Should I write casually or more formally in my journal?

Do what feels right and natural to you. Just don’t overthink it because than it will become like chore instead of something that is intended to help you reflect and destress.

I think it's a matter of preference. I tend to write more formally, using complete sentences and proper grammar. If I go back to read it I want to both know exactly what I meant by what I wrote. I have gone back through an old journal entry and thought to myself "what does that mean?" Maybe that's the perfectionist in me, I'm not sure.

If you don't mind abbreviated words, slang, or incomplete thoughts written on the page, and if it's enough for you to go back and know what you meant, then by all means write casually. I think there's something to be said about writing things as they come out instead of editing them to make sure they're perfect. The only person you need to be sure is satisfied with your journal is yourself.

You should write in a way that makes YOU feel the BEST and feel more relaxed while writing. I personally like writing casually

As long as you write it does not matter, it is the content that is important not the style of writing.The content can be anything even word salad as long as you write something . It is your journal for you so embrace what you are doing and the rest will follow.

You should write how you feel comfortable. If your mind is feeling more casual then write casually. If your mind is feeling more formal write formally. Whatever will help the thoughts flow out onto the page the easiest is best.

I’ve been told to write however you’re feeling. It’s your journal. If you want to be formal one day, be formal. If you want casual, be casual. Just do what feels natural

What you write in your journal is 100% up to you. It’s your journey. You write what you feel that day. If you have a lot to say then be formal. If you had an off day and something short is just fine too. Journals are not meant to be 100% happy and positive all the time. It’s a chance for you to honestly express yourself And what you are feeling at that particular time. No matter what it is.

Journal should be a place where yoi can utterly be yourself in saying all the things in your mind. So carefully constructing your thoughts while not being too formal as if you are writing for somebody else, is best.

Lol, I would answer your question with another question; do you speak to yourself formally? I say write in your journal and let it flow. If you are worried about sentence structure and format I doubt you are focusing on the purpose of your writing. If formal format makes you feel better then continue but my opinion is just to get the words out. I personally date my entries for time reference but that is all. The front of my journal has little bits of inspiration sprawled in my scratchy left handed style and small stickers. The cover is a soft black pho leather with designs imprinted in it. It makes me happy even though it has sad in it. It is a place I can take my sads and store them away out of my brain. If it is filed in my journal I don’t have to remember it I say and it makes me feel good I can document the past but not have to hold it inside once logged on paper. It’s like a tiger trap for my pain. We don’t want to forget the little nuances that make us well is even the yucky parts. However for me the yucky parts were pulling me down. To continue to carry something like pain or sadness is a burden on your heart. Now I have it written down and I can view it if I wish. I don’t feel responsible to carry the pain in my soul bringing me down. I am able to walk away and feel light and airy and joyful because I got it out and because I did part of my a”Remember to be happy” ritual and I get to check it off with a satisfying ding!

It depends on how your feeling. Sometimes I write casually other times formally. It’s all about what’s going on in your head. Write what you feel at the time, let the pen flow. It’s very interesting what you think about sometimes. Just feel free and write it.

Why do you ask? It 's YOUR journal. You are free to write however you want. Casual style might be more helpful to stream of consciousness thought, which might be more helpful to getting at issues or sparkling creativity. Formal writing might be more helpful if you are trying to clarify something for yourself.

I write in a more estranged tone, trying to articulate some patterns I happened to stumble upon; not to list things in diaresque manner.

i write what in a way which would help me enjoy reading it. it is important for me to see changes and hence i write so that i can appreciate my journey. casual or formal, do whichever would help you more towards that objective.

That’s totally up to you! I prefer to express myself more casually cause that way my thoughts flow more naturally and I have less of a filter on what write, thus being more honest with myself, not trying to please anyone – not even myself.

I think you should write casually in your notebook because this helps you to hear and see your life from outside. As a friend talks to you

It depends on what you are writing about and how you like your writing to be. If you are writing stories, if you want to sound smart, be formal. If you're doing it in the perspective of a lousy teenager, be casual. If you are doing something for Fabulous, write it in the way you think you should. The first thing you think of that sounds good is usually what stays in your mind. Just like how long, wordy definitions are harder to remember opposed to how you would word it.

