r/Journaling • u/Different-Break8243 • Jun 14 '24
First journal I feel like it’s too late to start journaling
Hello I’m 20F and want to start a journal where I can just write about my day, rant and vent about things that upset me and get it all out my mind and just have fun.
I wish I stared a journal earlier in life because I feel like nothing eventful is happening or will happen anytime soon. I have no passion no career path I’m doing online everything cux I have health problems so I have no friends (like at all not even 1), etc. life is so boring for me I feel like I won’t have any memories to write about or anything eventful and idk if it’s worth starting a journal now
I wanted to write about all my Highschool experiences but they’re all pretty negative and I feel childish for being stuck up on them at this age still so idk if that’s worth putting down 😭
And idk if I should start now or wait like 2 weeks h Tim I turn 21 ans then start like it’s a new chapter yk?
Any advice and any ideas on fun things to journal even if nothing happens for me to personally write about?
Also I want to print things out that I enjoy but all I have is a black and white printer so I feel like it will be so dull and dark looking 💔
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Jun 14 '24
I started at 32! I’m 35 now and I’m currently on my 8th journal. I wish I had started when I was your age!
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u/Different-Break8243 Jun 14 '24
This is my sign to start then ‼️‼️🙈 if I don’t start now I’ll just think the same thing in the next 5-10 years
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u/dot80 Jun 14 '24
You don’t have to journal about what you’re physically doing. You can journal about what you’re thinking about. You can journal as a way to promote a new habit. You can journal to track your food. It can be really be whatever makes sense for where you’re at in life. You could make up a life and journal about that. Think about your purpose for journaling. If it is to chronicle your life, then great take note of what you’re doing. If you fear it won’t be interesting, do something interesting to write about.
Although to be honest, I don’t really go back and read my journals much. Everyone is different of course, but you should do it for the benefit of the process of doing it vs thinking about it as something that will need to be interesting to you or anyone else later. It will change over time. It won’t be perfect. A lot of it won’t be particularly interesting regardless of your time of life. I didn’t really “get in” to journaling until I got over the mental block that it had to be something I’d ever go back and look at again. Once I got over that it became easier. Morning pages (google it) is a good way to push through this feeling.
I’d say don’t wait. Start doing it now. 2 weeks won’t matter in the grand scheme if you stick with it because you’ll have many more birthdays where you will be writing in your journal. Also on your 21st birthday you’re going to feel like you have to make some profound entry to start off your “new life,” but likely there isn’t going to be some big change. It is probably going to feel a lot like the day before. Aging changes you gradually, not once a year.
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u/Different-Break8243 Jun 14 '24
That’s very true and great advice thank you sm!! 🫶🏼
Also yeah I never realised it but I’ve always been too caught up in it Having to be “interesting” so I could look back and read something interesting in a few years but ur right that doesn’t have to be the whole point!!!
I think I’ve also been caught up in the whole aesthetic of journaling which held me back a lot. I’m good at artsy stuff when I copy or take inspiration but I have no idea how to make my journal my own with art but that seemed to be what everyone online was doing which intimidated me a lot
I think the whole waiting till my bday isn’t anything to do with new chapters or feeling like a new life cix I don’t celebrate bdays anyway but more just organized by starting at a certain age and hopefully finishing by the next but maybe I’m just thinking too deeply abkut again the “aesthetics” of that
Your comment really helped me change the way I think of journaling 🥺 thank you 🥹🫶🏼
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u/WarmfulTwillight Jun 14 '24
I started at 20. I’m 24 with 11 completely filled out. You can 100% start, i started because of Covid
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u/Different-Break8243 Jun 14 '24
Omg 11??? I always feel like I’ll never finish even one 😭😭 I remember I used to try and end up writing 1 page and giving up. But now that I’m adult I think I’ll be able to put my thoughts into words a lot better so hopefully I can commit this time 🙏
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u/WarmfulTwillight Jun 14 '24
https://www.reddit.com/r/Journaling/s/MoOPFuRljP
Here you go :) maybe try this
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u/Different-Break8243 Jun 14 '24
Thank you. I love what you said about style developing over time, it makes me excited to start!!!
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u/WarmfulTwillight Jun 14 '24
Was it this comment? because this is also wonderful advice!
