which gives you added document security, as everything you write will be distinct and bold.
These pens also offer a visible ink supply so you can be sure that you won’t run out of ink unexpectedly.
These gel pens also feature a proprietary “uni Super Ink” that offers three-way protection against threats to its integrity such as water, fading, and fraud.
The pens also feature sleek, metallic accents, giving them an elegant appearance. Each pen measures 5.9 x 3.3 x 1.1 inches and weighs 2.4 ounces, making it an ideal fit for an average-sized hand.
This is the best option if you are looking for durability and fine writing. It is ideal for everyday use due to its combination of style, durability, and value. Its slim size allows you to perfectly fit this pen in your planner, checkbook, or portfolio.
The pen is retractable, so it is easy to click on and start writing and then keep the tip of the pen safe by retracting it. This way, you’re not always looking for where you put the top when you took it off.
The elegant stainless steel design that these pens have add both luxury and strength. They have a non-slip soft rubber grip, allowing users to be comfortable while writing and maintain optimal control over their penmanship. It is also effortless to write with these pens due to the rich ballpoint ink that leaves a smooth stroke.
These pens also offer a metal clip so you can secure them wherever you want them to be. They are also refillable, so you can continue to use these pens without hurting the environment by wasting materials.
PROS
Great for fine writing due to its thin tip
Durable enough for everyday use
Lightweight
CONS
Some users find you have to apply a lot of pressure for the pens to work
Each pen is individually packaged, so there is a lot of waste to throw away after unboxing them
This is the best option if you are looking for a marker-like pen. It is waterproof and fade-resistant, so it will stand up to the test of time, as they offer the performance of a typical Sharpie permanent marker, but write with the precision of a pen.
These pens have a slim design and contoured grip, allowing users to have a firm grasp on the pen when it is in use. They have a fine point that allows you to add intricate detail to your journaling as well.
The Sharpie pens also feature rapid-drying and ink that will not bleed through your paper. With 12 pens in one order, this box will last you quite a long time.
PROS
Waterproof and fade-resistant, making them perfect for archival-quality journaling and scrapbooking
This is the best smear-proof option for lefties. They have a form-fitting rubber grip that helps you write with comfort and they create clean, precise lines, making them great for using on Moleskine.
If you want a pen that is able to write with a very fine line, this may be the best option for you, not only due to the small tip and smear-proof capabilities but also the fact that the bio-polymer ink will not feather or spread once it is on your paper.
The ink in these pens is also waterproof, so you can use them along with your waterproof paint if you choose to be creative in that way.
One of the great Moleskine hacks is to write on top of any artwork you make, creating a unique background for your pages–and this pen is perfect for doing that. The ink glides very easily across the paper, which can help improve your precision when you write as well.
PROS
Will not smear
Ink dries quickly
Inexpensive
CONS
Some users have found these pens run out of ink quicker than they expected
The point may break off
The tip of the pen is so fine that it could tear your paper
This is the best rollerball pen for journal writing. It offers users a visible ink supply cartridge that lets you see if the ink level is running low, so you won’t be left without a pen unexpectedly.
They also have a luxurious feel when writing, so you will look forward to writing in your Moleskine when you have these pens on hand. These pens are also great for school, work, or at home, as they will give you a clean line every time you use them.
The ink flows evenly and smoothly and is offered in a variety of colors, which will help keep you organized while journaling. You will experience skip-free writing with these pens, as your normal, everyday to-do list becomes elegant and fashion-forward.
PROS
Best rollerball pen
Offers a luxurious feel
Comes with a modern design
CONS
Ink may dry up quickly before use
Some boxes of 12 come with a few pens missing
Have been known to “explode” ink
Final Thoughts on the Best Pens for Moleskin Notebooks
Best Overall Choice
All of the pens reviewed today are excellent for writing in a Moleskine journal. However, the winner for today is the Uni-Ball 207 Retractable Gel Pens, Micro Point, Black for its fade-proof ink, great writing experience, and wide selection of colors.
Now, if you have your favorite pen already but have no idea on what to write, these journal prompts might help:
There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.
Few of life’s great activities are more stimulating to the imagination than traveling. So, travel experiences naturally inspire journal writing.
In fact, one of the best ways to capture your memories is to create a daily habit where you jot down your thoughts about events of the day, the people you’ve met, and the amazing sights you’ve seen.
So with that in mind, in this article we provide 45 travel journal prompts that can help spark your imagination. But first, let’s answer a specific question that you might have.
