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A Beginner’s Guide To Journaling & Writing Daily Diary Entries

This foundational habit will change your life

Nicolas Cole
7 min readFeb 14, 2025

Journaling, or writing in a diary, is a powerful way to understand yourself better, set and track your goals, and remember all the interesting things you’ve done over time.

There is no better way to:

  • Hear yourself
  • Become conscious of your thoughts
  • And take actionable steps forward

Even if it’s just a paragraph, three sentences, or jeez, one sentence, doing a quick check-in and writing down what’s happening in your life will document your growth as a human.

Over time, you can literally see your life progress right in front of you. Long term, writing in a diary will keep you grounded and sane.

Let’s dive in.

What’s The Difference Between A Diary And A Journal?

A journal and a diary are both great for personal writing, but they serve different purposes.

A diary is for documenting your daily life.

  • Record your diet and what you eat.
  • Keep track of your workouts and results.
  • Note everything that happens during the day.

A journal is for reflecting on your thoughts and feelings.

  • What are you grateful for?

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Nicolas Cole
Nicolas Cole

Written by Nicolas Cole

100M+ Views | 5x Author | Co-founder of Ship 30 for 30 | Want to start writing online? Get the Ultimate Guide: https://startwritingonline.com

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