Journal examples: 16 entries for every kind of journal
A journal entry can be three lines about your day, a list of things you are grateful for, a dream you remember, or a letter you will never send. Below are 16 short journal examples, one for each common type, with a note on how to write your own. Pick one style and try it today.
How to write a journal entry (the basic shape)
This page is about personal journals, the kind you keep for yourself. If you were looking for academic journals, those are published magazines of research, which is a different meaning of the word.
Almost every good journal entry has three parts. You do not have to follow them, but they help when you are stuck.
- The date at the top, so you can read back later.
- What happened or what is on your mind. One event, feeling or idea.
- Your thoughts about it. Why it matters, what you learned, or what comes next.
That is it. The examples below change the middle part to fit different journal types. For more help, see what to write in a journal.
Journal examples about everyday life
1. Daily journal entry
How to write it: tell your day in order, then add one line about how you feel. A daily diary is exactly this.
2. One line a day
How to write it: one sentence, every day, no more. Great for busy people. See our one line a day journal.
3. Mood journal entry
How to write it: rate your mood, then write why. Over weeks, a mood journal shows patterns.
Gratitude and reflective journal examples
4. Gratitude journal entry
How to write it: three specific good things. Specific is the key. More in our gratitude journal guide.
5. Reflective journal entry
How to write it: describe an event, then think about what went well and what you would do differently. See our full guide to the reflective journal.
Dream, goal and venting journal examples
6. Dream journal entry
How to write it: write as soon as you wake up, before the details fade. Add how you felt. Keep the journal by your bed.
7. Goal journal entry
How to write it: state the goal, track progress, name the obstacle, set one next step.
8. Venting journal entry
How to write it: let it all out, then end with one calmer line. Venting on paper is often safer than venting by text.
Travel, prayer and letter journal examples
9. Travel journal entry
How to write it: focus on senses and small details. Those are what you forget first. Try this on your next trip.
10. Prayer journal entry
How to write it: thanks, prayers for others, your own needs. See our prayer journal examples for more.
11. Unsent letter
How to write it: write to someone directly. It is just for you and never sent.
12. Morning pages style
How to write it: write without stopping for five to ten minutes, first thing in the morning. Do not edit. See morning journal prompts.
More journal examples: bullet, project, self discovery and habit
13. Bullet journal daily log
How to write it: short bullets with simple symbols. x for done, > for moved, o for events, a dash for notes. See bullet journal ideas.
14. Project journal
How to write it: keep one journal for a hobby or project. Note what you did, what you learned, and what you will try next.
15. Self discovery entry
How to write it: pick one deep question and answer honestly. Find more in journal prompts for self discovery.
16. Habit tracker note
How to write it: track one to three habits, then add a short note about what helped or got in the way.
Tips to write your own journal entries
Which example should you copy?
| If you want to | Start with example |
|---|---|
| Remember your days | 1. Daily journal or 2. One line a day |
| Feel happier | 4. Gratitude journal |
| Learn from experiences | 5. Reflective journal |
| Calm down after a bad day | 8. Venting |
| Reach a goal | 7. Goal journal or 16. Habit note |
| Get organized | 13. Bullet journal |
| Grow in faith | 10. Prayer journal |
| Process a loss | 11. Unsent letter |
- Copy a shape, not the words. Use the structure of an example above and fill it with your own life.
- Keep lines short. You are not writing an essay. Short lines read well later.
- Add one feeling. Even a daily log becomes a journal when you add how you felt.
- Use real details. Names, times, food, weather. They bring memories back.
- Mix types. A daily entry can end with one gratitude line or one prayer.
For more ready-to-copy pages, see diary entry examples and journal examples for students.
Questions people ask
What is an example of a journal entry?
A simple example: "Monday. Missed the bus and got to work late. Felt stressed but the day was quiet. Lunch with a friend who is moving away. Happy for her, sad for me." It has a date, what happened, and how the writer felt. That is all a journal entry needs.
How do you write a good journal entry?
Start with the date. Write about one event, feeling or idea in specific detail. Add how you felt and what you think about it. End with a thought, lesson or next step. Be honest and write like you talk. Short and real beats long and polished.
What are the different types of journals?
Common types include daily journals, gratitude journals, reflective journals, dream journals, mood journals, goal journals, travel journals, prayer journals, bullet journals and one line a day journals. Many people mix two or three types in one notebook.
How long should a journal entry be?
Anywhere from one sentence to a few pages. Most of the examples above are 40 to 70 words, which takes a few minutes to write. Write enough to capture the moment and your feeling about it, and stop when you are done.
Can I write a journal entry about everyday life?
Yes, and you should. Everyday entries are often the ones people treasure most later, because ordinary days are the easiest to forget. Write what you ate, who you saw, and one thing you noticed. That is a complete entry.
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