6 Journaling Alternatives If You Don't Like Writing

by Tiffany Walking Eagle | 3-minute read

Journaling is an effective way to get your thoughts out of you head and onto paper, forcing you to identify, acknowledge, and try to work through them. However, I realize that not everyone enjoys writing. Heck, I’m a writer/blogger, and I don’t always enjoy journaling

You folks who just don’t connect with traditional journaling, I don’t want you to completely miss out on the therapeutic benefits of it! So I came up with these journaling alternatives for you to express your feelings better in other ways.

Talk your thoughts out in video form.
Do you tend to express yourself best verbally? Do you enjoy being in front of the camera? (It’s okay if you don’t, but some people do. You don’t need to share the videos.)
If you do like speaking more than writing, taking videos journals of yourself talking about your struggles may help you get your thoughts out in an effective, beneficial way. This is likely a great option for talkative extroverts.
Voice record your thoughts.
Maybe you do express yourself best verbally but you don’t like the thought of filming yourself. Use a voice recording application in your phone (or you can use a digital voice recorder if you really want to) and create journal recordings.
Draw pictures.
Some people express their feelings through art, and if you fall into that category, get a sketchbook specifically devoted to journaling. Whether you’re feeling angry, sad, confused, hurt, or just looking to process some emotion or struggle, make your sketchbook a safe space to work things out. Maybe jot down some words you associate with the art, or don’t. It’s your choice.
Scrapbook/photo journal.
If you like to document through photos, maybe you’d find healing by creating a daily photo journal. If you love scrapbooking, go ham! But if you’d rather keep it simple, that totally works too. Just take a photo of something to document each day you journal, something you feel helps you express what you’re feeling.
Create music.
Whether you love to write songs or compose music or both, music is a beautiful way to express emotion and work through difficult feelings.
Have a designated, trusted friend who will listen without judgment.
This may be a good option for extroverts! Have a friend who can agree to regularly listen to your struggles without judgement, and offer to do the same for them. They can act as sort of a “human journal,” and set whatever boundaries you need to. As in, if you’d rather they not offer advice, tell them so, and tell them you’ll respect whatever boundaries they need as well. You can even act as an accountability partner and check in on each other regularly.