My recent Yosemite National Park trip reignited my spark to travel journal again.
Since moving to the USA, we’ve travelled to Mexico and within the USA for a few short trips. It’s always at the back of my mind to journal about our travels. But time has just been slipping away from me!
I want start with the limiting belief that’s held me (and maybe you too) back from travel journalling.
Then I’ll share the 3 big benefits that travel journalling has brought to my life. And my simple approach to travel journalling that you can use for your next trip.
You see these amazing journal spreads on Instagram, blogs or pinterest.
They are gorgeous. Colourful artistic sketches, beautiful typography and calligraphy. I always dreamed of learning to sketch, watercolour or write calligraphy. At times, that thought even stops me from travel journalling.
It’s the “when I have the skills… then I’ll start (or re-start) my travel journal”.
I’ve come to realise that it’s just a limiting belief. It’s also not aligned with my true purpose of having a travel journal in the first place.
A travel journal is to help me document experiences, travels and feelings in a physical keepsake like a notebook.
I want something that I can open in a year or 10 years from now. Something I can hold and share with my family in the future.
1. Travel Journaling enriches your travel experiences
When I was writing about my Yosemite trip, it instantly brought back the feelings, memories and experiences from a month ago.
Writing was a great way to re-live those moments. Journalling when it’s still fresh in my mind meant I could vividly capture those moment on paper better.
I journal after a trip rather than during the trip.
While I’m away, I just want to immerse myself in the experiences and locations. We’ve come so far after all. When we’re not out and about, I just want to relax and unwind back at our accommodation.
Even though the TRAVELER’S Notebook is pretty light weight, I also don’t want to get lug around around extra things like the TRAVELER’S Notebook, pens, washi tape etc.
Since moving to the USA from Australia, all our trips have been short domestic trips (and one long weekend trip to Mexico), so we’ve only been doing carry-on travel. That means space is limited! As much as the notebook and journaling items are small or light weight… it’s still weight!
I also want to fully enjoy the experience of journalling without the rush back in the comfort of my own home.
There is no right or wrong way to do it. This method just works for me
2. Journalling is a tool for self-reflection and improving your future travels
Personal growth and knowing yourself better comes from self-reflection.
When I spend time to jot down my thoughts and reflections from my day, reflect on my week or my wins or challenges (I do all this in a digital tool called Notion) I find a lot of gratitude for what I have in my life, but also figure out the tiny changes I should make to change what’s not really work right now in my life.
Travel journalling is no different in my eyes.
When I journal about my experiences, I get to reflect on the highlights, how I dealt with problems, what kind of trips I want to do more of or less of in the future.
(By the way, if you’re enjoying this, you’ll probably enjoy my twice-a-month Travelling Lens Insider newsletter, where I share travel and photography stories, tips and reviews to help you travel more and take better photos.)
3. A simple and fun way to preserve paper travel mementos
Are you like me and love to save tickets from tourist attractions or airline boarding passes?
Then travel journalling is a solution to preserving those paper travel mementos.
In fact, that’s what makes my approach to travel journalling simple. Here’s how I travel journal (so that I actually do it):
- I keep paper mementos like tickets, maps, boarding passes, cools receipts with images in a little pouch when I’m travelling
- When I’m back home and ready to travel journal in my TRAVELER’S Notebook, I take out the paper mementos and use them as decorative items in my travel journal writings. As you might recall… I don’t have any artistic or calligraphy talent to make my journal visually unboring
- I keep it simple and use a black pen to do the bulk of my journalling. I will add some pops of colour using coloured ink pens throughout my journal pages
That’s it!
This uncomplicated travel journal process is what I did recently for my Yosemite National Park trip.
Journalling reminded me of how fun and relaxing I find the whole process. It’s something I plan to continue to do while we’re living and traveling around the USA for the next year.
Related: 3 Reasons I Use the Traveler’s Notebook for Travel Journalling
Wrap up
Travel Journalling does not have to be hard or time consuming. I’ve definitely fallen into the trap of thinking it is. Especially when I’ve seen all the beautiful and artistic journal spreads online.
But remembering my purpose of travel journalling has reminded me about what matters and how I can make it a simple process so I actually do it.
I value having a physical journal of curated thoughts and paper mementos to remember my travel experiences and this unique time away from home as an Aussie expat in USA.
Keeping that as my north star is what will help me actually journal after each trip.
Will you consider travel journaling?—Why or why not… I would love to hear your comments!
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