Not all journals are leather-bound confessionals. These days, journaling has been reinvented with all kinds of creative ways to express yourself, whether you’re doodling in a sketchbook, logging video reflections in an app, or crafting a junk journal. For helpful tips, check out my post “Journaling for Beginners” and explore these tools for getting started.
Books
Journaling For Dummies
Amber Lea Starfire
An all-in-one guide for beginners and longtime journal keepers alike, this book covers popular techniques, essential tools and supplies, and dozens of engaging prompts to help deepen your practice. Learn More
Creative Journal Writing
Stephanie Dowrick
An encouraging and insightful guide filled with practical advice and real-life stories about how people have used journaling to transform their lives – plus 125 starter topics to spark your creativity. Learn More
The Bullet Journal Method
Ryder Carroll
Part productivity tool and part mindfulness practice, this bestselling guide teaches a flexible system to help you get more done and stay organized. Carroll explains how three key steps (tracking the past, ordering the present, and designing the future) can help you focus your time and energy on what matters most. Learn More
Dot Journaling
Rachel Wilkerson Miller
A dot journal is a planner, to-do list, and diary all in one. It’s designed to organize every part of your life, from work and home to relationships and hobbies. This friendly guide shows how to use color, symbols, and modular layouts to create a system that fits your style and priorities. Learn More
Raw Art Journaling
Quinn McDonald
Raw art journaling blends simple artistic prompts with reflective writing exercises to help you use color, collage, poetry, and found words to unlock personal insight through creative experimentation. Learn More
The Gratitude Project: How the Science of Thankfulness Can Rewire Our Brains for Resilience, Optimism, and the Greater Good
This illuminating collection explores the psychological and neuroscientific roots of gratitude, revealing how gratitude journaling and other expressions of thanks can rewire the brain, strengthen resilience, and foster deeper compassion for ourselves and others. Learn More
Journaling Apps
| App | Device Compatibility | Key Features |
| Day One | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Android, Windows | Add text, photos, videos, audio, and drawings; calendar view; reminders; templates; privacy features like passcodes and face recognition. |
| Journal | iPhone | Reflect using photos, locations, and other moments from your device; built-in prompts and reminders; pre-installed on iPhone. |
| Diarium | Windows, Android, iPhone, iPad, Mac | Add text, photos, and voice recordings; integrates with calendar, fitness tracker, and social media; cloud backup via OneDrive, Google Drive, and Dropbox. |
| Grid Diary | iPhone, iPad, Android, Mac | Grid-style prompts for daily, weekly, and monthly journaling; customizable questions for reflection and tracking habits; add photos and stickers. |
| OneNote | Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android, Web | Flexible digital notebook; write, draw, record audio, and clip web content; works well for structured, multimedia journaling; syncs across devices with Microsoft tools. |
| Evernote | iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows, Mac, Web | Write rich-text entries; add photos and audio; organize with tags; sync across devices; fits into broader productivity routines. |
Hand Journals
Mead Spiral Notebook
Simple and affordable, a classic spiral-bound Mead notebook is a great way to start journaling without pressure. Its no-frills design means you can write freely – no worries about messy handwriting or equally messy thoughts. The 8.5 x 11-inch pages offer plenty of space to write, doodle, and let your imagination run wild. Learn More
Season Paper Entrelacs Notebook
With a cheerful floral cover inspired by Japanese patterns, this eco-friendly notebook is a stylish and sustainable companion for everyday journaling. Made in France with certified paper and printed using vegetable inks, it features 64 lined pages and a slim, lightweight design perfect for journaling on the go. Learn More
VENT for Change A5 Recycled Ocean Plastic Notebook
This sustainably made, beautifully designed hardback notebook features a cover made from 55% recycled ocean plastic and 45% post-consumer waste, with 100% recycled paper inside. VENT for Change gives 5% of every sale to children’s education projects around the world. Thoughtfully made and purpose-driven, it’s a meaningful choice for journaling by hand. Learn More
Strathmore Visual Journal – Watercolor (140 lb)
This cold-press sketchbook features high-quality, heavyweight paper that stands up to watercolors, collage, and pastels, making it ideal for creative journaling with mixed media. The 140 lb. pages are excellent for wet techniques and sturdy enough for layering. Learn More
Insight Editions Gratitude Journal
Designed as a 90-day practice, this guided journal helps you build a meaningful habit of daily reflection with prompts for gratitude, affirmations, and positive moments. Featuring a soft vegan leather cover, beautiful illustrations, and space for morning and evening check-ins, it’s a thoughtful companion for cultivating joy, presence, and emotional well-being. Learn More
Moleskine Traveller’s Journal
Part of Moleskine’s Passion Journal series, this elegantly designed journal is packed with structured pages, tabbed sections, and prompts to help you document your travels. With 400 pages, themed stickers, and two ribbon bookmarks, it’s made for adventurers who want to turn their experiences into lasting memories. FSC-certified paper and thoughtful extras make it both functional and collectible. Learn More
Project: Dabble 
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