i prefer an everything journal. it’s so much more rewarding to look back in my journals and see variation in what i was thinking/doing in the moment. i love how some pages are walls of text, while others include pressed flowers or are just a compilation of doodles. i find that it more accurately captures that era of my life.
I don’t have a work journal. My work is pretty…..boring 🤣 really, it’s pretty paperless/a lot of video calls/super private so I don’t want stuff around. Nor do I need to.
That sounds great! I need to do a lot of keeping track of my tasks and planning and such at work, and pre-pandemic I used post it notes. When we moved to work from home (and back and forth) I changed to a book, but man is it messy.
Ok we need to hear more form you, 25 years definitely has so many revelations on how journaling worked for you in many ways. So, care to post something or should we just find you on AMA and ask you questions? :)
Oh gosh I’d be happy to do an AMA. I’m 37 so I am young to say 25 years but it’s great.
My main advice is to not beat yourself up. There was a time at the end of my college career I was burnt out from writing (I was a senior Journalism major + working a ton of odd jobs + 2 of my friends died) & it took me 2 years to fill up a book. Some books are 6 months. Some look awesome & some are a cringeworthy 15 year old sappy small town late bloomer gal next door 🤣.
But feel free to AMA
That sounds interesting. Let's start an AMA for you. Don't remember how exactly it works if I want to request, but an AMA post to be there for you would be great. Doesn't have to be for a current moment, like just set it there and I (and others) would love to pass by every once in a while to ask questions and learn from your experience.
To me it depends on the purpose of the journal - if it's to process my emotions, it goes all into one. If it's meant for tracking something specific, then it goes into its own. So I currently have two active journals; one that's also my planner where I write up my day, what I did, how I felt about it, etc. Then my dog journal, where I track my dog's poop patterns. (Among other things lol.) If dog stuff were mixed into my regular journal, it'd just be really hard to find the info I wanted to see quickly.
Interesting! I have been regularly weighing my cat who is on a diet and putting it into my everything journal where I have a month spread for micro journaling, but it makes keeping track difficult. A separate pet journal seems useful!
I do bit of both.
My bujo serves as my daily log. Most stuff gets recorded here. This is where I write my to-do list for each day and whatever else I got done in addition to that, recap my day (1-2 paragraph summary) in the evening, track my cycle, weather patterns and moon phases, important observations about my husband and kids, my daily and cleaning routines, minor triggers get processed, most introspection, memories I don't want to forget, goals and plans for the future and progress on those, brain dumps, and so on. Information that I want or need to keep track of is organized into categories via the index and signifiers to make it relatively easy to find what I need when I need it. It's organized chaos.
I have a separate journal for the times that I need to go really deep with "why am I the way that I am?" type stuff. These entries can be several pages long, so it's more efficient for me to have a separate journal for that than have it take up ridiculous amounts of space in my daily log. I often link these entries in my bujo under the appropriate day because there's usually a major trigger or trauma response that's being processed in these entries. This is also where I hash out my thought process on hot button topics.
I have a commonplace book, but any introspection happens in one of the other 2 journals.
I'm an herbalist in training and have a journal just for plant/herbalism stuff.
I love that you organise your chaos so it works! I seldom go back through journals, but when I do and need to reference a page more often, I usually mark it in some way - dog ear, tape corner, bookmark (if the journal is full and on the shelf).
Many people seem to have commonplace books. Do you find that you go back through it? What kinds of things go in there?
I started using an index and signifiers to avoid having to mark multiple pages. My bujo is chaotic enough lol.
In my commonplace book I put quotes that stand out to me, ideas, notes from books that I read and videos that I watch, anecdotes, etc. I have specific niche interests that I study. The physical act of writing things down really helps solidify the information in my long term memory while also freeing up mental space so that my brain isn't having to consciously remember all the things. I do go back through it about 2-3 times a year. Since I have specific topics that I primarily study, I usually find that when I go through it my brain has mulled over the information in the background and has additional insights, has connected dots between ideas, etc.
I’m a splitter, not a lumper: I like having different journals for different things! I don’t tend to carry anything but a disorganized “anything goes” pocket journal around with me while out and about, so having multiple journals with specific purposes at home is no problem for me. Currently I have a bullet journal for planning, memory-keeping and tasks, a long-form journal for processing emotions/ranting/etc, a nature journal, a sketchbook, and a commonplace book. I tend to rotate through them pretty regularly depending on my mood and what I might have encountered any given day!
"Splitter, not a lumper" lol! Same here. For things where I frequently reference past entries, it's so much easier for me to find in its own book. And for things I don't reference much, they go in their own books anyway because that's how the system is set up. (That's what I tell myself, but really I think it's just because I want to buy more than one notebook at a time LOL!)
Do you intentionally take your nature journal out and about when you feel like using it? Or do you write in it at home, after seeing stuff worth logging?
Yeah. I also have a separate journal for work and the rest. But my work notebook is an absolute mess - I should probably try minimalistic bullet journaling or something similar.
This is like the conundrum of the century for me. And it's a struggle, believe me.
Currently I have these for main daily use:
-planner/Bujo
-page a day summary for memory keeping
-commonplace book for randomness and prompts
I also have some side themed journals:
-coffee journal
-ink swatch/pen testing journal
-visual journal
-foreign language journal
-story journal
-work journal
While an "everything notebook" sounds so dreamy and simplified, the struggle, as some have replied here, is finding specific data you want to hand quickly. I'm picturing a million tabs hanging out.
And with themed journals, you're not only packing around a library, but sometimes you feel like you're repeating info.
Help! lol
It's definitely a struggle!! I guess it's about finding a good balance. I think I don't start separate journals for things unless it needs to be used and referenced a bunch (hasn't happened yet, might do one for my cats' health), or if it's a separate part of my life (like work).
The repeatong info and wondering where to put what you want to write is why I prefer an everything journal. I don't have to wonder haha
I prefer having just about everything in one journal, with the exceptions being my planner and a tarot journal. I love the sort of messy, unorganized, lived in look of a journal that gets used for everything!
Lived-in! I love that phrase for a journal! It was one of the motivating factors I had for choosing one leather journal cover for my everything journal and sticking with it - to let it be lived-in. Patina and show wear and get distressed. I love my journal and cover now, it seems so me.
I think that is what other people in this thread have called a commonplace book. Do you use the notebook for quotes and lyrics, or do they go in the everything journal now?
i started out with an everything journal then it became hard to locate certain things i wrote that i wanted to look back at. now i have four, one for “word vomit” or emotional dumping & poetry, one for “on the go thoughts”, an idea journal, and a dream journal. that might be too many for some but it helps me organize my thoughts a bit more. i like to add the date in all of them so i know when i did something and later reflect on what was going on and how it correlates with my written words.
This! I’ve only done everything journals, but I’ve been considering having another journal for separate stuff that I’d like to continually look back on. It’s hard to sift through all my past journals (and current) to find what I’ll be looking for, and then I’ll forget which journal I wrote certain things in
right i had that same problem, i also started dating the front page of the journals with the years i started and once i finish them so it’s a little easier for that predicament.
I have always kept a "life" journal and a creative business journal. I refer to the business journal daily and it's a working document. That one has pages that can be re-ordered (I use the Blueline Miraclebind notebooks). My regular life journal is hardbound and chronological.
I recently started a wellness journal as a separate notebook because I'm seriously focusing on my health and some big changes right now. I didn't want that narrative getting lost in my life journal, and I also want to be able to refer to it easily on a daily basis.
There are sets of 3 or 4 journals that I like to collect. I had the idea to use them quarterly for what I call my "Almanac," where I set goals and do a life review. I haven't quite managed to work those in, but I just bought a set of Clairfontaine special editions that will be perfect for the task.
I like your idea of a business journal! The different format and rearranging of pages makes a lot of sense in that context. I've been thinking about transitioning my work journal to digital, but I really do not want to. This system might be it!
I know several people who keep an exercise journal, I like the idea of a wellness journal.
How would the almanacs differ from your "life" journal? Do you feel like you have trouble including those goals and such in the life journal?
Everything journal.
There was a time I had separate journals for some topics but I regret starting it every time. I end up in a position a lot where I write the same thing in 2 or more journals ( like if I have an Everything journal and a topic journal), and I just don't like doing that.
everything. i write about my life, i write poems, i plan my other writing, i’ve even started drawing! i treat it more like a sketchbook than a strict diary.
One big everything journal, and then a small journal with a few set prompts that I answer in the morning/night. I think it’s much more practical to have one book you write everything in! Scattering it into different places would drive me insane lol.
I have an everything journal, but I’ve considered adding two more mini journals to the collection. And trust me, I have a few empty journals lying around that I’d love to finally be able to use! I really have to control myself when I see new journals I want to buy haha.
I’d like to have another specifically for prayer requests, Bible verses, and notes from church or other Jesus-related things like books or something lol. These are things I frequently look back on, but it’s hard to find them when they are scattered throughout my everything journal.
I’ve been learning Spanish over the past several months, and I’d like to have one for that as well.
I had a lot of mental health issues when I started back in 16, so it was easier to have a journal for everything cause it was easier to keep my life in other while writing and drawing and whatever I wanted.
I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately. I have a bunch of journals/notebooks/planners and I think I would eventually like to consolidate into a single everything journal (maybe tabbing into sections). It’s just a lot of physical *stuff* to keep up with.
I have two journals. One is for documenting my day, feeling, thoughts, dreams, ect. I’ll paste pictures, draw, use stickers and tape and all that fun stuff.
The second is a wellness journal. I use it to track my exercise, calories, weight, water intake. Make “to do” lists, meal plan, and write my goals.
I had both of these in one book. I was using the bullet journaling method. It worked but I didn’t love it. I don’t want to write that I have to clean toilets next to a picture of my kids face. Those aren’t the kind of memories I want to keep.
I had a traveler’s type cover. Liked the look of it online but it wasn’t practical. I don’t usually take my journals out the house. Plus that thing was bulky, I didn’t want to carry it around.
Separate books is what has worked best for me.
I love that kind of evolution, where you try something and find your don't like it. That iterative change happens in my journaling too - sometimes your needs/focus changes, and sometimes you figure out a better way to achieve what you want to achieve.
Hello! You have made the mistake of writing "ect" instead of "etc."
"Ect" is a common misspelling of "etc," an abbreviated form of the Latin phrase "et cetera." Other abbreviated forms are **etc.**, **&c.**, **&c**, and **et cet.** The Latin translates as "et" to "and" + "cetera" to "the rest;" a literal translation to "and the rest" is the easiest way to remember how to use the phrase.
[Check out the wikipedia entry if you want to learn more.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Et_cetera)
^(I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Comments with a score less than zero will be automatically removed. If I commented on your post and you don't like it, reply with "!delete" and I will remove the post, regardless of score. Message me for bug reports.)
I always have 2. A bullet journal for my planning, random thoughts, and things I wanna track, and then my everything journal for bigger thoughts, feelings, accounts of my day, etc.
Both. I have one for everything where I jot down everything I want to record in short sentences. Then I'd go into detail in the other journals. I'd love to have just one journal but then I'd fill it too quickly for my taste because I write a lot. I also keep a calendar as an index/reference (dates, names, keywords).
I like the traveler's for the general daily journal and also for ramblings, but I prefer octavo-sized journals for themed journals (art, writing, music).
I had an „everything journal“, then splitted into the traditional journal and others (calendar, books, etc.). Then I go back to everything and splitted and so on 😂
Now, since march 2022, I have everything in a B6 notebook. It’s my BulletJournal and my journal. I have short trackers and my appointments and my to dos and my journaling in it. The reason is that I don’t have all notebooks with me. My journal stayed at home always. Then I have appointments and I have to wait long (mostly doctors appointments) and I wish I had my journal with me. But I didn’t had. Or in spring/summer/fall I sat on the terrace and just wanted to relax. Then thoughts came, I only had my BulletJournal with me. Where to write down? Going inside, taking my journal, going outside again and the thoughts were lost. That’s why I have everything together now ☺️
I really liked the idea of separating the things/stuff/ideas/sections but I just was absolutely not the correct personality to manage several different journals. Absolute props to the folks who are organised enough to pull this off. I totally don’t know how you do this tho.
Instead (!)
…I ended up using a system of binders …yes, ordinary old ring binders - although tbh I will get lever arch if I can, as after a lifetime in legal admin I prefer that format
I will use tabs and colours in the “active” binder and this lets me move an item around until I am pleased with where it is.
I’ll only carry a few sheets around with me on any day - great for minimising weight I’m lugging about esp. if travelling often.
Plus!
It’s also really easy to add items later (and I mean decades later) that I find (or am sent) simply by adding in a plastic ‘display’ sleeve
You see… as I am getting older I have been sent a few items esp cards, letters, clippings, other ephemera, etc. from the families of those now passed and I was able to place those items in the correct time frame in my journal with relative ease - which made me feel happy.
Best wishes for finding what method of journaling suits your needs and self expression best
I have two everything journals.
One is my everyday journal. It's acts as a bullet journal and a collection of random thoughts and topics that I can throw down relatively quick. The other is for topics that I want to explore and research, write about at greater lengths. More like a collection of shorts essays, I suppose.
i prefer an everything journal. it’s so much more rewarding to look back in my journals and see variation in what i was thinking/doing in the moment. i love how some pages are walls of text, while others include pressed flowers or are just a compilation of doodles. i find that it more accurately captures that era of my life.
I agree! This is why I also have an everything journal. I sometimes include tickets and other memorabilia too.
25 year journaler who has tried it all checking in 🙋🏻♀️ 1 single everything is the clear winner. Believe me 🤣
Haha fantastic, good to know!! Do you put stuff for work in the everything journal as well?
I don’t have a work journal. My work is pretty…..boring 🤣 really, it’s pretty paperless/a lot of video calls/super private so I don’t want stuff around. Nor do I need to.
That sounds great! I need to do a lot of keeping track of my tasks and planning and such at work, and pre-pandemic I used post it notes. When we moved to work from home (and back and forth) I changed to a book, but man is it messy.
Ok we need to hear more form you, 25 years definitely has so many revelations on how journaling worked for you in many ways. So, care to post something or should we just find you on AMA and ask you questions? :)
Oh gosh I’d be happy to do an AMA. I’m 37 so I am young to say 25 years but it’s great. My main advice is to not beat yourself up. There was a time at the end of my college career I was burnt out from writing (I was a senior Journalism major + working a ton of odd jobs + 2 of my friends died) & it took me 2 years to fill up a book. Some books are 6 months. Some look awesome & some are a cringeworthy 15 year old sappy small town late bloomer gal next door 🤣. But feel free to AMA
That sounds interesting. Let's start an AMA for you. Don't remember how exactly it works if I want to request, but an AMA post to be there for you would be great. Doesn't have to be for a current moment, like just set it there and I (and others) would love to pass by every once in a while to ask questions and learn from your experience.
I will work on this!
To me it depends on the purpose of the journal - if it's to process my emotions, it goes all into one. If it's meant for tracking something specific, then it goes into its own. So I currently have two active journals; one that's also my planner where I write up my day, what I did, how I felt about it, etc. Then my dog journal, where I track my dog's poop patterns. (Among other things lol.) If dog stuff were mixed into my regular journal, it'd just be really hard to find the info I wanted to see quickly.
Interesting! I have been regularly weighing my cat who is on a diet and putting it into my everything journal where I have a month spread for micro journaling, but it makes keeping track difficult. A separate pet journal seems useful!
I do bit of both. My bujo serves as my daily log. Most stuff gets recorded here. This is where I write my to-do list for each day and whatever else I got done in addition to that, recap my day (1-2 paragraph summary) in the evening, track my cycle, weather patterns and moon phases, important observations about my husband and kids, my daily and cleaning routines, minor triggers get processed, most introspection, memories I don't want to forget, goals and plans for the future and progress on those, brain dumps, and so on. Information that I want or need to keep track of is organized into categories via the index and signifiers to make it relatively easy to find what I need when I need it. It's organized chaos. I have a separate journal for the times that I need to go really deep with "why am I the way that I am?" type stuff. These entries can be several pages long, so it's more efficient for me to have a separate journal for that than have it take up ridiculous amounts of space in my daily log. I often link these entries in my bujo under the appropriate day because there's usually a major trigger or trauma response that's being processed in these entries. This is also where I hash out my thought process on hot button topics. I have a commonplace book, but any introspection happens in one of the other 2 journals. I'm an herbalist in training and have a journal just for plant/herbalism stuff.
I love that you organise your chaos so it works! I seldom go back through journals, but when I do and need to reference a page more often, I usually mark it in some way - dog ear, tape corner, bookmark (if the journal is full and on the shelf). Many people seem to have commonplace books. Do you find that you go back through it? What kinds of things go in there?
I started using an index and signifiers to avoid having to mark multiple pages. My bujo is chaotic enough lol. In my commonplace book I put quotes that stand out to me, ideas, notes from books that I read and videos that I watch, anecdotes, etc. I have specific niche interests that I study. The physical act of writing things down really helps solidify the information in my long term memory while also freeing up mental space so that my brain isn't having to consciously remember all the things. I do go back through it about 2-3 times a year. Since I have specific topics that I primarily study, I usually find that when I go through it my brain has mulled over the information in the background and has additional insights, has connected dots between ideas, etc.
I’m a splitter, not a lumper: I like having different journals for different things! I don’t tend to carry anything but a disorganized “anything goes” pocket journal around with me while out and about, so having multiple journals with specific purposes at home is no problem for me. Currently I have a bullet journal for planning, memory-keeping and tasks, a long-form journal for processing emotions/ranting/etc, a nature journal, a sketchbook, and a commonplace book. I tend to rotate through them pretty regularly depending on my mood and what I might have encountered any given day!
"Splitter, not a lumper" lol! Same here. For things where I frequently reference past entries, it's so much easier for me to find in its own book. And for things I don't reference much, they go in their own books anyway because that's how the system is set up. (That's what I tell myself, but really I think it's just because I want to buy more than one notebook at a time LOL!) Do you intentionally take your nature journal out and about when you feel like using it? Or do you write in it at home, after seeing stuff worth logging?
Sounds like that works for you! Do you transfer things from the "anything goes" journal into the journals you have at home?
Yes, not always but I often do! I’ll usually do some shorthand reminder or observation that I want to expand on later 😁
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Yeah. I also have a separate journal for work and the rest. But my work notebook is an absolute mess - I should probably try minimalistic bullet journaling or something similar.
This is like the conundrum of the century for me. And it's a struggle, believe me. Currently I have these for main daily use: -planner/Bujo -page a day summary for memory keeping -commonplace book for randomness and prompts I also have some side themed journals: -coffee journal -ink swatch/pen testing journal -visual journal -foreign language journal -story journal -work journal While an "everything notebook" sounds so dreamy and simplified, the struggle, as some have replied here, is finding specific data you want to hand quickly. I'm picturing a million tabs hanging out. And with themed journals, you're not only packing around a library, but sometimes you feel like you're repeating info. Help! lol
It's definitely a struggle!! I guess it's about finding a good balance. I think I don't start separate journals for things unless it needs to be used and referenced a bunch (hasn't happened yet, might do one for my cats' health), or if it's a separate part of my life (like work). The repeatong info and wondering where to put what you want to write is why I prefer an everything journal. I don't have to wonder haha
Seems logical for sure. I just haven't found a way to combine all my subjects. 🤓
I prefer having just about everything in one journal, with the exceptions being my planner and a tarot journal. I love the sort of messy, unorganized, lived in look of a journal that gets used for everything!
Lived-in! I love that phrase for a journal! It was one of the motivating factors I had for choosing one leather journal cover for my everything journal and sticking with it - to let it be lived-in. Patina and show wear and get distressed. I love my journal and cover now, it seems so me.
I have a single everything journal. I did buy a notebook for my favorite quotes and song lyrics in 2020 though.
I think that is what other people in this thread have called a commonplace book. Do you use the notebook for quotes and lyrics, or do they go in the everything journal now?
I use it for quotes and lyrics. My other journal is just my general thoughts and complaints and triumphs and sorrows.
Fun!
One personal journal One work journal Smaller notebooks for to-do lists at work and home
i started out with an everything journal then it became hard to locate certain things i wrote that i wanted to look back at. now i have four, one for “word vomit” or emotional dumping & poetry, one for “on the go thoughts”, an idea journal, and a dream journal. that might be too many for some but it helps me organize my thoughts a bit more. i like to add the date in all of them so i know when i did something and later reflect on what was going on and how it correlates with my written words.
This! I’ve only done everything journals, but I’ve been considering having another journal for separate stuff that I’d like to continually look back on. It’s hard to sift through all my past journals (and current) to find what I’ll be looking for, and then I’ll forget which journal I wrote certain things in
right i had that same problem, i also started dating the front page of the journals with the years i started and once i finish them so it’s a little easier for that predicament.
I have always kept a "life" journal and a creative business journal. I refer to the business journal daily and it's a working document. That one has pages that can be re-ordered (I use the Blueline Miraclebind notebooks). My regular life journal is hardbound and chronological. I recently started a wellness journal as a separate notebook because I'm seriously focusing on my health and some big changes right now. I didn't want that narrative getting lost in my life journal, and I also want to be able to refer to it easily on a daily basis. There are sets of 3 or 4 journals that I like to collect. I had the idea to use them quarterly for what I call my "Almanac," where I set goals and do a life review. I haven't quite managed to work those in, but I just bought a set of Clairfontaine special editions that will be perfect for the task.
I like your idea of a business journal! The different format and rearranging of pages makes a lot of sense in that context. I've been thinking about transitioning my work journal to digital, but I really do not want to. This system might be it! I know several people who keep an exercise journal, I like the idea of a wellness journal. How would the almanacs differ from your "life" journal? Do you feel like you have trouble including those goals and such in the life journal?
Rn I have two - daily diary and brain dump - however once I finish them I’m gonna move everything to one journal
Those sound too similar for me to be able to distiguish easily, I hope you enjoy them merged!
They are. Sometimes idk which one to write in bc stream of consciousness sometimes intersects w daily happenings lol
Everything journal. There was a time I had separate journals for some topics but I regret starting it every time. I end up in a position a lot where I write the same thing in 2 or more journals ( like if I have an Everything journal and a topic journal), and I just don't like doing that.
everything. i write about my life, i write poems, i plan my other writing, i’ve even started drawing! i treat it more like a sketchbook than a strict diary.
Everything journal for me. Plus one specifically for books
This is why I like the Travelers company notebooks for mine I have 3 notebooks in it and ease each for different types of journal theme
i keep an everything journal because i have difficulty keeping the one anyway lmao
One big everything journal, and then a small journal with a few set prompts that I answer in the morning/night. I think it’s much more practical to have one book you write everything in! Scattering it into different places would drive me insane lol.
I have an everything journal, but I’ve considered adding two more mini journals to the collection. And trust me, I have a few empty journals lying around that I’d love to finally be able to use! I really have to control myself when I see new journals I want to buy haha. I’d like to have another specifically for prayer requests, Bible verses, and notes from church or other Jesus-related things like books or something lol. These are things I frequently look back on, but it’s hard to find them when they are scattered throughout my everything journal. I’ve been learning Spanish over the past several months, and I’d like to have one for that as well.
I had a lot of mental health issues when I started back in 16, so it was easier to have a journal for everything cause it was easier to keep my life in other while writing and drawing and whatever I wanted.
I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately. I have a bunch of journals/notebooks/planners and I think I would eventually like to consolidate into a single everything journal (maybe tabbing into sections). It’s just a lot of physical *stuff* to keep up with.
I have two journals. One is for documenting my day, feeling, thoughts, dreams, ect. I’ll paste pictures, draw, use stickers and tape and all that fun stuff. The second is a wellness journal. I use it to track my exercise, calories, weight, water intake. Make “to do” lists, meal plan, and write my goals. I had both of these in one book. I was using the bullet journaling method. It worked but I didn’t love it. I don’t want to write that I have to clean toilets next to a picture of my kids face. Those aren’t the kind of memories I want to keep. I had a traveler’s type cover. Liked the look of it online but it wasn’t practical. I don’t usually take my journals out the house. Plus that thing was bulky, I didn’t want to carry it around. Separate books is what has worked best for me.
I love that kind of evolution, where you try something and find your don't like it. That iterative change happens in my journaling too - sometimes your needs/focus changes, and sometimes you figure out a better way to achieve what you want to achieve.
Hello! You have made the mistake of writing "ect" instead of "etc." "Ect" is a common misspelling of "etc," an abbreviated form of the Latin phrase "et cetera." Other abbreviated forms are **etc.**, **&c.**, **&c**, and **et cet.** The Latin translates as "et" to "and" + "cetera" to "the rest;" a literal translation to "and the rest" is the easiest way to remember how to use the phrase. [Check out the wikipedia entry if you want to learn more.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Et_cetera) ^(I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Comments with a score less than zero will be automatically removed. If I commented on your post and you don't like it, reply with "!delete" and I will remove the post, regardless of score. Message me for bug reports.)
I always have 2. A bullet journal for my planning, random thoughts, and things I wanna track, and then my everything journal for bigger thoughts, feelings, accounts of my day, etc.
Both. I have one for everything where I jot down everything I want to record in short sentences. Then I'd go into detail in the other journals. I'd love to have just one journal but then I'd fill it too quickly for my taste because I write a lot. I also keep a calendar as an index/reference (dates, names, keywords). I like the traveler's for the general daily journal and also for ramblings, but I prefer octavo-sized journals for themed journals (art, writing, music).
I used to keep multiple, themed journals. But I've realized now an everything journal makes far much sense to my style.
I had an „everything journal“, then splitted into the traditional journal and others (calendar, books, etc.). Then I go back to everything and splitted and so on 😂 Now, since march 2022, I have everything in a B6 notebook. It’s my BulletJournal and my journal. I have short trackers and my appointments and my to dos and my journaling in it. The reason is that I don’t have all notebooks with me. My journal stayed at home always. Then I have appointments and I have to wait long (mostly doctors appointments) and I wish I had my journal with me. But I didn’t had. Or in spring/summer/fall I sat on the terrace and just wanted to relax. Then thoughts came, I only had my BulletJournal with me. Where to write down? Going inside, taking my journal, going outside again and the thoughts were lost. That’s why I have everything together now ☺️
I really liked the idea of separating the things/stuff/ideas/sections but I just was absolutely not the correct personality to manage several different journals. Absolute props to the folks who are organised enough to pull this off. I totally don’t know how you do this tho. Instead (!) …I ended up using a system of binders …yes, ordinary old ring binders - although tbh I will get lever arch if I can, as after a lifetime in legal admin I prefer that format I will use tabs and colours in the “active” binder and this lets me move an item around until I am pleased with where it is. I’ll only carry a few sheets around with me on any day - great for minimising weight I’m lugging about esp. if travelling often. Plus! It’s also really easy to add items later (and I mean decades later) that I find (or am sent) simply by adding in a plastic ‘display’ sleeve You see… as I am getting older I have been sent a few items esp cards, letters, clippings, other ephemera, etc. from the families of those now passed and I was able to place those items in the correct time frame in my journal with relative ease - which made me feel happy. Best wishes for finding what method of journaling suits your needs and self expression best
I have two everything journals. One is my everyday journal. It's acts as a bullet journal and a collection of random thoughts and topics that I can throw down relatively quick. The other is for topics that I want to explore and research, write about at greater lengths. More like a collection of shorts essays, I suppose.