Why Should You Use Travel Journal Prompts?
Journaling is a mentally freeing practice. For travelers, it’s great for inspiration, for sharing information with others, and for looking back on your trips and having a chronicle of what you did.
You can just spontaneously pick up your journal and sprawl down thoughts of the moment across page after page, or you might prefer some more structured ways of journaling.
However you approach it, journal writing can be a highly rewarding method of documenting your experiences and expressing your views and ideas. Seeing your inner life mirrored on the pages of your journal makes it a naturally effective self-development tool.
When it comes to traveling, journal prompts can be sentences or phrases designed to trigger inspiration to pursue topics for journal writing.
Writing prompts like those on the list below can remind you of a meaningful experience at a particular place or time that you will enjoy writing about. The prompts can cause you to go down paths in your writing that you might not otherwise have taken.
An exploratory range of journaling prompts can provide a veritable travel guide through your memories, and expose your psychological and emotional responses to so many travel experiences as well as others that might not have been previously accessible to you at such internal depths.
These prompts are designed to lead the thinker to provide life lessons in different ways. That activity can strengthen the agility of the mind and the ability to reach solutions and more ideally manage one’s personal happiness — the ultimate inner destination in journaling.
45 Travel Journal Prompts
There are journaling prompts to help trigger thought streams for writing on just about any topic you can name. There are also endless numbers of useful generic journal writing prompts available on the world wide web.
But, for help generating journal writing topics specific to traveling, here are some prompts tailored to lead into writing on your adventures:
One of the most amazing places I’ve ever been was ________.
One of the most exciting things I’ve ever seen was ________.
When I was travelling through ________, on my way to ________, I was fascinated by ________.
I once spent what I thought would be a relaxing vacation in ________.
It’s considered risky to go there, but visiting ________ was an extraordinary experience.
I’ll never forget the feeling of standing at the edge of ________.
It was shocking to see right before my eyes, ________.
All around me, there were ________.
It was an epic adventure going to ________.
I was frightened at the thought of it, but I’m very glad I ________.
Few things have given me as big an adrenalin rush as ________.
It seems crazy looking back on it now, but we ________
One of the most breathtaking sights I’ve ever seen was ________.
One of the times I was most lost was in ________.
Being in ________ was a true culture shock.
Navigating the subway in _____ was an strange odyssey.
Many of the locals were skeptical of foreign travelers at ________.
One of my favorite beaches is the U.S. is ________.
When I went to ________ during the annual ________ event, and it was unbelievable.
There are so many incredible museums and galleries in ________.
One of my favorite museums in the world is the ________ in ________ (city).
I didn’t speak the language, but fortunately many people in ________ speak English.
I was most impressed with the vastness of ________.
The many stunning statues added to the special atmosphere of ________ (city).
The wildest public party scene I’ve ever seen was definitely in ________ (city).
Seeing such deep poverty juxtaposed to such conspicuous wealth shocked the senses.
The whole area of ________ (region) was teeming with wildlife.
The customs of social interaction in ________ (city) required me to ________.
It was surreal staring into the gaping mouth of the cave.
The people of ________ were so welcoming and charming.
The panorama had a mystical quality.
the desert stretched as far as the eye could see.
Suddenly, for the first time, I beheld a ________ in the wild.
There’s nothing really quite like gazing out over the ocean.
Crossing the border at ________ is its own adventure.
________ is one of those areas where finding edible food becomes a major focus.
The pictures of it can’t portray the immensity of ________.
Spending time out on the water was a highlight of the journey.
There was so much to see, it was hard to decide where to start.
Hiking in the ________ mountains was an especially satisfying challenge.
Standing beneath that massive, powerful waterfall was thrilling.
Exploring ________ revealed wonders all around us.
Being in ________ was very different than I expected.
If I could go back to only one destination, I think it would be ________.
For unforgettable music, food, and atmosphere, ________ is the perfect spot.
Final Thoughts on Travel Journal Prompts
Memories of travel often grow even more significant over time and can be deeply satisfying to write about.
Writing prompts that are specific to travel experience afford you a vast array of journaling options any time you want to pick up your journal and start writing.
Moreover, maintaining a journal can be a great way to re-live your fondest travel memories. Many years after a trip, you can review a travel journal to remember the sights, sounds, and people you’ve met.
And if you’re looking for more prompts, be sure to check out these articles:
There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.
Did you know that keeping a bullet journal can make you a happier person?
According to a 2004 research study, people who fail to meet their goals and expectations tend to be lonelier. This is because they lose the desire and motivation to succeed.