And it really goes for many things. No matter what, if time is put into something, magically a pattern and style will form. It’s so crazy, and it just takes looking back one time to realize it one day lol
I think the best way to put it, is its kinda like playing an instrument. After so many days you just realize to yourself that “wait, i don’t suck” and you can actually play the instrument
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u/Different-Break8243 Jun 14 '24
No it was the comment from the first link you sent! But yeah I never thought about it like that before. Often times u give up cix it fees to random and all over the place but I never thought of it as having a common theme and developing a style of ur own!
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u/eat_like_snake Jun 14 '24
You're 20. You've barely even begun to live. You're still an infant in adult terms.
Write about whatever you want. It doesn't strictly have to be your life events. Hell, a lot of our online journals back in the day (and sometimes still to this day) were nothing but question memes.
You could also buy a guided journal if you're at a lack for ideas, or just go through prompts online, and pick ones you'd enjoy writing about.
There are also other ways to decorate your pages than just printing stuff out. Glue things in, use stickers, use washi tape, use receipts or scraps or whatever you feel like using, draw pictures, etc.
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u/colorful_assortment Jun 14 '24
omg the quizzes! The lists of questions!! This was SO BIG on LiveJournal!! How many times can you read your friends' favorite color, star sign and birthplace before it gets old? Infinity times, apparently, based on the fervor with which we completed those things.
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u/Different-Break8243 Jun 14 '24
Thank you!! I’m not into guided journals I feel so restricted with them I hate it 😭😭 but def gonna get a journal and start writing anything even just listing my fave current songs or books I’m reading!
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u/LibbIsHere Jun 14 '24
I feel like it’s too late to start journaling
Hello I’m 20F
WTF? I mean, come on. You're very young (says I, a 50+ dude). How could this be too late? Just start, don't wait for some 'good' reason. Start now.
Also I want to print things out that I enjoy but all I have is a black and white printer so I feel like it will be so dull and dark looking 💔
You can use markers, colored pencils, watercolors to add colors. You could also sketch from scratch, without the need to print at all — that's what I do ;)
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u/Different-Break8243 Jun 14 '24
That’s true thank you for the encouragement!! Ik I’m still young but I think I’m just stuck up on past events but journaling and writing them down now to get it off my chest after all these years is a very reliving thought 😭
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u/LibbIsHere Jun 14 '24
Sure, that's one very legit reason to journal. And one reason more to not wait to start doing it. The sooner you start, the sooner it could help you get over that past.
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u/Journal_Ho Jun 14 '24
I took a looooong break from journaling and started up again when I was 30. My dad is still an avid journaler in his 70s. It's never too late to start!
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Jun 14 '24
Seize the day. Write your heart out. Even if it’s negative sounding, or if your handwriting is seemingly imperfect, or if you feel like it’s too late or a chore, just keep writing about things in your mind. Don’t be afraid to express yourself; nobody else will judge you at all.
Nothing in life happens too late or too early. It is what it is, so better start now than never.
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u/sinotosinokaba Jun 14 '24
I started journaling during pandemic. I'm stuck at home doing nothing full of problem, trauma and adjusting. All I can say is it's not to late. If what you need to write is negative. Do it then.
it's been 5 years now(?) since I started. As I read them one by one to the present, it all gets better. I don't even realize the transition of my mindset and maturity from experiences and thoughts. It's beautiful.❤️🩹
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u/Different-Break8243 Jun 14 '24
That’s amazing!! And also one of the reasons I kind of want to start. I wanna be able to see and read how I chnage over the years which I wish I could read about my teenage years cuz I went thru ALOT back then 😭😭 but this made me excited!!!
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u/sinotosinokaba Jun 14 '24
I'm actually a teenager. when I started journaling, I was in my stage where I should learn what I need to learn. But sadly, I need to admit me as teenagers is a bit delay when it comes to knowledge on some aspects because of pandemic:(
I remember writing stuffs like I don't know how to commute and even draw a map🤣. Years later I write about my hangout with friends and funny jokes during commute rides with them.
I think in your case, it's beautiful to cover your "life in my 20's"!!!! Imagine writing your struggles and when you get older you can read them back???? maybe 30's or something😫 I don't actually find 20's as something late, I think it's good age to bring innovation (like to yourself,etc.)
