1. Why diary / journal writing can help you practise & improve your English
You get to express your feelings, experience etc. in English as you write in your journal. This is a fantastic way to practise real-life English grammar or vocabulary that you already know or need to know.
2. How to write in your journal to help you practise your English?
Imagine you are "talking" to your diary as you're writing down in it.
Don't take too long to think about grammar rules etc. Write as if you're "talking" just like in real life.
3. What if you are not sure & make English grammar mistakes?
Remember that you're learning English to be able to feel confident in speaking it.
Just write what you think. Mistakes are OK.
In this post you can:
1. Learn 18 Vocabulary Word List Related to Journaling You Can Use
2. 15 Tips You Can Use To Help You Journal
3. Practise & Review Your Grammar As You Read
4. Vocabulary List
Word / Part of Speech / Meaning
1. go over (phrasal v) = look at something in a detailed way
2. overcome (v) = succeed in dealing with problem
3. issues (n) = problem
4. solve (v) = find an answer to a problem
5. potential (adj) = possible but not achieved yet
6. feel good (idiom) = happy & positive feelings about life
7. feel down (adjective) = unhappy
8. trial & error (noun) = achieve aim through different methods and learning through mistakes
9. critic (noun) = a person who doesn't approve of someone/something
10. inner (adjective) = inside
11. overcome (v) = succeed in dealing with problem
12. resonate (v) = similar to your experience
13. turn to (phrasal v) = to go/ask for help
14. stick to (phrasal v) = do something & not change to anything else
15. mean (v) = intend
16. passionate (adj) = have strong emotions
17. unbiased (adj) = able to judge fairly
18. mindset (n) = way of thinking
5. So, what do you write about to begin journaling as an English language learner?
Even if you know what you want to achieve through daily journaling, it may still be quite difficult to start.
Below, we look at 15 things or topics you can journal and talk about to help in your personal growth.
6. 15 Things You Can Journal To Practise & Improve English
Tip 1. Talk about the things that make you happy
Thinking of the things that make you happy in your life will put you in a good mood. Most times we tend to focus on negative things.
Focus on positive thoughts to help with your personal growth journey.
Write about the things that make you happy. It could be anything, big or small.
The more positive things that you can think of, the happier you will feel.
Don’t just write a list of happy things.
Write about why each thing makes you happy.
Give the reasons why they make you smile.
Finally, think about the things that make you happy in your life and include them in your journal.
Tip#2. Plan your weekly or monthly goals
You can use your journal to help you to achieve goals in life.
Setting weekly or monthly goals will help keep you focused on the things you want in your life.
Be realistic when setting goals that you want to achieve. They should be small, actionable, and measurable.
When the week or month has passed, go over your goals to see how well you did.
Were all your goals met?
Tip# 3. Inspirational quotes or affirmations
Keep it simple.
Write down your favourite inspirational quotes and affirmations in your journal.
Or you could get Printable Colouring Journals with Positive Quotes to help keep you motivated.
The quotes give you something positive to focus on, as well as to look back on when times get tough.
When you focus on positive quotes and affirmations, you start to build a more positive mindset.
Be on the look out for positive quotes and affirmations you can use; online, in books, mugs or even posters.
Tip#4. What is your biggest issue right now?
Journaling may help overcome any issues you might be facing.
Start by writing down what your biggest issue is right now. What exactly the problem is and *what have you done so far to solve it?
Grammar Point!
- Present Perfect Simple Wh-Question
*What have you done so far to solve it?
Once you have your problem written down, you’ll be surprised how much easier it is to identify potential solutions.
Tip#5. Steps you can take when you feel down
In life, there will be times when you feel down.
You don't have to just sit back and wait to feel better tomorrow!
Use your journal to write down the steps you can take when you start to feel down. What instantly puts a smile onto your face and makes you feel good?
It can take trial and error to see what works.
Remember to add to your list as you discover what works for you.
Tip#6. Personal growth books you want to read
This is a great idea. You write about personal growth books you want to read.
Research the different books available and list the ones you really want to read.
This will help you work towards your personal growth.
Make a list of the personal growth books you have already read. Write about what you liked about each of them and what those books have taught you.