I just write whatever my thoughts and feelings are. I'm not writing for anyone to read. It's a cleansing of thoughts and feelings from the day. Plans for the future.

Writing casually is appropriate. It’s a journal. Why would someone be formal when writing their thoughts experiences their feelings?

I do both.if you Google for Tim Ferriss morning ritual you'll find that he asks himself 5 questions daily, and logs the answers into his journal. (3 in the morning, 2 in the evening). Also, I also "ramble" free form style in the evening just to flush my emotions and thoughts out.

I would say that it probably doesn’t matter all that much. It’s your journal, so you should write the way that you are comfortable doing and think will help you.

I think it is best to write informally in your journal and just write what ever you are feeling. Do whatever it takes to get your thoughts on paper. Best wishes Mercy

I believe you should write however comes the most naturally to you. The goal of journals is to show you your own inner workings and to let out random thoughts, ideas, beliefs, fears, and hopes on paper. It could either be for the purpose of getting these things off your chest, or to be able to consciously address them afterwards, but in making the process of writing it as natural as possible, you won't have to think about what you're writing or how you're writing it, cause it kinda writes itself.

I use my journal as a brain dump. Sometimes, that makes it very casual, and sometimes, that means I'm exploring ideas more formally. No matter how you go about it, just do it!

It depends on a few things, but mainly ask yourself: what would I want to know about this moment 5, 10, 20 years from now. The important thing is not your style. What journaling reveals over time is what your priorities were at any given moment. What was upsetting you, driving you, cheering you, what you were obsessing over. What matters is to just be yourself on the page. Don’t judge your journal, or you’ll never use it! It’s true! Try different techniques—prompts, freewriting, recording the facts of your day, diving into memory. Enjoy it for what it is: self-exploration. You’ll find what feels natural— don’t be afraid to experiment!

Write casually. I find it a great way to reflect on the day just gone past or write down some thoughts so I can better understand them. I didn’t like it to start with but I have found some wisdom from reflecting in this way

I prefer more casual talk. The journal is a material version of your thoughts. How one talks to one's self varies between people. I talk casually in my journals almost always and when I do, I know im comfortable with whatever im writing down. When i go formal is more when I am not as comfortable with whatever it is im writing.
However, I do not want to just use formal talk only when I am not comfortable with myself or what I am writing, but when I am writing down some goal or aspiration I talk formal.

It might vary for the person who is writing. I prefer to write casually I'm my journal because it is for my eyes only and it is easier. Also because I like to make it seem as if I am writing to my future self.

I tend to write more casually, about my day and the activities and events, as well as how I’m feeling and I always try and write at least one positive thing. I have my journals dating back to when I was 14 or 15 years old!

I think casually is better. It’s your own personal journal, it should be written in your own way and in your own style of thinking.

It is for you, I try to follow my train of thought. I prefer to take the easy way, since you're already changing your habits, set yourself up for success and don't make it harder than it needs to be. That being said, I write in my laptop so I correct the grammar.

The most important thing is to write honestly. I tend to mix it up a bit depending on how I feel at the time. When I'm upset or angry I tend to write formally. When I'm feeling well, I write more casually.

Write as though you would to a friend (you). Say the words that you need to hear and write in the format of how you would say the words aloud.

If you want to get to the truth, you write quickly without any censorship. There is no right or wrong. I find that if I set a timer for ten minutes, that limits the amount of time I have to get my thoughts out and that helps me to not monitor what I write. It is to benefit YOU, not an audience.

A journal is a reflection of you and your thoughts. There is no right or wrong way. I feel like it should be informal but that is because I am an informal, no specific routine kind of person so, sometimes, I want it to be neat and clean and perfect so that I can have something that is organized. But, it can be doodles and text boxes or thought bubbles. It is about what you are feeling in the moment because it is all for you.

That’s entirely up to you and your goals. If you’re journaling because you want to improve your writing skills, you should probably write more formally. But if you’re just trying to unpack your day, then you can write however you want. If you don’t know how to write for a specific situation, then it’s your choice.