I suggest writing on your journal as a I will do it if I want to instead of mandatory that you need to write on it every day. Find me crazy but I write the lyrics I sing in my head even the biggest bomb drop secrets🤣🤣🤣
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u/Different-Break8243 Jun 14 '24
Awhh thank you for the advice!! Unfortunately due to being a teen during the pandemic I also have no clue how to use public transit without panicking and getting lost or drawing a map so we’re in some type of the same boat 😭😭
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u/infinitesoundtrack Jun 14 '24
I don't mean this in an agressive or hostile way whatsoever but, this post could've been a journal entry, for example, just formatted differently. I say this since you mention you are hesitant on starting for not knowing what you could journal about, or thinking you don't have anything going on in your life worth journaling about. But actually you yourself have already stated what you'd want to write about in the first line of the post.
It's a true and common problem when thinking about starting a journal, so don't beat yourself up too much, I'm sure a lot of the journalers in this subreddit have struggled with the same (myself included).
We tend to think too much and idealize our journal and get bogged down giving too much consideration to aesthetics, to content, and while those are nice things to explore, I think when first starting out, one should keep it simple and remember that you only need three things: thoughts, pen, paper. Eventually you'll find ways to mix it up, and it's always good to start with what you have already at hand, so if black and white printer is all you have, go for it, you might surprise yourself with how it turns out.
Wish you all the best in your new journaling venture!
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u/Different-Break8243 Jun 14 '24
Definitely not hostile or aggressive! I was thinking the same thing while I was writing it😭😭 but I also don’t even have a journal yet so no point saving it. We can just consider this my first entry 🙈
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u/InkSparks Jun 14 '24
If it helps, I'm in my 30s and just started journaling again for the sake of my mental health. I write about my day, my problems, what I wanna do, and if nothing else I write about what I think about. I also put stickers and stuff in it, to keep it fun.
You can always start now and see it as building up to that next milestone, if that helps? I get having that regret about not journaling during formative parts of your life. The best quote I've heard for it is this: the best day to start is in the past, the second best day to start is today.
edit: I love how like every comment I'm seeing has the same "carpe diem" vibe
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u/Different-Break8243 Jun 14 '24
Thank you 🫶🏼 I’m ordering one but it comes on the 21-28th 😭😭😭 I’m gonna look for some inspiration on what else I can use it for!!
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u/InkSparks Jun 14 '24
Awesome! honestly I forgot to mention but one of the things that helped me get into it is being kind to myself about it. I feel like there isn't a right or wrong way to journal, content-wise. There's no perfect first entry, that kind of thing.
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u/colorful_assortment Jun 14 '24
You can start journaling whenever you want for any reason. Not having started before is no reason not to start now! I'm 38 and started new journals this year. I didn't start a bullet journal until I was 31.
Journaling is good for you and for mental health.
I too have health problems but i still do some things. My life isn't endless thrills and chills but honestly that sounds pretty exhausting. I would like maybe slightly more things to happen in my life but i still have plenty to write about.
The internet is a place you can make friends. There are still online journal communities. I used to be on LiveJournal in my teens but that was 20 years ago. But i made a lot of friends on forums and chatrooms and LJ and early social media. I would like to think Tumblr or WordPress would still be good for this.
I still write about things that happened to me in my teens as someone close to 40. It's totally fine. It will help you process what happened to you.
Things to journal about: lists of your favorite movies/foods/songs/places/books, your emotions, your meals, your potential career ideas, things you might wish to research and learn about, places you want to go, your childhood, your family, your city or town.
If you have no passions, you might be depressed, which can make it hard to feel like doing much of anything. I say this as someone who has had depression since I was 11. There may be something out there that will interest you though. Having hobbies is always good for mental health. Are there any arts or crafts you might want to try? It could be anything from making friendship bracelets to building models to collaging with magazines.
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u/Different-Break8243 Jun 14 '24
Thank your for the advice 🫶🏼🫶🏼 but I also don’t think I’m depressed I just meant career wise I have nothing that interests me to the point of wanting to spend thousands and years and years studying 😭😭😭 which leads to no career path and no clue what I wanna be or do in the future but I do a lot of arts and crafts!!!
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u/colorful_assortment Jun 14 '24
Well, you have time to figure it out. You can try various jobs now to see if you like working retail, at a desk, outside, in a restaurant, etc. Glad you're not depressed!