But if they can see their goals laid out before their eyes (just like in bullet journaling), it is easier for them to accomplish their objectives and be happier.
Starting your own bullet journal isn’t that hard. There are thousands of bullet journal ideas available on the internet today. However, to begin such a practice, you need to have the best bullet journal supplies first (mainly a notebook).
In this post, we’ve reviewed the five best bullet journals that you can use to start your bullet journaling practice. We’ve categorized them based on their quality, choosing only those that can help you write easily and comfortably.
But before we introduce the top products, we would like to share with you some information we have gathered regarding the benefits of keeping a bullet journal. We will also share with you the considerations you need to think of when purchasing one.
Don’t have time to read the entire review?
If you’re a busy person who doesn’t have time to read this entire review, we’ve simplified everything. Here is a table to show you a quick rating of the best bullet journals.
Benefits of Bullet Journaling
Bullet journaling keeps everything in your life organized. Having a bullet journal allows you to lay down all of your to-dos in one single place.
You don’t have to worry about forgetting a task that needs to be done. Being organized also allows you to become happier. You can literally keep track of everything in your bullet journal.
From the time you get up to the time you turn in for the night, you can record everything you do and new ideas that come to mind in your bullet journal.
If you keep an ongoing to-do list, you don’t have to recreate a new list each day. Rather, you can make a list each week and cross items off as you go. This saves time and reduces duplicated efforts.
Similarly, bullet journaling allows you to track all your activities and progress. With so many things happening in your busy life, you need to make sure you don’t forget your urgent and not-so-urgent tasks.
You can customize your lists based on the things that you need to do, keeping a specific place for things that need to be done right away and putting ongoing tasks in another list.
Recording your daily, weekly, and monthly achievements is one of the main purposes of bullet journaling. Research shows that tracking your efforts to reach your goals can set you up for success.
Tracking your progress will help you stay motivated and keep up your momentum. Getting some bullet journal accessories can help you organize your journal even more efficiently.
A bullet journal allows you to lay down all of your to-dos in one single place and keeps everything in your life organized.
A bullet journal allows you to lay down all of your to-dos in one single place and keeps everything in your life organized.
There are a lot of bullet journal ideas that you can use, including tracking your mood, health, and goals, while watching your progress in each area. You can even monitor your finances and savings.
The good thing about doing this in a bullet journal is that you can break your larger goals down into smaller, more manageable pieces that will help you move toward your ultimate success.
Bullet journaling reveals your artistic and creative side! Since bullet journaling is an art, it allows you to explore your creative talents.
Studies show that being creative can lower stress levels, and less stress means more happiness. Even if you don’t feel like you are a talented artist, bullet journaling can still be a form of self-expression for you.
Don’t compare your artistic abilities to other people. Get some stickers and colored markers and allow yourself to have fun with it. Look into any bullet journal supplies for beginners to find some inspiration.
This activity will inspire you to become more productive. When you know that your life is in order, you tend to be more enthusiastic about doing things the right way.
Keeping a bullet journal motivates you to continue doing the things that make you happy and productive. Often, it is these intangible metrics, like peace, improved concentration, and increased energy, that ultimately make you more productive in the long run.
You are probably wondering where to start, or how you know a certain bulleting journal will fit your lifestyle better than the next. Let’s look at some factors that differentiate bulleting journals.
Considerations When Choosing the Best Bullet Journal
Although you could simply use a pen and paper to start bullet journaling, this isn’t the best option for everyone. Your needs will vary depending on how you’re using your bullet journal.
Some people enjoy drawing, while others write calligraphy or paint with watercolors. Some people just stick to writing down their day-to-day tasks. Choosing the right journal for your needs is important to allow you to have an enjoyable experience.
First, consider the size. The most common size for bullet journaling is A5. But you always have the option to choose the larger B5 size if you want to be able to write more content.
Alternatively, if you’re planning to bring your bullet journal along with you each day in your bag, then going for the smaller A6 might be your best bet.
It really depends on your preference. When considering size, you will also want to think about the number of pages included in your journal. If you’re planning to create a lot of sections for your bullet journal, you need one that has a lot of pages.
Also, consider the design. Some people like their journal notebooks nicely decorated with colors, while others prefer a minimalistic design. Whatever your preference is, make sure that the design you pick will inspire you.
You also have to consider if you prefer a hardcover or a softcover. You also must consider the design or type of the inside of your journal.
