Journaling Tip: To Type or Not to Type

“Can I journal using a phone or computer?” 

I get asked this question a lot. And I understand why. With more and more journaling apps coming out all the time - including the Apple Journal, writing using a screen seems like such an easy answer. 

And while there’s nothing inherently wrong with journaling using a keyboard, I have to say that I’m personally against it. Now, anyone who knows me knows that I definitely don’t like making “rules” around journaling, so maybe this declaration seems a bit harsh. 

The truth is, you can use a laptop all you want to journal - it’s certainly better than nothing. But, let’s call it what it is - just like we learned from all those nonstop Zoom calls back in Covid-thick times, being on a screen takes away a lot of the “human” feel of something. 

So, here are 5 reasons why I suggest journaling with good ol’ fashion pen and paper:

1. You get a full sensory experience.
   The smell of the paper. The feel of the pen’s weight in your hands. Even the sound of the pen scrolling across the page wakes up your senses more than you’re even aware of. Plus, there’s something really luxurious about treating yourself to a cool new notebook and a satisfying pen. 

2. You can trace your emotions better.
   The way we write tells a million stories about us. I’ve noticed times when my journaling starts to get super sloppy, or heavy-handed. When I look back at what I’m writing, it’s usually something emotionally charged or upsetting. The same can happen when I’m feeling light-hearted - my letters get loopier and my pen pressure softer. When you hand-write your journal, your emotions get to come out physically onto the page. It’s actually really cool to pay attention to! 

3. You hold more power over your releases.
   If you type something you want to keep, your option is to save it. That’s it. Your writing goes into some void that you don’t actually own. Similar to if you write something you don’t want to keep; your only option is to delete it. That’s it. Now, come on, there’s not much satisfaction in that. We want to physically hold onto our beautiful things. And I’ve gotta tell you, destroying the ugly things is really damn satisfying. I encourage everyone to rip pages out of your journals, crumple them up, douse them in water, and hell - even burn them if you want! Releasing icky emotions sometimes deserves way more than just hitting a delete button.  

4. You get a more meditative moment.
   We’re all on our screens all day for everything. Give yourself a break! Give yourself permission to just sit still for a handful of minutes, without all the distractions a screen brings. This is your time. Let it be your time. 

5. You learn to live with your beautiful mistakes.
   It’s so easy to proof-read, edit, and delete when you’re working on a computer. Which is great if you’re polishing a document. But, you’re not. You’re throwing your emotions onto a page. Those emotions can be messy - and they deserve to be expressed that way. The second we start editing our thoughts and emotions, it takes the power of emoting away. I always encourage my clients to NOT go back and edit anything. Let the mistakes and misspellings come. Who cares? You’re not being graded here. It’s simply your time to get the feels out.  

So there it is. My humble opinion on the matter. Now go treat yourself to a cool notebook and fun pen to start handwriting your journal!