Tip#7. A letter to your past or future self
Writing a letter to your past or future self can also help in personal growth.
By writing to your past self, it can help you to overcome the negative things you haven't been able to let go.
When writing to your future self, think about what you hope to be doing:
1. What does your life look like in the future?
2. How are you feeling?
3. Try and be as specific as possible when you visualise your future life.
This will give you an idea of what you are aiming for.
Tip#8. A To-Do list for the day
Why not use your journal to keep track of the important tasks you want to complete throughout the day.
What 3 things are on your to-do list today? Are they realistic?
It's a good idea to start with one important task, followed by the other two.
This way, if you are too busy to handle all the tasks, at least the important one still gets done.
Tip#9. The toughest thing you have overcome
What was the toughest thing you have overcome in your life?
Often times we focus on the things we haven’t achieved.
You may also find that your inner critic loves to make you feel weak and powerless.
By focusing on something that you have overcome, it reminds you of how strong you are.
You remind yourself of the lessons you learned from the experience. And that you overcame something you thought was impossible.
This will give you motivation and strength to face any current issues you may be having.
Vocabulary Check!
(Suffix -less) *powerless = without power
Tip#10. The TV shows and podcasts that bring you joy
Many TV shows and podcasts are not only entertaining but so uplifting as well.
Think about the television programmes that bring you joy.
Your favourite series, or a talk show that gets you thinking.
Podcasts are so popular, and you’ll find many that focus on personal growth.
Browse a variety of podcasts to see which ones best resonate with you.
Then, make a list of all your favourite shows and podcasts that you can turn to when you are having a bad day.
Tip#11. Write down your personal rules of behaviour
If you want to stick to the new habits you set for yourself, you might want to start seeing them as your "personal rules."
When you set habits as rules they become important that you follow through.
You will be less likely to break them if you see them as rules, rather than simple habits.
A couple of examples of personal rules you could set yourself include “I exercise everyday” and “I love learning English.":-)
Tip#12. What hobbies could you try?
Personal growth often means trying out new things. Are there any hobbies you have been meaning to try out?
Or maybe you don’t know what type of hobby you want to take up?
Do a little research and then write down the hobbies you'd like to try out.
Trying out a new hobby can help you to find more things that you are passionate about.
Once you have your list, aim to try at least one of the hobbies you've written down.
Tip 13. Write down your feel-good playlist
Music has the power to instantly change your mood.
During darker times, you can put on a feel-good playlist to help make you feel happier.
Think about the songs that really make you feel good.
Which songs can’t you resist singing or dancing to?
Once you have a playlist, you can put it together to help you whenever you are struggling.
The great thing is that you can add to it over time, while discovering great new music.
Tip#14. Build up the habits that can change your life
Think about what it is you need to change in your life.
Then write down the habits that you need to start to help you make the change.
It is important to only focus on developing one or two habits at a time. If you try and change too many things at once, you will fail.
So, focus on building up the habits that will make the most significant difference first.
TIP#15. Write about your strengths and weaknesses
You can learn a lot about yourself by making a list of your strengths and weaknesses.
You may find that writing down your weaknesses is easier than writing about your strengths. This is because we tend to judge ourselves harshly.
If you are having trouble identifying your strengths, ask a friend or relative.
They can give you an unbiased opinion of what strengths they feel you possess.
Journaling as a daily practice is a great way to build upon personal growth. It allows you to set goals, work through your problems and develop a more positive mindset.
If you haven’t started journaling as a daily practice, now is the time to change that.
Get a good journal and determine which time of day is the best time for you to write and practise your English.
On some days you may not be in the mood, but you need to try to journal as frequently as possible.
The more time you spend journaling, the more benefits you are going to experience. So go on.
Give it a try.
6. Your Turn to Practice Writing in Your Journal.
Tell your journal about your day. Good day? Bad day? Why? What did you do etc...
(Put into practice all the different tenses you've learnt, words from your vocabulary bank or expressions you've heard English speakers use. )
We hope you enjoyed & felt inspired after reading the 15 things you can journal to practise & help improve your English. Happy Journaling !
Thanks so much for reading.
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