Journaling is one of the best things you can do for yourself, whether it’s in the morning or at night. But there’s one small issue.
Most journals that you’ll find are cheap and low quality. No one wants to have their pens bleed all over the page or have absolutely no space to write what they need.
What is the point of having a journal if you can barely even write in it? Or if it’s going to fall apart on you later?
No one wants to deal with that.
That’s why I’ve cut to the chase and made an exclusive list of the best journals ever made from most to least expensive.
Each journal has an amazing quality and makes for the perfect gift for the holiday…even if it’s a gift for you!
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The Best Journals
I want to mention that I don’t really have any cons for any of these journals, so that’s why it says “Possible Cons”.
It may not be a con to me, but it could be a con for you so I wanted to include them. Overall though, I highly recommend all 3 of these journals because they’re all great in their own way.
Notes To Mindfulness Journal
The Notes to Mindfulness Journal is one of the best journals and the most recommended journal on this list.
1. Quality Pages
Each page is thick and is NOT see-through.
2. Two Ribbons
Most journals don’t have a ribbon, and the ones that do usually come with one, so the fact that you get two ribbons is pretty rare.
3. Several Sections In The Journal
Each section offers you something different.
For example, you have the section in the front with additional prompts, daily journal prompts, weekly journal prompts, a monthly streak keeper, and more!
4. Beautiful Designs To Break Up Each Section
Before a new section begins, you get a delightful design that goes with the aesthetic of the journal and an inspirational quote to go with it.
5. An Abundance Of Journal Prompts
As mentioned before you get a lot of journal prompts. Most journals give you your standard journal prompts (that usually stay the same), and that’s it.
However, this journal gives you an overflow of journal prompts. You get journal prompts in the front, daily prompts, weekly prompts, and additional prompts.
6. A Linen Cover
The cover is 100% natural linen and has a gold foil print.
This journal would make for an amazing gift for your loved one or even for yourself!
Although the name of the journal may be about mindfulness, this journal can also help you increase your:
- Inner-peace
- Gratitude
- Self-expression
This journal is also environmentally friendly and comes with a 100% cotton-sew bind and those ribbons are also 100% cotton.
Oh, and I forgot to mention it’s made by the same company that makes the popular Five Minute Journal you’ve probably been seeing everywhere.
Possible Cons for the Notes to Mindfulness Journal
1. Most Daily Journal Prompts Stay The Same
A possible downside of this journal is that most of the daily prompts stay the same. The only prompt that changes on the daily prompts is the one at the bottom.
However, I will say that most journals with writing prompts have the exact same ones on every single page and they don’t give you a lot of extra journal prompts.
So it’s going to be really hard to find a journal that has different daily prompts.
2. Not Just A Blank Journal
Another possible con for this journal is that it is not a regular blank journal.
While this journal does give you an extra page to the side of your prompts (which is another PRO because most journals don’t do this either), it is not a journal that has a ton of blank space in it.
So if you’re looking for a journal with mainly blank pages, I would recommend the next journal on this list.
The Anecdote Notebook
If you’re looking for a bullet journal or a small journal for travel then I recommend this journal!
1. Ruled Or Dotted?
One of the best things about this journal is that you have the option to get ruled or dotted. This is so great for flexibility because some people prefer bullet journaling and other people prefer gratitude journaling or free-writing.
You also get a ton of color options (about 11) to choose from.
I haven’t seen too many journals have these options, so that’s nice.
Side note: It’s not half and half, like you either buy the lined version or the dotted version.
2. Quality Pages
Another great thing about this journal is its pages.
They’re high-quality and thick so you don’t have to worry about your gel pen bleeding on the page or even seeing your writing on the other side.
This is especially nice if you’re like me and bear down hard when you write.
3. Clean Sleek Design
This journal also has a hardcover fabric with a minimalistic sleek design that’s perfect for men and women.
This is one of the reasons why it makes for such a great gift.
I mean you really can’t go wrong with getting someone a journal, but it’s better when the journal is more minimalistic because it could go both ways.
I recommend the color olive.
4. Perfect For Travel
The Anecdote Journal is a bit smaller so it’s more convenient to travel with than the other two.
The wellness journal above is about the same size but I don’t like to take it out because I want to protect that beautiful gold foil print (I’m extra).
Anyway, because The Anecdote Journal is a bit smaller it’s perfect for
- Hiking
- Traveling
- On-the-go activities
- Journaling in public
5. Has A Ribbon
Another great thing about this journal is that it comes with a ribbon to keep your place and an elastic band to keep it protected if you’re traveling.
6. Affordable
Last but not least, this journal is also affordable, especially considering the quality. It’s under $20 and comes with 200 pages.
