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Kristen is a Washington, D.C.-based freelance writer and homebody. She specializes in home and lifestyle content, and loves helping others live their best lives at home and beyond. Romanticizing her life since 1987, you can probably find her sipping on iced coffee, crushing a Crossfit workout, designing her next dream space, or blasting Taylor Swift.
While there are plenty of expensive wellness practices being touted by “influencers” on social media, some of the most beneficial ones are actually free (think: walking outside and getting eight hours of sleep). One of our favorites is journaling, which allows people of all interests and personality types to express themselves and find balance in their lives anytime, anywhere. From what journaling actually is to its benefits and tips for how to get started, we’re here to help you make this highly beneficial practice a healthy habit in no time.
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thoughts, and experiences in whatever form or fashion they choose. There is no specific format to follow or style of writing required. Instead, journaling is about processing one’s emotions or pursuing personal development. Although becoming a better writer isn’t the primary goal of journaling, that may happen along the way if it becomes habitual!
You may be surprised to learn that incorporating a regular journaling practice is associated with numerous physical and mental health benefits. A 2005 study published by the University of Cambridge found that participants who practiced expressive writing—through the form of journaling—self-reported health outcomes such as fewer stress-related doctor visits, improved immune, lung, and liver function; reduced blood pressure; and a greater feeling of psychological well-being. The participants also reported improved performance at work and greater confidence in social situations.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) journaling could help give us a better understanding of who we are and what we want to achieve. Journaling could also help determine strengths and weaknesses, clarify thoughts and feelings, solve problems, and even recognize successes. Plus, journaling may help identify and manage stress, something we could all use in our mental health toolkits.
We asked Chesbrough “Chesie” Roberts, MS, ADC, LPC, founder and principal therapist at CLR Counseling Group in Birmingham, Alabama, about some tips for aspiring journalers (for personal use).
Robert’s biggest advice is to play up your strengths in order to turn journaling into a habit you’ll actually stick to. While some people are great at waking up early with a cup of coffee to reflect on life, Roberts recognizes that may not be realistic for everyone . Whether you’re a night owl or early bird, there’s no specific time or way to journal that’s better than any other.
“I give my clients a very simple daily ‘good things’ question list to answer at the end of each day, ” says Roberts. She asks her clients to post this list of self-esteem building questions somewhere that can be easily seen each morning and at least one other time during the day, such as on the fridge. From there, her clients can reflect deeper through journaling, whether it’s upon waking, during lunch, or before going to sleep. To stimulate your writing habit, try starting with a daily list of questions built around your personal goals, whether that’s building confidence, dealing with anxiety, or simply being more present in your daily life.
If you’re looking for some structure to help you stick to a journaling practice, consider trying a gratitude journal to help build your positivity in mere minutes a day.
Busy bees may benefit from starting off with bullet journaling, which can help you stick to any personal goals such as building up your fitness and health or developing stronger relationships in your work and social circles.
“I have found that we don’t have to journal these eloquent paragraphs reflecting on our lives with a perfect notebook and fancy pen for success,” says Roberts. Simply grab a journal, pick up a set of pens or pencils, and get to writing!
I used to set a New Year’s resolution to read a certain number of books in a year. One year, I very nearly hit my goal to read 26 books, but fell a few short. Mildly stung by the defeat, I doubled my reading goal the following year. I failed spectacularly and wound up reading even fewer than I read the previous year.
I was perplexed. I have always loved to read, and I thought a reading challenge would motivate me to get through the backlog of unread books I had on my shelf. It did just the opposite. Overwhelmed at the thought of finishing a book a week, I reached for my phone to scroll through social media, marveling at the many Bookstagrammers I followed, who seemed to be reading a book a day. I felt jealous, even though I knew the only answer was to pick up a book and read.
How did I manage to turn a beloved pastime into something that made me feel bad about myself?
“When you’re giving yourself permission to sit and enjoy [reading], you are more likely to stay with it as opposed to forcing it in,” says Kristen Krista, success coach and founder of Pennsylvania-based Platypus Strategists. “You’re trying to meet this goal that might not necessarily be serving you.”
Krista encouraged me to remove the words have, should, and need from my inner monologue when it came to books, as in “I have to read,” “I should be reading,” or “I need to read more.” So I did. I granted myself permission to just read. This year, I ditched all attempts at conquering a challenge, and I’m reading more than ever. What’s more? I’m enjoying books now instead of seeing them as boxes to check.
