Are you looking to get started with the practice of journaling? Journaling is great for your mental health. I’m sharing 5 journals that, as a therapist, I recommend! I’ve struggled with anxiety for a long time. But after starting therapy and implementing journaling into my life, I found that it allowed me to get into the nitty gritty thoughts I was having. Therefore, these journal recommendations are tried and true! Scroll down below to read who would benefit most from these journals! 

Why is journaling important for mental health?

Journaling helps control your symptoms and improve your mood by helping you prioritize problems, fears, and concerns. By tracking any symptoms day-to-day, you can recognize triggers and learn better ways to control them. Plus, journaling can help implement positive self-talk while identifying negative thoughts you may have. 

Journaling can help you not only keep better track of your intentions, but also achieve goals! This practice also helps you:

• Track progress and growth
• Gain self-confidence
• Improve writing and communication skills
• Reduce stress and anxiety
• Find inspiration
• Strengthen memory
• Stream of consciousness

With the holidays right around the corner, these journals are the perfect gift to give to yourself! 2023 can be your best year yet! Knowing yourself, here are a handful I recommend. I hope you find the perfect one for you!

The 5-Minute Journal

The 5-minute journal is perfect if you’re not a big fan of journaling or you’re just beginning. If you find guided journaling works best for you, this journal is full of prompts for you to answer. Journaling can be daunting if you feel like you have to freehand all your feelings. If you don’t want to dedicate a ton of time to this practice, all you need is 5 minutes in the morning and in the evening. It’s also a really great resource for those struggling with mood disorders or seasonal depression.

The main focus of the 5 minute journal is gratitude. People who regularly express gratitude for the positive things in their life are shown to be happier overall, leading to lower rates of stress and depression. Showing gratitude can also make you more optimistic! Studies show those who express gratitude regularly appear to have a more positive outlook on life.

So what’s inside this journal? You’ll be prompted with a weekly challenge, morning gratitude, prompt on how to prioritize your day to make it great, daily affirmation, inspiring quotes, daily highlights, and an end of day reflection to help you grow and improve.

Is this the journal for you? Great! Feel free to grab your copy here and use code CAFEWITHMONICA10 for some extra savings.

Wellness Journal

If you want to start your day intentionally by tracking your water, sleep, meals, etc. this journal is for you! The Wellness Journal helps you start and end each day with a fresh mindset. By setting intentions and taking note of the things that make you feel good, you’ll be able to deeply reflect on your goals and habits. In fact, inside are 12-weeks of pages for your goals, habits, and the things you’re grateful for. If you struggle with disordered eating, please be mindful with food tracking. I do not recommend for anyone struggling or recovering from an eating disorder.

Inside of this journal you will find a wellness map, three pages for your specific intentions, feel-good goals and wishlists. It also comes with 12 weeks worth of daily overview pages (two-page spread for each day) with space for logging. Plus, check ins for your body, mind, gratitude and goals. The “Words to Remember” page, refection pages, and nine whole pages for extra notes are a bonus! Perhaps my favorite part is that the pages are undated. So you can fill out the dates yourself and start using this journal at any time of the year. It also removes the pressure for this to be a daily journal if that is not your intention. 

Does this one sound up your alley? Grab it here and get $15 off your order! 

Clever Fox Journal

If you’re someone looking to prioritize self-care, track wellness goals, and you enjoy guided journals – the Clever Fox Journal may be for you! Many clients of mine seek out a self-care journal and I recommend this one because it’s focused on self-care but also comes with a planner. Inside you will find daily pages, habit trackers, and a life wheel (which is super helpful for any visual learners). This is a 3 month journal which makes it feel totally doable and feasible for anyone to kick off their journaling practice.

If you’d like to try it, shop here and use my code MONICAD10 for some extra savings!

The Peacefully Productive Journal 

For all the people in my life who like to keep track of everything (hi, it’s me), The Peacefully Productive Journal will quickly become your bff! This journal is a huge advocate for prioritizing yourself and the important relationships in your life! If you enjoy guided prompts but also desire the ability to brain dump or free write, this may be the one for you! Tracking your mood is also a plus with this tool! 

This journal is another 3-month one! Inside you will find a quarterly check-in that helps you reflect on your last quarter and prepare for the upcoming one. If you’ve watched my monthly reset videos on Youtube, you know how much I enjoy recapping what’s happened and plan for what’s to come! In fact, I’ve gotten most of my reflection questions for the month from this journal! The monthly prep and reflection pages can help you make some serious progress on your goals without sacrificing your mental health and relationships. 

This journal can really be for anyone who wants to journal not frequently or those who want to journal daily as it gives you guided morning and evening pages to assess how you’re feeling, practice gratitude, and keep your mindset in tip-top shape. Plus, a free-write page for each day so you can brain dump or write what’s on your heart! The creator, Jess also provides a library full of journal prompts to get your juices flowing if you need it. 

You can buy this journal here! 

Bloom Hard Cover Notebook by Lavendaire

I love my Lavendaire journal! This simple product is perfect for those who don’t journal consistently. Sometimes I, myself, get in moods to write and other days or weeks I can neglect my journal. If you simply want a place to free write and make your own trackers, I highly recommend this brand! You’ll instantly be greeted with tons of blank dotted pages or lined pages. Use these however you feel most comfortable! 

To check out this journal, click here.

Journaling doesn’t have to be a daily practice if you don’t want it to be! With the new year right around the corner, I encourage you to find a practice that works best for you! Comment below or on the Youtube video above which one you end up trying out! Are you a journal lover?

View our other blog posts here.

**This post contains affiliate links, so I may earn a commission when you make a purchase through links on my site at no additional cost to you.