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u/Tiny-Tumbleweed-2457 Jun 14 '24
I started at 21 and felt very similar to what you’re feeling. Your life is just beginning and I think journaling could really help. I’m now 31 and realized that journaling has helped me sort through it all.
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u/Different-Break8243 Jun 14 '24
That’s great to hear 🥹 I hope journaling helps me just as much and I hope it helps u out even more in the future! 🫶🏼
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Jun 14 '24
Journal is not a Facebook page, it does not have to include just the impressive pretty highlights of your life. Nobody will read it, if you want to moan and wail into it: do it. At least you won't be sitting with these negative thoughts in your head on repeat. If you hate the journal after you fill it you can even throw it out. Nobody is policing this, what have you got to loose?
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u/Biggus_Blikkus Jun 14 '24
I'm 27 and started 2 days ago. Yesterday's entry was partially about me looking back 10 years. I too wish I'd started sooner, but better late-ish than never, right? You could start journaling at 80 and it still wouldn't be too late.
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u/UnfairPossibility762 Jun 14 '24
I started getting into journaling at 25, it’s never too late to start, but it’s honestly the best thing I’ve done. I’ve struggled with mental health issues for years and sometimes it helps to write down what I’m feeling.
Doesn’t have to be a novel, it can be a page or even just half a page. What matters isn’t how much you write or even what you write really, it’s getting the thoughts out and help clearing your mind when you need it.
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u/risen-down Jun 14 '24
Ha, I said that to myself when I was 11. Started a cursed ass journal anyway, and it's been going on ever since. So I would say, just go for it, time goes by faster than you'd think lol
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u/Different-Break8243 Jun 14 '24
Ik I was thinking about it first in like 2020 when I was like 17 during the pandemic ans now I’m almost 21 ans I’m just now starting it 😭😭😭
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u/SoftCircleImage Jun 14 '24
I started journaling less than two years ago, and I am so glad I did! I can go back to my entries and relive moments. Also don’t stress that you didn’t journal for so long. What I found out is that sometimes memories tend to come up and journal entries get hijacked with events from the past. So they will still find presence in your journal eventually. You’ll be surprised at how much of early life you actually remember at our age.
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u/Different-Break8243 Jun 14 '24
Yeah I have a sketchbook and I wanted to try come up with how I want my journal to start and look and what I want it to be about an do realized I’d have a good time making it my little journal of memories alongside any little rants or events in my day to day life!
I think it would be cool in a couple of years reading it and going back and forth between 2024 events and events from like 2015 😭😭😭 I have so many stories I want to write down when I get my journal I’m getting so excited
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u/Garibon Jun 14 '24
It's not too late. Besides the benefits are more than just about looking back. It's really useful in the short term to pull you back on track. If you write about how boring and without purpose your life is enough times you end up kicking yourself up the arse to start doing more.
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u/Different-Break8243 Jun 14 '24
That’s true! Funny thing is I just learnt how writing and journaling can boost wellness and mental health in my online class today 😭 seems like a sign!!
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u/Abundance1973 Jun 14 '24
I hope you don't mind my advice. I know it will sound hinky so take what you will and ignore the rest (or all!) Journaling has a lot of power behind it. This is because whatever you focus on you get more of. I speak from experience not simply "belief" or some spiritual woo woo. It takes focus to write things out. The more focus you put on something the more "true" it becomes in your life. So while I know you said you'd like to journal to document what goes on in your day if it was a cruddy day then writing it all out could potentially mean your creating a future with more of the same. I know it sounds stupid/frustrating/not true but maybe just for grins and giggles try something different. Take everything you wrote in this post and write the opposite. "I am in great health. I feel wonderful. I know the greatest people. I have a few very good friends. I meet the best people. I have strong fulfilling relationships. My life is filled with fun, peace, joy and love. Everything always works out for me. I love writing out my happy life." Etc. etc. Be specific if you have something specific you want. Then do your best to not focus on what you don't like in life and try focusing on what you DO like. Even as simple as "What a pretty Robin" or "This ice cream tastes delicious" or "I love this comfortable bed," no matter how mundane make note of the goodness. Doing this can bring what you focus on into your life or bring you more of what feels good. I share with people this: focus on what you love (because we create more of what we focus on.)