There are different types of bullet journals: plain (blank), dotted, lined, or squared (graph-like). It’s really up to you which one you prefer, and how large your handwriting is.
But you should consider the thickness of the lines and how dark they are if you choose a journal that has lined or squared pages. You can also look into the best bullet journal supplies to personalize your journal to your liking.
Journal and diary keepers will surely agree that the quality of the paper matters. When the paper you’re using is easy to write on, has a smooth surface, and has high opacity, you will enjoy writing in your journal.
One way that you can measure the quality of the paper is to look at the grams-per-square-meter measurement, which shows the weight of the paper.
Another thing to consider when choosing your preferred paper quality is the type of writing instrument you prefer using. For example, if you write with a nice fountain pen but use low-quality paper, it will bleed and smear.
There are many types of bullet journals. It’s up to you which one you prefer, and how large your handwriting is
All of these qualities help determine the price of your journal. There are expensive notebooks, but there are also cheap ones.
For beginners, it is recommended to use the more affordable notebooks. But if you are really into bullet journaling, and the brand matters, you can always choose to purchase an expensive (yet really worthy) journal.
Now that you know the possible differences between bullet journals, let’s take a look at the best products that are on the market today.
5 Best Bullet Journals to Capture Every Idea and Plan Your Life
1. Best Overall Idea Capture Journal: Essentials Dot Matrix Notebook
This choice is great for bullet journaling, sketching or drawing, designing, and writing. This is a great notebook for people who are just starting to practice bullet journaling because it is a high-quality notebook, but not so expensive that you may worry about messing it up or altering your journaling style partway through.
This journal comes with 192 100-gsm acid-free/archival pages with a dot-matrix/dot-grid design. The paper is 25% heavier than other leading brands, which helps preserve your work.
It also includes a pocket on the inside back cover to hold your loose papers, notes, and business cards that you collect throughout the workweek. The elastic band that is attached to the back cover ensures that the journal remains closed and any papers you have in the folder stay put.
PROS
Has a durable hardcover.
The elastic band protects the notebook.
Convenient pocket to store loose notes.
It has thick, smooth pages.
Low price for high quality.
CONS
Only available in black.
Pages do not have numbers on them.
It has only one ribbon, while some people prefer two.
2. Best Sectioned Bullet Journal (200+ pages): Dotted Journal by Scribbles That Matter
Dotted Journal by Scribbles That Matter is the best bullet journal for people who prefer to have many sections. With over 200 pages, it can keep all of your tasks and goals compartmentalized.
Each page offers 27 dots across and 38 dots down to allow for convenient journaling. Additionally, the dots line up across the pages, so it is simple to spread your page designs across two pages.
The company behind this product knows the benefit of journaling for mental health and aimed to make a product that was both beautiful and affordable. One appeal of this product is that it is completely vegan, which is a huge selling point for people who live a vegan lifestyle.
This bullet journal includes a key code page, index pages, dotted numbered pages, and two color-coded bookmarks to help you keep track of every page.
Another convenient factor of this product is that it comes with a pen holder for easy access so you won’t be scrambling to find a pen when you are working on your journal.
There is also a “pen test” page in this journal, which is convenient when you want to try out new pens. By testing your pens first, you will know right away if they will bleed through the pages of the journal.
The durability and size of this journal allow you to take it along with you every day. It has a silky yet sturdy faux leather cover that protects your work against environmental factors.
The strong binding ensures you won’t have to worry about pages falling out due to heavy use, and its lay-flat design is ideal for smoother writing. This journal is A5, making it perfect for portability so you can keep it on you at all times.
PROS
It has convenient features such as a pen holder and an index section.
Great for people who need a lot of sections.
Durable.
CONS
Pages may bleed if you have a heavy hand.
Some find the bullets to be uneven.
Some have found page numbers to be out of order.
3. Best Bullet Journal for On-the-Go Users: Dotted Grid Notebook by Poluma
If you like to bring your journal with you on the go, Dotted Grid Notebook by Poluma might be the perfect fit. The narrow A5 size is ideal to carry in your bag. It comes with a hard vinyl cover, a back pocket, and a ribbon place marker. This journal is convenient, as it opens flat at 180°, allowing you to spread your work across both pages.
This is a very inexpensive option for a bullet journal, but can still withstand daily use. It is stitched with a standard Smythe binding, and the vinyl cover is a bit flexible, allowing users to easily grip the cover. The elastic covering the book is appropriately sized and has a snug fit, keeping it neatly together.
