My Journaling Practice
Journaling has been one of my go-to self-care tools for nearly a decade - it’s an outlet to process moments, discoveries, thoughts, ideas, and emotions, a creative process to collage little treasures, a method to capture milestones and memories, and so much more.
journal collection over the years
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2017 - 2025
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journal collection over the years 📓 2017 - 2025 ✍🏽
I started journaling consistently after a trip to Japan in 2017. I brought a bright red Moleskine with me on the trip and it quickly became a gathering place for all the stickers, stamps, brochures, and ephemera that I collected throughout my time in Tokyo and Kyoto. When I came home from my trip, I loved looking through the pages of that journal and feeling awe - like I was back in those moments I highlighted. I felt inspired and connected.
Shortly after, I opened a notebook my dad had gifted me from his trip to Europe, and began a whole new journal.
This is where my practice as I know it today really began to take shape. I used this notebook to begin my mornings a little bit slower, quieter, and more grounded.
I’d been let go from my job at Refinery29 and I was freelancing and kind of collaging together different projects and work opportunities. My life at that point felt a bit scattered and journaling was a way to ground my anxious brain.
Since then, my journaling practice has only gotten more consistent, meaningful, and impactful to my healing and mental health. I journal nearly every day - sometimes in the morning, sometimes 15 minutes at a random point in the middle of the day, sometimes in the evening before bed.
Usually when I journal, it entails some combination of the following:
Plan for the day, if there is one. Since I don’t use a planner regularly, aside from my Google calendar, organizing things and writing high-level plans for the day helps my anxious brain. If it’s the end of the day, I’ll usually write about how the day went.
What I’m grateful for - listing big wins, lessons, small details, and everything in between. Getting specific about that particular day or week keeps me from listing the same things over and over and helps me see all the things working in my favor all the time.
My horoscope in the Chani app* affiliate link (♋️ sun ♉️ moon ♋️ rising) + writing down the pieces that resonate and exploring why they resonate on that particular day. I love this app and the resources in it so much. Chani is a phenomenal astrologer, author, and activist.
Wordaful’s Affirmation Card Deck and the Ash + Chess Tarot Deck - pulling a card, or 3 or 4, and interpreting those in my entry - how they apply, what questions they raise, what intentions I want to set, etc. Since my love language is Words of Affirmation, the affirmation card practice has really helped me rewrite limiting beliefs and evolve the way I speak to myself.
When I have the space, I’ve really been enjoying the practice of just letting myself continue to write even when I've completed a thought. In a normal journal entry, I might write 1-4 sentences about an experience, idea, or emotion, and then move on to the next thing.
When I let myself continue to write, I find more words to articulate the experience - I find a more poetic, authentic, and more vulnerable way of expressing myself. Those first two sentences might be just the facts and what ends up happening when I dive deeper and continue to write without limits or judgment, are the entries that I enjoy the most. When elaborating and exploring from that space, freely expressing myself, the doubt, confusion, insecurities, and challenges fade. What emerges and takes center stage, is the gratitude and love. The dots really begin to connect, making room for breakthroughs and for my own voice.
Time with my journal is sacred and the love I have for my practice and the impact it’s had on my life is what inspired me to start the Moonrise Mindset Journal Club💘 this Summer.
Just as these techniques have shaped my journaling practice, so have the stationery supplies I’ve brought into the ritual.
Below is a list of some of my personal favorite journaling supplies*
*this is personal preference and not meant to encourage overconsumption of any kind. Additional supplies are completely optional and unnecessary. You only need paper and a writing utensil to journal.
The Journal: A5 Leuchtturm Classic Notebook
I’ve gone back and forth between dot grid and blank pages (never lined, personal preference) and what I’ve found is that the blank pages offer me so much more freedom to express myself - I can doodle and change up the size and direction of my writing if/when I want. With dot-grid pages, there’s a subconscious effort to maintain a more uniformed writing style and it sort of takes away from my flow.
The hard cover tends to keep the contents protected in any bag I’m carrying day-to-day, and when traveling. I appreciate the elastic strap, bookmarks, table of contents, and back pocket features of the Leuchtturm notebooks. It’s hard to go wrong, although I have made exceptions for some especially lovely journal options over the years, like this lovely Mirror Water collab one and this Emilio Braga beauty.
The Pen: Kaweco Perkeo Fountain Pen
For a long time, I relied on trusty gel pens like the Pilot G-2 and later, the Kokuyo and Uni-ball One F. Over time though, with the amount of writing I was doing, gripping a thin gel pen began to cause some wrist discomfort.
I recently made the switch to a thicker and more ergonomic option - the Kaweco Perkeo fountain pen, which I’ve been enjoying. And because I’m extra, I’ve already gotten Fine nib, Medium nib, and ballpoint versions of this pen. When writing with the fountain pens, I love that I get the urge to write in cursive again - it’s lovely seeing the flowy script fill up a page.
The Highlighter: Zebra Mildliner
With the various sections of my journal entries (horoscope, tarot, affirmations, etc.) I love using highlighters to add dividing lines and other decorative details, even just to emphasize something I’ve written. My go-tos are the Zebra Mildliners. Not only are the colors BEAUTIFUL, but they’re also dual tipped - so you can use the finer-tipped end to write, underline, or for smaller details, and the highlighter end for bolder lines. It’s such a versatile highlighter. They also come in these packs of coordinating colors.
Honorable mention to the Stabilo Boss Highlighters, which I also love. Like the Mildliner, their color range is fantastic: pastels, neons, bolds, and neutrals. Bonus points because they’re so dang cute!
The Flair!
Equally important, and not mutually exclusive from to the introspective process IMO, is the creative part and for me, that really comes to life via washi tape, stickers (flake, vinyl, sheets, 3D, washi, etc.), stamps, labels, charms, pen holders, clips, adding mini photos, “junk”, and more - basically all of the things that delighted younger Kaitlin.
I love using stickers and washi tape to decorate the exterior of the notebook, as well as the spreads inside. I recently graduated from my Instax Mini polaroids to a Cannon Ivy printer, so now I can turn the photos on my phone into little stickers on the go - completely unnecessary, but brings so much joy.
Naturally, there’s this spacious Delfonics organizer pouch to stash it all. I basically transfer this pouch from tote to tote throughout the week so I have my journal and some supplies with me on the go. This section alone could really be it’s own blog post so let me know if you’d like me to get more granular on my favorite supplies.
Finishing a Journal
You did it! You wrote nearly every day and ~3-4 months later, you’ve reached the end of your notebook.
I use these reliable Stalogy washi sticker labels to write what month/year I started and completed the journal. I stick that on the spine and add it to my growing stack of completed journals - a beautiful site!
Yes, I do occasionally revisit old journal entries. It’s a sentimental time to reflect on milestones, learnings, and my personal evolution.
Curious about how you can begin your journaling practice?
Looking to make your current practice more consistent or impactful?
Join the Moonrise Mindset Journal Club!
✨ Ready to deepen your journaling practice with support and community? Join me in East ATX this Summer for The Moonrise Mindset Journal Club💘 sessions.
Not in ATX?
You can sign up below and be the first to know about the virtual Journal Club coming soon!
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Reflection Prompts:
What role has journaling played in your self-care or healing journey?
Do you have a favorite notebook, pen, or ritual that makes your practice feel special?
How do you know when journaling has helped you connect the dots or uncover a breakthrough?
If you could commit to one new journaling habit this season, what would it be?
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I’d love to witness your journaling practice! Tag me on Instagram @MoonriseMindset so I can celebrate your creativity and introspection with you.
xx Kaitlin
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