After finishing my previous journal I just started a new journal, which is both an exciting and daunting prospect whenever it happens. There is so much potential in a new journal – it makes me want to crack it open and fill as many pages as possible in the first sitting. Yet opening that first blank page also makes me freeze in fear of “ruining” a perfectly good notebook with my scrawls.
There are many tips on how to overcome that fear, ranging from deliberately destroying the first few pages to using various formulas to inspire you to fill those first pages. What I currently do is just open a new Stalogy 365 Days notebook, turn it upside down (so the header, which I don’t like, is at the bottom) and slap 2-3 stickers on the back endpages. This time I chose a 10th anniversary fountain pen day sticker and a Goulet Pens dream pen sticker to start off, but I usually add a few more stickers as I use the journal.
I then turned to the first page and started my first journal entry with the following sentence:
“New journal! My third Stalogy 365.”
After that came my usual daily gratitude list, and so I had most of the first page filled up in no time and had no problem moving on after that.
For those still in search for “new journal” inspiration, here are some pointers:
- Personalize your new journal in some way. It’s about to hold your innermost thoughts, so you might as well make it your own.
- Switch formats mercilessly if you find an old journaling format isn’t working for you – page size, ruling, type, etc.
- Have a starting formula for your journal. If you find it difficult to start journaling each day, then pick a formula that you can use each day – like a daily gratitude list, a quote, notes about the weather, your plans for the day.
- The first few entries are the hardest, but they’re also only 2-3 days out of the entire life of a journal. It’s worth remembering that and plowing through those days.
- When in doubt pick a quote from a book or article you’re reading and start a discussion with the author.
- If you’re really at a loss for starting ideas, use the first page, not the last one, as an ink testing page.
Do you have any new journal rituals or tips? Do you enjoy starting a new journal or find it daunting?
Writing at Large 
notebookjoy
I feel intimidated to start new notebooks! I try to break them in by putting a sticker on the cover. I also make a table of contents or immediately write in it. But for my nicest ones, it takes some time to get used to them and treat them like normal. I’m trying my best not to hoard notebooks and use them, even if they have old Tomoe River paper or are no longer made!
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writingatlarge
These are great ideas!
I have the same exact issue, which is why I try to force myself to fill in as many pages as possible during the first few days of a new notebook. Old Tomoe River paper is wonderful and precious, but I always keep reminding myself that if I have a notebook full of my thoughts and sketches or a new and empty notebook I will always find the full notebook much more precious than the empty one. I hope you get inspired to fill as many notebooks as possible!
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baritorlo
Am impressed reading your content 👌 thanks for sharing ❤
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writingatlarge
Thank you!
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Daphna Kedmi
The more I read about your journaling, the more I wish I could crack open a journal, open a new notebook, a fresh notepad, anything, and just let my thoughts stream onto the paper in front of me. Especially these days, here. There is so much to vent, to think over, to try to clarify to one’s self. I know that putting thoughts to paper creates a deeper understanding of these thoughts. When I write a book review I find that it crystallizes my own thoughts by putting them on paper. For some reason I don’t find it in me to embrace the same process in more personal journaling. I really admire your persistent journaling through everything. It’s quite a gift and a comfort.
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writingatlarge
I’m absolutely sure that you’ll find journaling both enjoyable and useful. Allow yourself to indulge in the habit, and see if it doesn’t make things a bit easier to bear, clearer, more nuanced and contextualized.
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markcotter328
I use a disc-bound system a lot of the time, so I never start a new journal. I simply remove the old pages to an archive and fill with blank paper, leaving a couple of entries at the start so I’m never starting completely afresh!
I’ve recently taken to using the Statology 365 after removing the pages and punching for my disc bound system. I like the paper. The headings don’t bother me – I don’t use them as they are a bit too small for me to see!
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writingatlarge
Whoa, you really invest in your system, but I can totally see the appeal of a perpetual journal. There’s always a risk when moving to a new notebook that you’ll break the momentum and just stop journaling, and having a disc bound system takes care of that.
The heading are very small and not very obtrusive, and the paper is lovely. For me it’s just easier to flip the notebook around so that I don’t have the slight clutter on the top of the page, and I have room to put in my own date format.
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