Stop writing so much.

Yes, you read the title correctly.

If you want to become a consistent daily journaler, it's the best advice you could possibly follow.

A paragraph, a sentence, even a few words - that's all it takes. No one except you will know how much you're writing, so why does it matter?

All-too-often, and with the grandest intentions, people with decide that today, they are going to start journaling again.

They pull out a fresh notebook, or (re)download a journaling app, and spend an hour writing an eloquent and reflective entry worthy of publication in the finest periodical.

And then the next day, they think "I should try to journal again" but realize how long it took them and how much effort it was to write it all down and how they'd much rather just watch TV or pick a fight on X / Twitter or something.

And they never open that notebook again, and the journaling app gets deleted when they run out of storage on their phone.

There is a cure to inconsistent journaling

I've been a long-distance runner since childhood.

I've never particularly enjoyed it, but there is a special feeling it gives you. You're doing something hard, and you're making yourself better by doing it.

People often say, "Wow, I could never run that far!" or profess that they need a few months and a whole workout program to run 5km.

I disagree. I wholeheartedly believe that anyone who is remotely healthy could run 5km, right now.

They key is running slow.

It can feel backwards or counterintuitive, but its advice I give out freely because it works. Do you know what's worse than running 5km at a walking pace?

Not running at all.

And it's easier than you'd think to slowly turn up the speed - and the next thing you know, you're actually running pretty fast.

The same goes for journaling.

There's absolutely no point in burning yourself out early by trying to write a novel every day, or matching a certain style, or writing with the belief that your journal just might one day become a bestseller.

If your goal is to journal consistently, then journal consistently.

It can be a paragraph, a sentence, a word or an emoji for all I care - making any sort of entry will help build the habit of journaling.

And over time, when the words flow more freely, you'll always have the time in your routine and the space you need, to write what you need.

-- N.L.