In the morning, I spend about 10 or 15 minutes reading a book while I drink my coffee (which is either tasting better or I’m just enjoying that more, too). I’m trying to be better at taking lunch breaks — I work from home, so lunch typically involves taking a few bites out of dinner leftovers while cleaning up my kitchen. But now, I sit down and eat from an actual plate while I squeeze in a few more minutes of reading time. At night, I put down the phone and pick up a book or my tablet and read a few pages at bedtime, sometimes more if I’m not feeling sleepy. My husband is also an avid reader, so it’s a nice, relaxing way for us to end a long work day.
All told, I’m now reading at least 30 minutes a day without putting any pressure on myself. I’d probably finish books a lot more quickly if I were reading the same book throughout the day, but I’m one of those readers who have three books going at any given time. These days I’m not in a race to get to the last page of any of them. And strangely enough, I’ve actually found that my reading speed has increased. It’s not something I set out to do, but I’ll take it as a happy byproduct of the daily habit I’ve established.
“Reading is such a special thing,” says Krista, noting it doesn’t matter whether you’re picking up a book to learn, imagine, or relax. “If it’s something you take pleasure in and you’re forcing yourself to do it, it counteracts that piece of it you enjoy.”
This is what exactly happened to Erica, an avid reader from New Jersey who runs the Instagram account @therestjustfallsaway. She regularly gets ARCs (advanced reading copies) from independent authors who depend on her and other Bookstagrammers to get the word out about new must-reads. Normally, it’s a dream for her to get the sneak peek of so many wonderful stories. But at one point, it all backfired.
“The more books being sent to me, the less I was enjoying reading because now it was like I was on a schedule [to finish and post about them],” says Erica. She talks about how some books would sit unopened on her shelves for months, some even a couple of years. “It would make me so mad,” she said.
There’s a happy ending to this story, though. Erica got her reading mojo back by branching out. Her favorite genre is romance, but she realized it was time to open up her shelves to more diverse authors. Rather than try to keep up with the ARCs as they rolled in, she once again gave herself permission to be a “mood reader” — if the mood struck her to pick up a certain book and start reading, she would do just that. Her shelves are still full and always will be, but they no longer overwhelm her.
I indulged in some mood reading recently when I received a gift card to one of my favorite independent Brooklyn bookstores, Books Are Magic. I bought a slew of books that I displayed on my shelf when I got home. I stared at my new titles, then looked over at the backlog I had on other shelves. I could have easily guilted myself into picking up one of the books that had been lingering on my shelf, but I was really excited about one of the novels I had chosen. (It was “My Year of Rest and Relaxation” by Ottessa Moshfegh, for the record.) So I grabbed it, sunk into a comfortable chair, and got lost in the pages. It was a blissful experience, and one that I had been sadly denying myself for far too long, all for a reading challenge that was meant to impress … who?
In the end, I realized that the challenge was my way of chasing an accomplishment. I like being able to point to a shelf and say, “Why yes, I have read all those books.” But do you know what I like even more? Having unread books waiting for me. And now that I’ve put the enjoyment and fun back into my reading, they won’t have to wait very long.
This piece is part of Go Slow Month, where we’re celebrating taking your time, taking a deep breath, and taking a step back from it all. From deliberate design ideas to tips for truly embracing rest, head over here to see it all.
There’s a famous psychological experiment you may remember learning about in school: A researcher offers a child a choice between eating one marshmallow right now, or waiting 15 minutes and getting two marshmallows instead. The Stanford marshmallow experiment, as the 1970s study is known, explored the concept of delayed gratification, or the ability to resist an immediate temptation for some longer-term benefit.
And while the marshmallow experiment is a super literal test of delayed gratification in a lab, everyone experiences the subtle tension between now versus later in their daily lives: whether to buy a new dress or put the money into savings, or whether to plop down on the couch or hit the gym.
If you’ve got an eye toward setting yourself up for success in the future, you can take many small steps now that will lead to big payoffs later. From skincare to finances, here are some easy ways to embrace delayed gratification in your daily life today and improve your situation down the line. Oh, and by the way, your future self says thank you.
Though it can be awkward to ask your boss for a raise (or negotiate with a new employer for a higher starting salary), a little temporary discomfort right now can be fruitful for your finances in the end, says Lindsey Bell, chief markets and money strategist at Ally.
Especially in today’s job market, you have more negotiating power than you may realize and boosting your salary in the early part of your career will snowball into more and more money as you progress through your career, Bell says.
“Your starting salary will determine the trajectory of your salary growth over your career,” she says. “While you can catch up later, it’s best to start strong early.”
