Living with mental illness or mental health issues or as I like to refer to it, recovery lends itself to keeping a journal. You don’t need to be a “real” writer to keep a journal. My kids all keep notebooks of some kind, and I’ve kept travel journals for trips and retreat/spiritual journals. I’m about to embark on my second Lent journal.
There are also so many options out there for any style of journal-keeping, whether longhand, calendar diary, record-keeping, bullet points, or sketching. Or you can dabble in all kinds, both to keep it fresh but also to experiment and see which type suits you better. I do several types all in the same physical book.

Pinterest is a great place to find and explore the varieties of journal styles that are out there as well as discovering journaling prompts to help you along. We can all use a little push now and then.

You can buy premade journals for specific areas or fancy blank journals or create your own with a small three-ring binder. These can be found online at Staples, Target and online as well as local boutique shops.

The possibilities are nearly endless.

Types of Journals

Bullet, Bujo (this is a brand and a style), Dear Diary, Travel, Sketchbook, Prayer, Memoir, I even have a writer’s planner journal

Evernote is a good way to keep a journal digitally.

Things to Record:

Weather

That perfect outfit

Medication/Doctor’s Visits’ Logs

Prayers/Meditations

Diet/Eating Habits

Word Art

Other Art

Bucket List

New words

New stores to check out/rec

Books read

Movies watched

New foods tried

Reflections on your recovery or family or job or anything

Charities to support

Restaurants to try/rec

Comic book shops

Scrapbooking stores

Needed for completing a collection

Bill checklist

Local businesses

Photos to take

Trip planner

Wish lists

Fictional characters

Quotations

Tool kit/coping reminders

Recipes

Again, the possibilities are endless. What would you suggest that I forgot?