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u/Different-Break8243 Jun 14 '24
Thank you! I don’t intend to write only negative things down but they’re rlly weighing on me so I think it’s a good idea to get it out of my mind and off my chest
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u/oneeyedsmiley Jun 14 '24
Never too late to start a journal. You can write about whatever is on your mind, whether processing the negative stuff from highschool so you can get it out of your system to fun stuff you want to do and planning steps to achieve those dreams. You can journal about boring stuff. No matter what you journal about, you will discover stuff about yourself and that will give you new stuff to journal about.
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u/WritingbySaskia Jun 14 '24
Never too late! I’m 31 and only started journaling in the last few years. Best decision ever! My personal development has accelerated since I journal regularly.
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u/jsong123 Jun 14 '24
One purpose of journaling is to get you through the present day (and the present moment). So you can start on any day.
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Jun 14 '24
20 is super young to me and not too late
Just start simple - write about things that bother you, excite you, and you are grateful for
You can buy stickers to use instead of printed images
You can write a diary entry in response to a song you liked
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u/anonymous_ech0 Jun 14 '24
start now, it's actually nice, i'm 19m and i started journaling as an excuse to use my fountain pens again
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u/J-F-K Jun 14 '24 edited Jun 14 '24
I’ve found journaling much more helpful to reflect on mundane or disappointing life experiences rather than eventful ones. It helps me identify why I feel this way and what I can do to improve.
Start writing! This post could be your first entry.
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u/T_Cadi3 Jun 14 '24 edited Jun 14 '24
It's never too late to journal. You have nothing interesting? That's okay! Use your imagination. Ramble about your favorite food. Write about the little ticking noise your fan makes. It doesn't have to be feelings, events, or what you typically see people post. Just write. All you need is a pen (or whatever you prefer) and a paper.
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u/Trusteveryboody Jun 14 '24
One day, or day one.
I started the day I turned 18, I had thought of the idea up to a year prior. And I did do it, I kept it relatively consistently....then I didn't for a few months.
And ever since (I think 2022), I maybe have missed 5 days max. Daily.
It's cool; you do not realize how much you forget, but actually can remember if reminded. I was looking back yesterday. I wish I started earlier though.
And looking back yesterday, I did it specific days in response to a Reddit Post....and I never truly put in perspective, but even if my life hasn't changed that much since then, I have. It seems pretty evident, when looking back over it. Am now 21.
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u/Lumpy_Mood_5968 Jun 14 '24
I never could manage to journal regularly until I just decided I wanted to start last fall. I’m 37 and wish I had been journaling daily since I was 20. Not because my life is so interesting, but sometimes you miss the mundane memories as much as the fun, exciting ones.
Journaling isn’t exclusively for people who live exciting, constantly eventful lives. Sometimes you’ll have something eventful to write about, sometimes it’s just about capturing the mundane details of the moment. Either is fine. Either is a valid form of journaling. You'd be surprised how nice it can be to be able to open an old journal and recall things that would otherwise be lost to time, because you now have a written record of it.
Journaling is a practice, and sometimes it’s just about keeping the practice going, even if today’s entry isn’t one you’ll refer back to in the future. Sometimes if I just start writing even though I don’t think I have anything in mind, suddenly it starts flowing out onto the page in a way I didn’t expect.
Also, journaling doesn’t have to be about your career path or friendships. It can, but it can also be about your thoughts on different topics. I often find this much more interesting than writing about my day to day activities.
Sometimes you need to hash topics out in a journal entry to really understand your own thoughts on the matter, whatever it may be. It helps you understand what you think and why you think that way. In a few years time, if you look back on it, maybe you’ll get to see how you and your thoughts have changed since.
As far as waiting till you’re a certain age, I don’t see any need for that. A lot of people wait to start new resolutions until New Years out of some sense of tradition or whatever. I find that just gives me license to put it off and avoid it. Instead, when I want to change something or try something new, I just jump right in. I think that’s best.
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u/RetiredSurvivor Jun 14 '24
I am 63 years old and wish that I had starting journaling at 20. My 20's and 30's were pretty exciting times in my life both good and bad. I wish I could open up a notebook and read all that I wrote back then.
