A Year in Notebooks

 I’ve kept some form of a journal for most of my life, but in recent years my practice has expanded beyond a single notebook. What started as a place to write my thoughts and dreams has become a collection of journals, each with its own role. Together, they help me capture and remember different parts of my life.

Daily Journal:
I’ve been keeping a journal since I was 15. It’s become a constant companion, always within arm’s reach, so I can brain-dump anything that’s on my mind. I use it to document trips I’ve taken, nights out with friends, weird things my pets have done, and to work through periods when my mental health is in the toilet. Some entries are more meaningful than others; some are simply observations of a relatively ordinary life.

List Journal:
I love a good list. They end up in the margins of planners and scattered throughout my journals. While that gives me space to remember things in the moment, those lists usually get lost once the planners and journals are archived—and I’m not one to revisit completed notebooks. That’s why I started a list journal. It’s a place to keep track of everything I want to remember that doesn’t quite live anywhere else: trails I want to hike in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, plants for my witchy garden, dishes I want to make, my ideal relationship and partner, and this year, a section for my favorites of 2026.

Media Journal:
For the last few years, I’ve kept a reading journal. I loved having a space to track everything I read, but over time, I realized I also wanted a place to keep track of more than the books I have read. I wanted to track the TV shows I’ve watched, movies I’ve seen, and even the video games I have played. I’m hopeful it will help me to remember what I’ve read and watched, but I am also curious to see how I consume media throughout the year—what holds my attention, what I abandon, and what I keep coming back to.

Tarot Journal:
One of my goals for 2026 is to return to my tarot practice. It’s a big part of my spiritual life, but it often gets pushed aside for other, more exciting pursuits. This year, I’m committing to a daily draw. Each morning, I’ll pull a single card to help guide my day and strengthen my ability to read the cards. This isn’t going to be anything fancy—I’ll be using the weekly, preprinted planner to track which suits I draw and jotting down a sentence or two about each card’s meaning.

Weaver Tarot Journal:
Alongside my daily draw, I’m starting a dedicated tarot notebook. This will hold deck studies and any readings I do outside of my daily pulls—full moon spreads, new moon spreads, random check-ins, and more. It’s a space devoted entirely to deepening my tarot knowledge.

Commonplace Journal:
I’ve inadvertently been keeping a commonplace notebook for years. It holds notes from webinars, song lyrics I love, quotes, and magazine clippings that felt important but didn’t have a home. I don’t work in this notebook often, but I love knowing it’s there as part of the lineup.

One of my favorite things about journaling is how personal it can be. From the notebooks we choose to the themes they hold, it gives us another outlet for expression and creativity. I’d love to know—what does your journal or notebook collection look like? Are there any journaling projects you’re planning for this year?