"Non-Journaled Communication"

"Non-journaled communication" refers to the indirect or non-explicit signals found in a journal— such as handwriting, layout, medium, or tone that reveal deeper insights about the journaler’s mental and emotional state at the time of writing.

Journaling is communicating with yourself.

In the same way, we have non-verbal communication with others (body language), we have what I'll call "non-journaled" communication in journaling.

What you can discover while reflecting on past entries is not limited to what you explicitly discussed in them.

Make your first entry in a new journal about your journal’s purpose. This isn’t only helpful for reflection, it also guides your next entries by creating an anchoring intention for them.

Non-journaled clues such as handwriting, page layout (dotted, lined, blank), and journaling medium (written, typed, audio-journal, video-journal) suggest what sort of affordance you needed when the entry was drafted. Of course, these choices may be nothing more than preference, they could as well be reflective of our needs.

• You may have chosen an audio entry because you needed to get your thoughts out quickly.

• You may have chosen to write an entry by hand to promote intentionality and connectedness.

• You may have chosen a blank page to feel unbound and free to have an unstructured, "anything-goes" type of journaling session.

Every journaling practice is unique and as such, there is no chart decoding each non-journaled clue but I will discuss a few types of non-journal communication and what they may suggest.

Journal Purpose

Your journal’s purpose, the “why” behind it, is a foundational non-journaled clue.

When you reflect on your entries, ask yourself: “Why did I start this journal in the first place?”

SN: If you don't head your entries with your purpose, I recommend it going forward. They make later reflection easier and they set an intention for your entry.

Layout

The way you organize your journaling practice or a particular journal hints at what you prioritize within that journaling venture.

Let's use two different types of hikers as an analogy: Bob enjoys the scenery, so he moves slowly, taking pictures and smelling the flowers. Joe hikes for exercise, maintaining a steady pace, and climbing steep trails. Both are hiking, but their approaches reflect their priorities.

Diverging into tangents resulting in multiple journals suggests a prioritization of depth and nuance; keeping a unified journal suggests a sense of wholeness and continuity.

The use of blank pages suggests a need for boundless exploration while the use of lined pages suggests the journal has a specific goal. Think about what we usually use this type of paper for: blank paper is typically used for art and lined paper for work. Is your journaling venture goal-based or discovery-based?

Medium

Do you find yourself switching mediums or journaling with multiple mediums based on the subject matter or feelings connected to them?

I find myself handwriting when I want my experience to feel meditative and isolated from everything else or when I am looking to connect deeply with the topic.

When my entries are typed, they are typically for cathartic purposes such as solution sessions, or when I am specifically looking for emotional clarity.

Audio entries tend to be thoughts looking for an exit via impulse and passion. My video entries are created when I know my face is communicating what my words cannot.

What is your prefered journaling medium and how does this medium support you in reflecting your heart to paper?

Voice & Style

How is your tone? Does your entry display emotion? Are they written in past tense? (Today, I got fired at work and that was really hard ) or present tense (Getting fired today hurts).

The choice depends on whether you want to emphasize the processing of the event or the immediacy of its impact. Are you still processing or have you accepted it? Are you looking for clarity or just recording this event for future reflection about this time in your life?

Conclusion

These are a few examples of non-journal communication. Now, the next time you reflect on a past entry, consider what information you are receiving from the entry that you didn't explicitly state. Are you noticing a pattern in your non-journaled communication? What does it reveal about your internal needs? Will your discoveries affect how you approach your expressions in the future?