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u/Kil-roy_was_here Jun 14 '24
It is never too late to start journaling. You just have to make it a habit. I just got consistent this year and I'm 23. Eventful things will happen again, and there's more to be learned from the mundanity you may have to write about than you would think.
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u/Sophiya40 Jun 14 '24
Journaling is fun at any age. Try it, if doesn't help try it like 2 more times and then leave it.
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u/Eis_ber Jun 14 '24
My dear, you can start now, in your 40s, in your 70s or on your deathbed. The only time it's too late to journal is when you close your eyes permanently. Take your time, don't overcomplicate things, and write when you feel like writing.
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u/AndromedaGalaxyXYZ Jun 14 '24
I did some journaling before that, but I wasnt consistant until I was 57 (Im 63 now)/ I wish I had more stuff from earlier when I was more active.
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u/keenieBObeenie Jun 14 '24
I didn't get into journaling until I was 29, and even now a lot of entries aren't about anything in particular. I only really have the urge to write when I'm having a bad time, so if things are going well I often won't have more than a sentence or two for days at a time.
Journaling is for YOU. There is no barrier to entry. If you feel like starting on your birthday will make it more meaningful, do that, but don't feel obligated to wait if you want to start immediately!
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u/princess-2000000 Jun 14 '24
Considering you're entering your 20s, your life is about to get very interesting. Right now is a great time to start journaling. I didn't start until I was 25. And I'm glad I did because my life really did have so many eventful things happening even if my day to day was kinda boring. I'm glad I wrote down my feelings, predictions, and worries. The things that came from those feelings are things I want to keep remembering. And it's fine if you're still hung up on highschool you were there, presumably, for 4 years every day of your life and you've only been gone for 2. You should journal about it, it was a big moment in your life. It deserves to be looked at.
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u/Holy-Grail-of-Words Jun 14 '24
It is never too late to start journaling! You have so many years ahead of you.
In my experience, writing has been the best tool for healing and self-discovery. You can google a ton of journaling questions and see what sparks your interest.
💛
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u/AprilRD84 Jun 14 '24
Start now! You'll be so happy you did. I'm almost 40, started journaling at age 9, oldest journal that survived was from age 11. I LOVED journaling from middle school through college and did it A LOT. I wrote about everything - mostly reminiscing about HS and boys and family issues and boys - I'm now a busy working mom with three kids, running a household and trying to keep up with all the things....I have soo much I want to write down about my life now and I can't. Because I'm too busy. I used to be able to fill my journals in about 3-6 months with just mindless thoughts just to get them out of my head....my current journal is barely half filled and it is almost 3 years old. The one before that took 5 years to complete.
Write about what you wish for your future - the kind of man you want to marry, the hobbies you'd like to do, the places you'd like to visit, the kind of job you want, how many kids you want, what their names will be, etc.
Trust me, 20 years from now when you're my age, you'll realize how young 20 was and that it wasn't too late to start journaling because you'll have 20 years of memories to read back over.
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u/willowfromcedars Jun 14 '24
Even writing about your high school experiences now can provide valuable insight when you're older. You can see if/how your thinking has changed! I think that's really cool (but I'm a teacher so that's kind of my MO).
With regard to the printing, try printing out line art and colouring it in!
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u/GalacticJelly Jun 14 '24
I started journaling consistently only a few years ago at 23. It’s a great time to start!
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u/snickrloaf21 Jun 14 '24
Definitely not too late and if that still heavy on ur mind then it’s best to write it out
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u/998feetunder Jun 14 '24
I’m 20 too! Just stared a few months ago and I’m almost done with my first pocket journal. I bring it everywhere I go and write mostly nonsense. Its a good way to start a habit. It’s never too late
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u/998feetunder Jun 14 '24
I’m 20 too! Just stared a few months ago and I’m almost done with my first pocket journal. I bring it everywhere I go and write mostly nonsense. Its a good way to start a habit. It’s never too late
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u/brainhijack101 Jun 14 '24
Go for the black and white pictures. Start now. This all sounds like it could be called a “pre-journal”.
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u/Minutemann02 Jun 14 '24
the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the second best time is right now :)
EDIT : i just started journaling this year and im 21 you can always journal about feelings or doodles or just go DO something to journal about!