The inner cream-colored pages have a dot grid design, ruled at 5mm. The paper is thick and smooth, making it perfect for fountain, gel, ballpoint, and rollerball pens.
When using pens with more ink (like a fountain pen), the lines turn out true to nib size, and there are no signs of feathering. This book includes 28 unnumbered pages.
PROS
It has a solid binding that opens completely for easy journaling.
High-quality paper.
Perfect for on-the-go use.
CONS
No page numbers or index.
Some users prefer to have more pages.
Some people find the inside pages to be warped.
4. Best Bullet Journal Choice for Travel and Recipe Journaling: Dingbats Wildlife
Dingbats Wildlife is the best bullet journal for a variety of other types of journaling. While many choose to use it as a bullet journal, it can also be used as a travel notebook, journal, diary, professional notebook, exercise journal, recipe journal, etc. It is made from degradable and recyclable materials and is 100% vegan.
The acid-free paper used in this journal is 100gsm, silk, cream-colored, fountain-friendly, and FSC-certified. The journal comes with 92 pages that can be used on the front and back, and are micro-perforated for easy removal. This journal also lies flat when it is open.
The Dingbats Wildlife journal comes with several bullet journal essentials. It has an inner pocket, a bookmark so you can mark your place, a pen holder, and an elastic closure. The cover is well-constructed to ensure durability, and each page has a square grid that extends throughout the entire page.
PROS
Superb paper quality.
Environmentally friendly product from a family-owned company.
Pages are perforated for neat removal.
CONS
It does not include an index page.
Due to the high quality of this journal, it is heavier than others.
BookFactory Ghost Grid Dot Journal is the best bullet journal for people who have heavy handwriting skills. It offers 70-pound paper, which is perfect for various pens, including markers, fountain pens, and watercolors. The ink does not bleed or ghost on this heavy, acid-free paper.
This notebook is spring-bound, making it easy to lay flat. It comes with 60 grid-designed pages, allowing you to write on 120 pages.
With this format, you can align your text and use a variety of layouts in your journaling practice. It offers a four-page index to allow you to categorize the things that are going on in your life.
PROS
70-lb paper is great for any kind of pen.
It comes with a four-page index.
Spring design makes it easy to lie flat.
CONS
Some find the dot marks are too dark.
It comes in only one design.
Some people find the dots to be too close together.
Final Thoughts on the Best Bullet Journals
The products we have mentioned above are the best bullet journals available on the market today. This is according to the positive reviews and high ratings from customers who have already tried them.
There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.
Have you ever wondered what’s written on the pages of a famous person’s journal?
In this post, you’ll be able to see some example pages from the notebooks of nine famous people who kept journals. These individuals lived in different eras and worked in different fields.
But their preserved notebooks recorded their thoughts. They allow us a glimpse into their lives and provide context for some of the most significant moments in history.
People have been writing in journals for more than a thousand years. One of the earliest recorded works that was akin to a diary was that of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, ruler of Rome in the second century AD!
But what is it, exactly, that compels us to keep diaries and journals?
The Benefits of Keeping a Journal
There are a host of benefits we can get from keeping a journal. These positive effects prompt us to grab a notebook and scribble down our ideas.
Some benefits include:
Helps reduce stress – Health experts agree that writing down your thoughts helps lower blood pressure and promotes proper functioning of the liver.
Sharpens memory – The hand–brain coordination required to write in your journal stimulates cognitive function.
Encourages achievement of goals – Journaling primes your brain to categorize things you write as important, prompting you to be more receptive to opportunities that bring fulfillment of your goals.
Improves mood – In addition to helping reduce stress, journaling improves well-being and promotes happiness.
Cultivates mindfulness – Journaling allows you to be in a state of mindfulness. It is easier to experience bliss while you’re immersed in writing your thoughts on paper.
Promotes good habits – You have to set aside time for journal writing, and this in itself is an exercise in discipline. A good habit can flow into other areas of your life. You may be pleasantly surprised at how this manifest.
Read on to check out some journals kept by history’s most famous people. We hope they inspire you to keep a journal yourself.
If there is one word used to describe Leonardo da Vinci, it is genius. He was well known as a master painter, architect, sculptor, and inventor, and his ideas were way ahead of their time.
Many of his surviving works are currently displayed in prestigious museums and galleries all over the world.
In his lifetime, da Vinci kept notes about his ideas, inventions, and studies. Today, an estimated 7,000 pages from those journals survive.
