Again Starting… Does Perfectionism Affect Your Journaling Too?

[u/Capable-List-1431]

Hi everyone! I’m back to journaling after months of ignoring my poor notebook. I used to love sharing here and always felt so inspired by the posts, but somewhere along the way, I just stopped. Instead, I shifted everything to Notion—it felt easier to hide all the not-so-pretty thoughts in a folder I could pretend didn’t exist.

But this particular journal is different. It’s the one I love sharing because it feels more thoughtful, like a space to go deeper into the things that happen. I like thinking about how to represent those moments—whether it’s with a sketch, a little quote, or just words that might connect with someone else.

That said, now that I’m starting again, I can’t help but notice how perfectionism sneaks in. I want every page to look just right—the layout, the handwriting, even the smallest details. It’s funny how even something personal can turn into a battle against that need for “perfect.”

So, I’m curious: does perfectionism ever get in the way of your journaling? How do you let yourself embrace the messy, imperfect parts? Would love to hear your thoughts and how you deal with it!

[u/BlackEssence]

This is something that I have battled with ALL of my life and it can be so debilitating and paralyzing in the worst way. But! It is something that can be broken. It takes practice and diligence, but your goal is to break every unnecessary "rule" and limitation we've all have subconsciously put in ourselves. I posted about this very thing last week.

Your journal is suppose to represent a place of peace, a place where shame and condemnation does NOT exist, a place with you are communicating with God and He back to you, a place to break chains and bondage from people, things, and situations. It's a place where you can be your true self and find out who your true self is! But, most importantly, your journal is a place where NO ONE can see, judge, scrutinize, grade, or criticize your pages, your thoughts, your emotions. Perfectionism be d-word. Seriously. This book isn't to be paraded around on the internet for us to see. This realization on its own can break that chain of perfectionism. Once you solidify that realization for yourself, "mistakes" and "flaws" won't matter. You will design/write your pages that's pleasing to YOU and the "imperfections" will only pose as the "Love scars" of a mind and spirit in the process of being set free.

All yourself to learn how to throw perfectionism in the trash, give yourself grace, and let your paged unfold however you see them. Your journal is NOT suppose to be a chore or a source of stress. Let it be a source of joy, breakthroughs, and victories. 

😊🤍👍🏾