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u/LopsidedPermit696 Jun 14 '24
I started at 19. I write what I want to write, even if it is trivial and already over. There are no rules for what is important to your brain. My journal is an extension of myself—imperfect, childish, excellent at holding grudges, and messy. Give it a try. Worse case scenario, you have an opportunity in the future to give it another try.
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u/claraninam Jun 15 '24
Really, I don’t think starting to keep a journal has an expiration date ;) and your 20s are often quite hectic in terms of emotions and feelings, so it’s a particularly great time to start !
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u/TsunamiNipples Jun 15 '24
You can start a journal at any age. I’m 26 and this is my 4th? diary because I keep losing them 🥴. When I do lose one I just start over. My current one I started when I was 23.
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u/Ambitious_Sky6490 Jun 15 '24
You should start journaling right now. What you wrote here can be your first entry, and you can write down some goals too, if you want, like make friends, get a job I like, get ice cream to celebrate my upcoming birthday. I am much older than you and I start journaling again every year!
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u/Boring-Secret308 Jun 15 '24
I am 20m, and I am actually majoring in communications with an emphasis in grief work. My studies though focus more of communication with grief. I have learned so much about intrapersonal communication and how good it can do for us. I personally have about 5 journals all for similar yet different things (one that is old about the old chapter of my life, one that i use to doodle, one for actual journaling, one with prompts, and one with shadow work). I also have voice memos haha.
I recommend you start and just write! Get creative, and make it your own. You dont even have to write words, sometimes i just harshly make circles or random scribbles to get things out of my head. Putting feelings into paper is so good for ourselves- we can make meaning of them later!
I went a bit off topic, but I know that it is never too late to start writing. A form of journaling can also be taking pictures of things that make you feel- it helps you get out of your place if possible.
There is so much that you can do, but the fun part is that you can take it at your own pace and start now :)
I said so much and it’s so confusing probably (i never comment or make posts sorry haha) but i am here if you want resources or any other information/ help!!
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u/Boring-Secret308 Jun 15 '24
Also, grief journaling and work can help you with learning how to live with your past. It is different for so many, but it can help heal and teach.
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u/nullptrgw Jun 15 '24
One of the points of journaling is to help you get in the habit of reflecting on your life, paying more attention to your days, noticing what you're thinking about, writing about your feelings, being more aware of your experience and journey and process.
It sounds like you've got unresolved feelings and attachments about some of your high school experiences. Writing about them is a fantastic way to process them.
For a while, I kept two journals I would write in every night. In one journal I wrote about what happened during the day, and in the other I wrote about memories from my childhood.
For printing things, my wife has a portable photo printer she uses when we travel. She takes photos on her phone, then prints them onto little stickers to put in her journal. Hers is a Canon SELPHY QX10.
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u/SendDudesNeedHelp Jun 15 '24
I had this exact feeling, even though I started properly in like 8th grade (graduated high school recently fyi)
It's natural to feel this way, but it doesn't matter when you start. Once you get going, these feelings start to become lesser and lesser. So don't worry. You're never too late to start journaling. Earlier I saw a post of a 60+ year old starting her first journal. So yeah, don't worry about this.
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u/ColdBuy4037 Jun 15 '24
Maybe it could be a nice way to document your progress in finding friends and hobbies. Im in a similar situation and that's what I'm doing. But also its like the journal has become a friend to me. Its also helped me romanticise the mundane
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u/Pretty-Journal-Pages Jun 15 '24
It's never too late to start anything! And journaling is such a benefit beyond what people know. Those negative events are memories and life experiences. Write about the event, how you felt, and how you got through it. Later you can look back on your journal and see how far you've gotten. It might also become something helpful to someone else.
Writing about events as you speak also helps us process things we didn't know were holding us back.
Print things in black in white then use markers, colored pencils, pens, etc. to add some color.
Journal about your daily events, things you've done, things you need to get done, exciting events, not-so-exciting events, habits you want to create ie: drinking more water, exercising more, journaling more, etc. And journaling doesn't have to be all structured, it can be just a place to brain-dump feelings, thoughts, wants, dreams, and wishes.
Start journaling now :)
xoxo
Pretty Journal Pages
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u/Dr_C527 Jun 16 '24
I barely even remember 20! I did not start writing every day until I was almost 40. Even joke that I wrote my first book entirely through electronic means.