I think you should write however it makes sense to you the way that helps you. Personally I write casually as I know that if I try and do it formally I will possibly not do it. I like to always finish with 3 things I am grateful for that day.

Well I like to write from pre chosen journal topics. Especially ones that I initially have nothing to say. I push myself to find an answer

Casually, your journal is meant for your thoughts and to try to organize them sometimes means that’s you’re not fully getting out what you aimed to. If formal writing makes you’ve feel better though, then that’s fine too. I choose casually because sometimes my thoughts are a mess and are super unconnected so just writing in a stream-of-consciousness like way helps me get out whatever is crowding my head.

I would write which ever way makes you feel the most comfortable. Some people feel more at easy writing formally and some people feel better writing casually, it's really all up to you. Make it your own style, doodle if you want to, no one else is going to see it and it's personal, so do YOU.

Write honestly. Don’t feel the need to assume some sort of “journalistic posture.” If you’re dressing up what you’re recording and sharing, you may be doing yourself a disservice as you grow. Journaling in a raw and honest way will give you great benchmarks to look back on and compare against and show you just how far you’ve come since then. Plus, if you can’t be fully and totally real in a journal, where can you be? Use that space to unload all of your most intimate thoughts, desires, worries, or feelings and give your mind and soul a rest

Write like you are having a conversation with yourself. So, it doesn’t need to be formal; it isn’t for an audience other than you. If you know what “free writing” is, do that until your style comes through.

I think casually tbh..being formal prob won't be natural but it depends what your journaling is for…I write casually as I feel things flow better & for me the journal is a place of creation & sculpting of dreams & goals so formal wouldn't work.

Write what your heart says& feels.Try different writing sfructures. Sometimes i just jot down notes or facts of that day. Never feel pressure to write morr& sometimrs we all suffer from writers block.
Thank you
Robbyn

I template mine and provide myself metrics that I’ve generated to keep track of my self-care behaviors, sleep, and emotional state. But, though this isn’t definitive in the slightest, I offer that your journal is yours for the making, make the most of it. Casual, formal, or anything in between; doesn’t matter as much as what resonates with you and the lessons you learn from the words that you write.

Write whatever is in your heart and head, unedited. Your journal isn’t destined to be read by the public, so it does not necessarily need to be combed over; neat and precise. When writing in my own journal, the tone and mood constantly vary. Sometimes thoughts come in more fortified, strong, complete. Other times my mind is in disarray, and so are the words. But in the end, it is all helpful.

I like writing casually, almost like if I’m writing a little letter to a really good friend who’s far away, but who I can trust with my feelings and emotions. In a sense it’s really up to you but don’t think too much about the prose or how you’re coming across, because if you ever want to come back to your article and reflect on what you wrote you’d want to see how you felt – unedited. Just do what feels freeing!

Casually. Be you. It's your journal it's you. If shared with others for others benefit rather than your own then go with formal.

Make it as structured as you can. I have days when I barely manage a few words but ideally I try to keep a bullet list of tasks and then detail how I am feeling and managing my depression

More casually. Being formal takes a lot of thinking, grammar and all. Casually allows me to free flow hence expressing myself more eloquently

It depends on what purpose you wish to assign to your journal. Is it for eyes only? Do you wish to pass this onto your children/ loved ones? I would have a mix of both depending on the cocontext. Just start and adapt as you grow.

This may be because I’m on a personal journey of figuring out my emotional vocabulary, but the messier the better. I’m trying to let anything out and trust for now that it will with practice form into its own practice. If not, there is still time to try something else.

You could also have 2 journals. Left brain,Right Brain.

Good luck 🤗

If you’re talking about style, it depends on your purpose. For emotional, big picture or mind dump type of journaling, I do casual. If it’s journaling to gather information, I do formal – as in there’s a set way I write so that it’s easier to see the information I’m looking for.

In terms of frequency, anything is better than nothing so I just do it when I can.

I write casually. I think about it more as an admission of thought to myself or a conversation with a close and dear friend, rather than a traditional explanation of my day. Less cut and dry and more cut open and left raw.