Granted, it’s not the cheapest journal I’ve ever bought, but I didn’t want to recommend the absolute cheapest journals to you either.
If you are looking for a super cheap journal, then I would get one from Five Below! I must warn you though, it will probably fall apart.
Possible Cons For The Anecdote Notebook
1. On The Smaller End
Again The Anecdote Notebook is a bit smaller, but not too much smaller. The Notes to Mindfulness Journal is 8.26” x 5.7” and the Anecdote Notebook is 8.3” x 5.4”
It’s a tiny bit smaller but not by a lot. However, if you’re looking for a bigger journal in general then I’d recommend the next journal.
2. Not A Super High Quality
The Anecdote Journal is very nice but it’s not on the high end of journals, so if you’re looking for a very nice journal this one may not be the one for you.
Pen + Gear Journal
If you’re not looking for a journal with journal prompts, then I highly recommend this journal!
1. Has A Lot Of Space
One of the biggest reasons why this makes the list of the best journals is because it comes with a ton of space, and is a lot longer than most of my other standard journals.
To be exact this journal has 200 pages and is supposed to last you up to 12 months. However, it lasted me about 2 years.
Granted, I don’t write in it every single day because sometimes I forget and other days I want to use my Notes to Mindfulness Journal.
But I think if I did use it every single day, I think it would last me about 18 months.
2. Good Amount Of Spacing Between Lines
The Pen + Gear Journal also has a great amount of size between the lines so if you write big or appreciate the extra space then this journal is definitely something worth checking out.
Normally journals are 6” x 9” in dimensions however this one is 7.5” x 10.25”, so the pages are longer and give you more room.
That is also part of the reason why there’s so much space in this journal.
3. Affordable
Another great thing about this journal is that it is very affordable.
Again, this was a gift so I’m not sure where she got it or how much she paid for it, but when I found it here, it was less than $10.
Which is honestly incredible considering how good quality this journal is.
4. Comes With A Ribbon
The Pen + Gear journal also comes with a ribbon! This was actually the first journal I’ve had that came with a ribbon.
Before this journal, I didn’t know how much of a pain it was to not have a ribbon in my journal.
This can help you keep your place from wherever you stopped for the day so you don’t have to keep wasting time trying to find where you left off.
5. Thick Pages
The last but not least pro about this journal is that it has thick pages! Having thick pages in a journal is a MUST because otherwise your pen will bleed through and the pages rip more easily.
But with this journal, you don’t have to worry about that. Their pages are acid-free and FSC-certified paper.
Possible Cons for the Pen + Gear Journal
1. Only A Blank Journal
One possible con with the Pen + Gear Journal is that there aren’t any prompts or really anything exciting about this journal.
There are only blank pages, so don’t expect anything too exciting with this journal.
2. Has A Basic Design
Another possible con for you is that the design is basic.
Like I said before this was a gift (and I love the color gray), so I’m not sure if there were other colors at the store when she bought it for me, but online the only color they had was gray.
So if you or your loved one despises the color gray then this may not be the journal for you.
FAQ On The Best Journals
How Do I Choose The Right Journal?
Take a moment and think about what you need more of in your life right now (gratitude, mindfulness, love, a place to get out of your head, etc) and go based on that.
If all else fails, I recommend everyone have a blank journal and write 3 new things you’re grateful for each day. It can change your life.
Which Journal Is Best For Beginners?
The best journals for beginners are guided journals with prompts or gratitude journals. In the beginning, it can be difficult to get the ball rolling and figure out what you want to write about.
So it’s best to get a journal that has prompts. I recommend starting with a gratitude or daily reflection journal.
What Company Makes The Best Journal?
If you’re curious to know which company makes the best journal the answer is Intelligent Change.
They are the creators of the popular Five Minute Journal and Productivity Planner. Their journals are thorough, well-thought-out, and creative.
They use high-quality materials, include incredible designs, and are environmentally friendly! You really can’t beat that.
How Should I Start Journaling?
The best way to start journaling is to get a blank journal and commit to writing 3 new things to be grateful for each day.
If you have something else on your mind that day, before or after you wrote what you’re grateful for, then write about it and go from there.
You can also write your top 3 priorities for the day or plan out what you want for the next week, month, or year.
Journaling is not one specific thing you have to do. You can try different types of journaling and do different kinds throughout the week.
Conclusion On The Best Journals
The best journals are the ones that have quality pages and plenty of space to write.
Finding a good journal can be very hard to come across, but I hope after this article, you have a better idea of which journal to get.
If you have any journals you would add to the list, comment down below and let me know which one is your favorite!
That’s all from me today folks. Thanks for reading, and I hope you have a blessed day today.
Peace
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