Also, I wish I could tell you that with a milestone age, or change of a year that things will be different, and while there are aspects outside of one’s control, what matters is how you react and respond. So, make the best of everything!
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u/Bho42 Jun 16 '24
37M here and started journaling this january. So, it's never too late, even if you were 60 or 70. What does really matter, from my personal point of view, is the way journaling can help you in the "now" and later. The rest is just youtube marketing and such useless craps. Journal for yourself, not for somebody told you (even if it was yourself) it's somehow cool or usefull. Journaling is a kind of meditation IMHO.
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u/FreeRangeWriting Jun 17 '24
Being “too late” for anything in life is generally not a real thing. I felt older and more behind in life in my teens and twenties than I do now. I didn't start journaling consistently until I was just in time for the best decade of my life so far: 40s.
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u/luvjugyeong Jun 14 '24
I felt this way too lol even tho im 15. I wanted to journal about my life in middle school but I was bullied as well :/ but I think you should start whenever, theres no age for anything :3
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u/Different-Break8243 Jun 14 '24
🥹 I know what it feels like to be bullied it rlly sucks. I hope life treats you well from now on and journaling brings you some sort of peace and happiness as you go through high school 🫶🏼🫶🏼
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u/colorful_assortment Jun 14 '24
I'm 38 but I was bullied in middle and high school for being a reader and a teacher's pet with no fashion sense who didn't like what everyone else liked. I got mocked just for sitting at my desk saying nothing. It was awful and made me very introverted.
Bullies are insecure people who lash out at someone who doesn't conform or who makes them feel inadequate. It's cruel and it's not good for them any more than it's good for the people they hurt.
In high school, I got online and made friends who liked the same bands i liked and that helped me to build confidence. When I went to college, I figured out better who i was as a person and cultivated my own style and became an extrovert who could make friends easily. People in college tend to WANT to be there compared to middle/high school where you just HAVE to be there, legally. But college is a choice so a lot of the types of people who bullied you probably won't be there. If they are, they're much easier to avoid in favor of the friends you make.
It does get better. You WILL find your people. They might be at a camp, an art class, a concert, the library or the game store, or at your future college or job, but they are out there waiting to meet you and love you for who you are.
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u/luvjugyeong Jun 14 '24
aww tysm! Im doing online school as well rn for high school due to mental health issues !
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u/charles92027 Jun 15 '24
First of all, you’re twenty, you have eighty years to go. You’re not too late for anything. I turned fifty five this year and people I’ve known my whole life are starting to die. It’s not too late for me. I still write about crappy high school experiences. High school is one of the worst experiences, it will mess you up for life. Write about it, it’s your journal, if your high school experience was lame, write about it, get it on paper and out of your head. If you’re worried you’re starting too late in life, why are you thinking about waiting until you’re twenty one? Start writing, get things down, you don’t have to print or share with anyone. One of the problems with the internet is people sharing beautiful journals with aesthetically pleasing layouts and interesting journaling systems. It makes the process intimidating. Journaling is about getting your thoughts on paper. Just write, get into the habit of writing everyday. Put your worst on the page and feel better. Put dull and dark on the page so it doesn’t sit in your head.
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u/wizardofozzbourne Jul 28 '24
it doesnt matter when you start, your journal is your safe space to put whatever you like, it doesnt matter if what you write is something you see as “childish”, or if you think other people would see it that way. write whatever you want and whatever is on your mind, its yours and for your eyes only unless you decide to change that, go pick up a cheap notebook and a pen and start writing to get a feel for it, and if you have pencil crayons you could maybe try to color in the pictures? just a suggestion :)
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u/Layer-Healthy Oct 15 '24
I started at 28. Trust me 20 is not too late (it never is). Just start writing/ talking I wish I started at 20 since I faced different difficulties back then
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u/Your_Receding_Warmth Jun 14 '24
This subreddit is honestly a ficking disaster. Journalling shouldn't be like this.
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u/Different-Break8243 Jun 14 '24 edited Jun 14 '24
Huh? It’s a question about starting my first journal as I’ve never had one before and want to start I’m just looking for advice lol.. how should journaling be in ur opinion then?
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u/EmotionalSnail_ Jun 14 '24
Just think, when you're 30, you'll be saying "I wish I started when I was 20, now it's too late"