Itreally all depends on how you're feeling in that moment. For instance wednesday and today I have something going on pretty big in life, so I wrote quite a bit just about how happy and excited I am about the day. Other days I just try and give myself a mantra for the day to try and follow. It really helps just writing or typing it out over and over.

Depends of the occasion and the person maybe you should have 2 versions and let the people to choose depends what affect them most

Personally, I think it’s best to try to write as you think. I find it easier to be honest with myself and articulate hard feelings if I use a mixture. I wouldn’t worry about the tone, basically.

I like to mix it up, but I often find that the more I journal, the more casual I get with myself, and my entries begin to become more like what my inner monologue sounds like, which is very casual indeed.

Start with whatever you want to explore, and always keep in mind that you can always journal again the next day, so if you’re having a rough day, or even only have time to put down a short paragraph for the day, you will have time to do more entries, and because it is only YOUR journal and your journey, you can do whatever you like with it.

There are days where I have drawn a picture as my journal entry for that day, or written a poem, or just talked about a movie or a piece of art or some pseudo-philosophical ideas that I want to explore at the time.

The sky really is the limit, so don’t limit yourself, but if you find that you are having trouble getting started with an entry, then you should start writing about how you’re having trouble finding a place to start, and then the rest of the entry will take care of itself.

Let the ideas flow like water from your stream of consciousness onto the page, and I guarantee you will eventually learn a lot about yourself and how you approach the world.

When I journal I like to transfer my exact thoughts to the page, whichever form they present themselves.

This captures the authenticity of your thoughts.

I prefer to write more casually. Journaling is a place for me to document my thoughts and reflect on them. There’s no need for formality when I’m only talking to myself!

I believe you have to consider the message of the entry and what will make the writing flow better and easier. I struggle with being formal constantly when writing because alot of the messages I write to myself are just that— for myself and I’ll better understand the meaning of what I was writing if I just go with the natural way I usually express myself. The mood you are in can also affect the efficiency of writing a certain way and forcing yourself to write something unauthentic can unmotivate you from journaling at all. If you are writing to improve your writing skills it’ll be better to write formally or if you’re trying to test out a different style to change the aesthetic of the journal, you should definitely challenge yourself with either . Based on these factors :your mood, the type of message and the flow, and the goal of your journaling, you can determine what is the best way to write.

Hey, it’s your journal, so it doesn’t really matter. Just write in something you’re comfortable in and will have fun looking over in the future. This preference may change form day to day and that’s perfectly fine. If you want to keep it consistent, I would tend more to informal because it’s just less of a hassle. Whatever you chose, just remember a journal is for logging your memories, so just have some fun!

I believe it is your choice. Some days, I will write formally, correct punctuation and all. Others, I find are not very formal because I may have a lot to say or I might have so much on the tip of my tongue that I want to get it out before it escapes me. Either way, I believe there is no right or wrong way to journal. It’s about getting your thoughts and feelings out and on paper, or in this case, on your device.

It changes with how your day is going. But who do you think would read it except yourself? Why are you bothered about casual or formal. Write firmly and I should come out from your heart through your veins and via your brains.

Casually. It’s not for anyone else to see, so don’t worry about it being formal and edited. Just write. Plan your dreams, write your hurts, favorite quotes and songs, ideas you have.

Write however you want. Sometimes my journals are formal & deep. Sometimes they're superficial & relaxed. It really depends on how I feel on the day & what I'm putting to paper. There's no rules as long as whatever your writing is beneficial to you in some way.

Journal is a way to express yourself. I wouldn’t suggest to write in a stringent manner.
I write my journal according to my mood and keep it truthful and simple. I don’t sugarcoat any of my feelings. I present it the way it has been. I feel that nowadays people share what happened to them with family, friends or relatives. But rarely does anyone share how they felt when a specific incident took place. So with my journals or diary i write how i felt in a specific situation. I at times use my mother language other times i write in a casual manner.
So i suggest you choose the manner according to your feelings

I think it depends on what you're trying to achieve with it. Casual writing like a diary can help relieve stress, formal statements like smart targets can help you organise yourself better and achieve goals. I do a bit of both at the moment.