The image featured here is a two-page spread from da Vinci’s Codex Leicester. The 72-page journal was purchased by Bill Gates in 1994.
Frida Kahlo was one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. She was best known for her vibrant and uncompromising self-portraits. Frida’s works of art often had themes of death, human anatomy, and personal identity. Her diaries recorded her dreams and thoughts, and there are also poems found within the pages.
Frida’s diaries also served as her sketchbooks, which she used for some of her illustrations. See the example above, painted in brilliant colors.
Marie Curie was known as the “Mother of Modern Physics.” She and her husband, Pierre Curie, discovered polonium and radium. For this discovery and her research on radioactivity, Marie Curie became a two-time Nobel Peace Prize awardee.
This sample page from her journal details the research she did on the theory of radioactivity. This journal, along with several of her other personal effects, are recognized as national treasures.
The nature of her work caused Marie Curie’s body and personal belongings to become radioactive. She was also known to keep fragments of radioactive material in her pocket.
Marie Curie died from a type of anemia brought about by exposure to the radioactive elements she worked on. To prevent contamination, she was buried in a lead-lined coffin.
Her journals, although available for perusal, can only be viewed by someone wearing protective gear who has signed a liability waiver. The journals can be found in the Bibliotheque National in Paris, kept in lead-lined boxes.
Anne Frank is one of the most-discussed personalities from World War II. She gained fame posthumously, after the discovery and publication of her diary. It is said to have changed how the world looked at war.
Anne Frank was a Jewish teenager living in Amsterdam, Netherlands, when World War II broke out. She and her family hid from the Gestapo in a secret room in the building where Otto Frank, Anne’s father, worked.
After a few years spent hiding, the family was captured by the Gestapo. Anne and her sister were sent to Auschwitz. Unfortunately, Anne passed away a few months before Allied Forces liberated Auschwitz. Otto Frank was the lone survivor of the family.
Anne Frank’s diary was discovered in the building where they hid. It was given to Otto Frank, who published his daughter’s chronicles of their life in hiding.
Samuel Clemens, also known as Mark Twain, is the author who introduced us to Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer and allowed us to share in their adventures.
Mark Twain was a known journal-keeper during his lifetime, and favored pocket notebooks. He often started a new journal for every trip he took. He jotted down ideas, inspiration, and thoughts for upcoming stories.
Journals can tell us a lot about their keepers’ personalities. The above example is a names list for a story’s character. In this case, we catch a glimpse the humorous side of Mark Twain. Wouldn’t it be interesting to read a story of somebody named “Diphtheria Marsh” or “Dysentery Briggs?”
Charles Darwin introduced the world to the theory of natural selection, and his notebooks allow us a glimpse into how he processed his ideas.
In this sample page taken from one of his field journals, we see Charles Darwin’s depiction of a tree. This tree is meant to represent the genealogy of a particular species.
Emilié Davis lived in Philadelphia during the United States’ Civil War. During this period of unrest in the country, she kept a diary and recorded the events that transpired and affected her life as a free African-American woman.
Her written account paints a vivid picture of the lives of black people during this period in history. Davis recorded her daily activities, her feelings about the Battle of Gettysburg, and what happened during the Emancipation Proclamation. Her diaries even captured the emotional landscape of the country during and after President Lincoln’s death.
Charles Dodgson, an English writer who went by the pen name Lewis Carroll, gave the world Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. He was said to have been a diarist since he was 10 years old.
Several of the diaries from his adult years survived. The above example shows his diary entry from the first time he shared the story about the adventures of his well-beloved character, Alice.
Many of us wonder if famous people live their lives differently than we do. However, Thomas Edison’s diary demonstrates that this may not be the case.
In the summer of 1885, the great inventor was on a vacation, and during that time he kept a diary.
The entries were devoid of scientific topics. Instead, the diary recorded mundane events.
In the sample above, we can read that Edison was fretting about his smoking habit—of how it had deformed his upper lip into a Havana curl, and how he detested the “nicotinny” feeling it gave him.
This goes to show that a great inventor like Edison also had ordinary troubles to contend with, just like the rest of us.
Final Thoughts on Famous People Who Kept Journals
Journaling is a great practice to adopt. It does not require much effort, and has numerous benefits for our health and well-being.
We hope that these examples of famous people who kept journals inspire you to become a journal keeper as well.
One of the easiest journals to start is a gratitude journal. Take a few minutes to watch the video below on how you can use gratitude apps to make it easier for you.
And if you’re looking for more resources, you can check out to help you get started with a journaling habit:
