About Journaling
We may have different reasons as to why we’re journaling or why someone would like to start making journal entries, but let us begin with the concept that journaling is our safe space.
It’s a space where we can write our thoughts, paint our feelings, and share our dreams and even our fears.
If you don’t know where or how to begin your journal entry, begin with letting go and accepting your freedom to express.
Your Thoughts and Feelings are Limitless
Focus on expression. With journaling, you don’t have to be too conscious. No one will judge or grade you for a perfect page of writing or drawing. Just grab a pen or pencil and let your thoughts and feelings flow. Express what comes to you without overthinking it. It can be a few lines, or it can fill a whole page or more. Before you realize it, you have already released the breath you’ve been holding, and hopefully, you’re feeling lighter. Through journaling, you can see an explosion of words or colors, or both!
It’s Alright If It Doesn’t Make Sense
The beauty in journaling is that it doesn’t always have to make sense. You are free to explore your worries and joys and let a jumble of words or pictures come out onto paper. Whether you paint strokes of random colors, or you create a piece that is a fever dream of fragmented impressions, or you do something organized like bullet journaling, it can help you untangle your inner thoughts and subconscious, and in the process, know more about yourself and the world around you.
Anytime is the Right Time
There are no strict rules as to when you should be journaling. If you find yourself in the right headspace to do it in the mornings as you start your day, or it's the afternoons when you have bursts of inspiration, or the evenings when you have musings before you go to bed, you can open a page in your journal and enjoy the process. If you feel comforted by it as a routine, you can choose a specific time of the day to journal. Or if you can’t do it regularly, there’s no shame in that, either! Journaling is a channel for release, inspiration, or random creativity that both nurtures and heals, or something that either revives or relaxes your mind and spirit.
It Can Be About Anything and Everything
Journaling can be about many different things. You can have journal entry prompts about your daily motivation, creative ideas, reflection, moods, or dreams. Journaling can also be done for art whenever and wherever you find the subject to capture on paper. It can be about food on your travels or your day-to-day experiences as much as it can be about your journey to fitness and well-being. Whether something specific prompts you to do journaling or you just want to allow your stream of consciousness to unfold, your journal can be about one or many things as long as you have pages to cover and fill.
Have a Traveler’s journal To Bring Where You and Your Thoughts Wander
A traveler's notebook can be your new best friend to record your experiences and whatever is captured by your senses. While it may sound foreign or fancy, you can be pleased to know that this is better than a regular notebook.
What are the Features of a Traveler’s Journal?
The aesthetic cover. If you frequently browse Instagram or YouTube, chances are, the main thing that drew you into a traveler’s notebook system is the cover. It is usually made of a durable material like leather. The great thing about a leather traveler's notebook is how it ages gracefully over time. The more you use it, the more it picks up unique characteristics like scratches and patina, which give your journal’s cover a distinct, well-traveled look. This said, it can also be made of some other material like fabric or cardboard.
When you purchase a traveler’s notebook, you are usually only provided with a plain leather cover (unless it is a limited or special edition). The best thing is you can be as creative as you want with it! Some traveler's notebook fans like to sew patches on their notebooks to make it unique. These patches usually represent something special to them, like an illustration of a cup of coffee with the mantra “death before decaf”. Some like to stamp their covers at stamping stations during their travels. Others may do a special embossing or gold foiling. All of these add individuality to their notebooks and make them all the more special.
The band with various trinkets. A typical traveler’s notebook has two bands. The first one elastic band can be seen running along the spine and vertically inside the journal to hold multiple notebooks inside.
The second band rests horizontally on the cover, securely wrapped around the journal to keep it closed. Many traveler’s notebook enthusiasts love personalizing this band with different charms or trinkets that resonate with them. There are also many charm options provided by brands like Traveler’s Notebook themselves. Some might even attach them to the provided string which serves as a bookmark for your pages. A traveler’s notebook is all about customization and personalization, and the bands are no exception to that.
The core element is the notebook inserts. This is the soul, the part that completes your journal. The Traveler’s Notebook starter kit comes with a blank notebook, but you can always add more inserts in different styles like lined, grid, or dotted and different paper types like kraft for more texture, watercolor to absorb the paint, sheer to add protection or aesthetic, and other papers. Ideally, you should not miss inserting fountain pen-friendly inserts, which have high-quality paper, to prevent ink bleeding, ghosting, and feathering. These characteristics help show the true color, shading, and sheen of the ink you use that contributes to a better writing experience.
A traveler’s notebook is not just a notebook, it is a journaling system. The best part about it is that you can add or take away notebook inserts as you please – like Lego but for notebooks! If you are a planner, you can add weekly or monthly notebook inserts. Along with that, you can add blank inserts for your notes, drawings, or memory-keeping. As soon as you finish an insert, you don’t need to switch out your entire notebook, just the part that you’re done with. Additionally, if you’re on vacation, you can switch out your work planner insert for another insert dedicated for your trip. It’s truly made for those who want to tailor-fit their notebooks to their needs.
The other fun and functional inserts. You can expand the functionality of your traveler’s notebook by adding other types of inserts like file folders, zipper cases, cloth or leather wallet inserts. Some traveler’s notebook enthusiasts like to turn their notebooks into an all-in-one everyday carry item by using a wallet insert and adding their cash and cards inside. For the travelers, you can add a folder inside to hold your plane tickets or maps – the Regular Size Traveler’s Notebook is the perfect size for this!
The limitless accessories you can add. These can be something simple, like a pen holder or clips, or something decorative to add more dimension to your journal, like stickers, stamps, sticky notes, photo pocket holders, and metal charms.
Now that you know all these components, you’re more ready to begin journaling! You can customize your journal with all these inserts and accessories. Explore your options and enjoy giving your journal your personal touch.
Your Beginner's Guide to Journaling
- Choose from the different sizes of travelers notebooks. The sizes vary from something as small as a passport traveler's notebook size (dimensions when closed: 3.93" x 5.39") to something as large as an A5 travelers notebook (dimensions when closed: 6.29" x 8.74"). If you want something between these sizes, you can also try a regular-sized traveler's notebook (dimensions when closed: 4.76" x 8.74") or a pocket-sized traveler’s notebook (dimensions when closed: 3.97" x 5.98").
- Have your travelers notebook supplies. Have your notebook refills, connecting bands, pens, and inks. Once you have all the supplies for a basic set-up, you can open the leather cover for your traveler's notebook, and inside it, layer your notebook refills based on how you want them to appear. Connect your notebook refills with an elastic band. Once the notebooks are securely in place, you can begin having fun with your pens and inks. Feel free to express your creativity by adding stickers, stamps, and other details to your journal.
- Customize your journal further with different travelers notebook inserts. Discover inserts designed for specific purposes such as watercolor paintings, fountain pen sketches, bullet journaling, weekly planning, or other special inserts like plastic sleeves and zipper cases. You can build your journal depending on your needs with a mix of these. Your traveler's notebook can serve as a multipurpose companion that you can take with you wherever you go.
- Embellish your journal with a pen loop, clips, and traveler's notebook charms. If you want to take it a step further, you also add different functional and decorative embellishments. Add a pen loop that can hold your everyday pen, brass clips to help you hold your notebook open and flat for a fun journaling moment, and notebook charms that relate to your journal and personality.
Start With Your First Journal Entry!
It may seem like there’s a lot to prepare, but it is a rewarding journey to begin. Whether you want to unload your thoughts, untangle your feelings, or explore your creativity, journaling is a great hobby to start.
What’s also great about having a traveler's notebook is it’s something that’s easy to configure. You can replace the leather cover when it’s already too weathered, replace the refills with new pages, or just add as much as there is space to fit. Your traveler's notebook is something that can stay. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself having more fun than you expect.
Looking for where to start shopping for your first journal? Need one other or more notebooks to add to your existing traveler's notebook? Shop here at EndlessPens. Explore our collection for the best supplies for your writing needs.
Images courtesy of inksample.
By Some Folks at EndlessPens