I prefer to write more casually in my journal because it lets me get out all the thoughts I'm having without feeling like I need to change the course of my thoughts to be more formal sounding. It's my thoughts and reflections so I don't think I need to change it to sound different than what's in my head.

Hey mate, definitely casually. It’s a place to chat to yourself and relax. Nobody is watching or judging. Grammar doesn’t need to be perfect. Just write from the soul. Let your feelings flow on paper.

I think that writing in a journal or writing in a journal can be very stress reliving because if you are stressed then just writing something down about how you feel can really help that

Its ur wish ,ur journal is a type of smaall book in which u write ur life
It may be formally if u write it alternetly casually of u write it by ur heart
Be fabulous

Casually. Think of it as writing to your future self. Or to your present self. Let thoughts out on paper without any expectations and you’ll see how by the end of the exercise you will gain a sense of clarity of thought that seems coming out of nowhere.

Whatever works for you- if you like the feel of formal writing then do it! Maybe it’s easier to write to someone about you thoughts and feeling (like a grandparent whose passed) than to jot down everything in diary format.

However you want. Your journal is for you and you alone. What’s important is that you let your ideas flow naturally and don’t censor what you say

Your journal is you. Sometimes you are formal and sometimes you are casual and simple. It should reflect every aspect of your life so you can see and compare all of your sides: what side lake efficiency, where do you need to work on your improvements, how people react to different you.

I think if you get in the habit and journal daily, it's better than not journaling! So I say start with short, informal notes, but if you have time and as you retain the habit, add on and formalize!

It is up to you. I keep a diary. In it I write the events of my day and write out anything that is staying on my mind. I also am using the journal in Fabulous. I am dumping into it the concerns and feelings of the moment

The answer is depend upon my experience only.
I am not saying this way of Journaling is the only write way.

Journaling is for you for 1.reflection

and
2. Accountability (to get to know that all things are going fine or i need to change the process)

3 . Visualization
This technique is used to visualize your dream place either job or your future self .

I keep mixture of formal and informal sometime i write formal like bullet points and sometimes i write in paragraph to express my feelings .

But make sure you make journal interesting use icon and creativity to express your thoughts
So next time you write, it feel like fun to you
Thanks for asking this question

Akshay
From india

Haha well I see a mix as the best solution. But do it as you fits. The way I use my journal is a mix: I use the methodology of Ryder Caroll the founder of bulletjournaling. Do read or find information in the internet of his way of working. I am a fan.

I would write casually because your journal is your place to say the things you want to say. It's where your secrets come out. Unless you think formally, a casual tone is the best to go with.

I heard Ariana Huffington say you don’t even have to write words (just do a page of loops) in order to get some benefit in terms of relaxation. Personally I like to include 3 things I’m grateful for and use a journal called the daily greatness journal because I get bored and don’t

The journal is for you. You choose how you would like to write that day, sometimes based on how you feel. It's like writing in a personal diary.

Personally I’d write how you think, as much as possible. I think it’s good to try and get past your filter in your journal, to discover the things you might be ignoring in the rest of your life. Basically though journaling is something you do just for you, so you have every right to do it however feels best ❤️

However you feel comfortable! Maybe you can start out as formal to give that feeling of something important…and introduce bits of informality within that! Mine is a mix of both! The important thing is that we must continue to write! All the best!

My journal is for my eyes only. Mistakes will be made. Sometimes I’ll be in a hurry. Sometimes I’ll ramble. Just put whatever you need to put on the page and you will see progress.

Remember that you are not being judged for what you write. Set your intentions and your journal will help.

short journaling is easier to accomplish on a daily basis, but I do like to reflect enough so that I can see my growth or to get something off my mind

That is completely up to you. You may want your journal to be like a formal conversation with your boss, or a quick chat with yourself everyday. Make your journal your special place, however you like it.

I write as though I'm having a conversation that no one will ever read. I don't think about what to write…its thoughts,feelings. There is no order…it's my thoughts. Some nights it 1\2 page maybe, other nights it's 3-4 pages. It's about the day, my feelings,my dreams, my plan.

I write in all different ways when I journal, depends on my mood and how much time I have and what I want to say. It’s only for you so just do what serves you.