With confusing acronyms like 401(k) and IRA, it’s easy enough to zone out when anyone starts talking about saving for retirement. But don’t overlook this alphabet soup: The earlier you start saving, the better (thanks, compound interest!).
“Investing for retirement may seem like a light-year away, but there are significant benefits to starting to save for the goal sooner,” Bell says. And once you’ve got your 401(k) or other retirement plan maxed out, set your sights on dumping money into a separate investment account as well, she advises. Though you may be tempted to spend every paycheck you get or keep it in a standard savings account (where you can easily access it for shopping sprees later), resist the urge and open a brokerage account instead. The money will grow at a faster rate, but you can still access it for big purchases and investments down the line.
“This is a good way to save for goals that are at least five years away, but closer than 45 years away,” she says. “Growing your money in the stock market before buying a house or some other goal can be better than letting cash sit in a savings account earning minimal interest for 10 years.”
Sure, you need to do some hard work now (tilling the soil, pulling weeds, etc.), but planting a garden — even a tiny one — can pay off in spades later. You’ll literally be eating the fruits of your labor at the end of the season and you’ll likely develop a greater appreciation for the farmers and other professionals who grow your food, which makes you a more mindful consumer in the long run.
“Planting early in the year if you are starting from seed is best,” says Chris Starkus, a chef, beekeeper, gardener, and sustainability advocate in Colorado. “You will truly understand and have a deep respect for the food when you plant a tomato seed in February and finally eat the fruit in late July or August if all goes well.” Plus, he adds, “You will become a better eater when you eat from your garden.”
If your space allows for it, get into beekeeping — not only will you have delicious honey to eat or share with friends and neighbors, but you’ll also be doing the earth a favor. Bees are pollinators, so they’re a hugely important part of many ecosystems and they (along with other pollinators) are responsible for roughly one-third of the food we eat.
Though there are startup costs and a learning curve when you start out, this hobby more than pays for itself over the years, Starkus says. “When you become a beekeeper, your bees’ success depends on the environment around you and you will therefore find yourself paying closer attention to it,” he says.
Keeping bees can also help you be more connected to your community, he says: “I have not had anyone turn down local raw honey yet.”
It only takes a few minutes, but putting on sunscreen somehow always feels like a struggle. Take this oft-touted advice and run with it so that your skin stays in tip-top shape as you age, recommends Morgan Covington, an M.D. and board-certified dermatologist with Westlake Dermatology in Round Rock, Texas. And while you’re at it, slap on a hat and lightweight, long-sleeved clothes if you’ll be spending a lot of time outside.
“Starting sunscreen in your 20s — or even earlier — has so many benefits,” she says. “By getting in the habit of applying SPF 30 or higher as a part of your daily skincare routine, you are helping your future self by preventing signs of sun damage and skin cancers later in life. Many signs of premature aging, like wrinkles and sunspots, can be prevented or delayed by early and diligent skin protection.”
If the idea of getting Botox to stave off wrinkles as you age just isn’t your thing, then retinoids are your best friend. Develop a relationship with a trusted dermatologist, then discuss a skincare plan that’s right for you, ideally involving prescription-strength retinoids. They’re stronger than over-the-counter retinols and, though they may cause some flaking and irritation today, they’re one of the best defenses against wrinkles and other signs of aging in the long term, Covington says. (They’re also useful for fighting off acne, too.)
Maybe you never took your violin home in middle school to practice, so eventually you stopped playing altogether. And though learning a musical instrument as an adult does require a commitment on your part, the potential benefits outweigh the hassle, says Alissa Musto, a professional musician and piano teacher based in Tampa, Florida.
Once you learn, you’ll quickly become the life of any party or campfire (depending on the instrument) and it’s a great way to keep your brain sharp as you age. You may also want to join a band or a musical group, which can help you meet new people and be social. Plus, music is just good for the soul, whether you’re listening or playing.
“The ability to play an instrument is a skill and hobby that will carry with you throughout the course of your life, unlike sports or more physically demanding activities, which become less sustainable as the body ages,” she says.
The Spanish or French you learned in high school is probably a little rusty by now, and that’s OK. You can take baby steps to learn a new language now, with the eventual goal of being relatively fluent in the future, which could come in handy for everything from travel to volunteering. Language-learning platforms like Duolingo and Memrise make it easy to incorporate a few words or phrases at a time, so it doesn’t feel quite so overwhelming as you slowly improve your speaking and writing skills. Learning a new word each day, taking a language lesson each week, or allotting a few minutes on a regular basis to speak only in a foreign tongue can ladder up to feeling fluent in a new language over time — and can open open up so many exciting conversations and opportunities for gratification in the future.