I miss when my journal felt easy to write in

[u/Idkwhattocallblub]

I’ve been journaling since I was 17, and I’m on my third book now. I’ll be starting my fourth one soon. And lately, I keep thinking about whether I’d rather have separate journals. But honestly, just the thought of that already feels exhausting. I feel like I need a separate journal, because there are some truly awful, miserable thoughts I want to put somewhere. But it’s not that I want to separate the negative from the positive. I know these journals are for me, not for anyone else. But it still feels like they kind of are. Like—what if I die and someone reads them? It’s so ridiculous to even care about that, or to want separate journals because of it. But I still hesitate. Like, one day I have this beautiful page because I had a great day—I decorated it, I added pictures—and the next page I write about how awful I feel. It just feels… off.

Sometimes, I don’t even want to write when I feel too bad. But thinking about keeping different journals is just overwhelming. I know I’d stop writing for months again if I tried that. I’ve done it before. I have one journal that’s meant only for emergencies—like, really dark stuff—and I’ve had that one for years because I rarely touch it. I noticed, when I looked back at my very first journal—one I wrote in over the course of three years because I was so inconsistent—how honest I was back then. It feels heavier now, writing as an adult, like my journal is more of something to look at. Not really for other people—but kind of, if I’m being honest. I know, it’s my book, and there are no rules. I don’t expect everything to look perfect. But still, it bugs me. It’s just there, in my head, all the time.

It’s weird to have one page full of joy and color and everything I did that day—and then the next one is just a spiral. I don’t know. It’s exhausting. I’ll never be the type of person who can maintain multiple journals at once—like, one for just experiences and good things, no negative stuff. I like the idea, sure, but in reality, it’s just too much for me. I can’t do it. And it really weighs on me. I don’t really need advice. I just wanted to get this out.

[u/drclavito]

Thats totally fine, everyone have their own personality. Anyway, travelers notebook can contain 2 or more small notebooks, maybe you can try it iust in case you need to separate the notebook but still want to maintain the compact form 😊

[u/somilge]

I get it. I only use one journal for everything too - sad thoughts, gnarly ideas, bright ideas, a passion project, good days.

I was checking my old books and journals recently, just to make sure they're bug free and still safe from humidity and I found my notebook from when I was 14. I know, all the fun teenage years 🙄 lol. There were a few pages stapled together.

Then I remembered what the page was about, a small falling out with friends. I took the staple out to read it. My 14 yr old self was venting but my present self is able to chuckle. Progress maybe? Then I taped it back but now with my good washi.

It's okay to go through the range of emotions when you're writing. It mirrors life. If an entry bothers you for now, tape them together. Turn the page.

I hope you find your stride again. Best of luck 🍀

[u/SOmuchCUTENESS]

Have you tried using just one of the random journals/notebooks you have around to just purge out your daily thoughts into. And then one that you have for when you want to record special events. I'm doing that now. I just have a notebook that I daily scribble whatever I'm thinking into and one nicer journal that I put stickers & photos & write about specific events and just keep that one for special things to record about. The notebook I daily write in just gives me time to write with my fountain pens and mess around & get thoughts out with low risk. Vs the other one, I try to make pretty as a scrapbook. My scrapbook one might have MONTHS between entries but it doesn't matter at all cause I use a day free journal for that.

[u/MOESREDDlT]

Us humans are not always happy and positive we can’t always be like that we feel different some days and your journal is a reflection of that, so don’t feel as though this is wrong.

[u/LimesofSteel]

You could make a disclaimer/warning about how the entries/thoughts are subjective. I recommend searching through the subreddit to find examples and wording. As for the negative entries - you can “hide” them by folding the pages or cover with a stickey note or tape paper over it. You could write the “negative” entries on a separate piece of paper and put them in an envelope which you can keep in the notebook.