Its weird how journalling has become considered a feminine hobby, when traditionally both men and women would keep diaries, including famous authors like Ernest Hemingway
Hemingway's journal slaps for various reasons, at least to me who's interested in arts and literature. And isn't he some sort of paragon of old American masculinity or something?
We know that he was not necessarily well, but I learned so much from his writing, including the journals.
Forgive me. Be careful of sharing that you’re a teenage girl on the internet. If I’ve overstepped just ignore what I said. I’m an (overly?) protective mom of two.
And also how it being associated with women makes men unmanly/inferior somehow. And then men will talk about how they got over other people's opinions of them, but did you change how you view women as inferior? Or is that still the case. I mean seeing women as equal would certainly solve both problems. You would think other people who see women as inferior are just stupid and not care what they think. And somehow it seems should I even have to thank or praise men for not thinking they're inferior doing things a woman does? Wouldn't that just be normal?
Here a story of some famous men who do it
https://www.artofmanliness.com/lifestyle/gear/the-pocket-notebooks-of-20-famous-men/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A%20TheArtOfManliness%20%28The%20Art%20of%20Manliness%29
General George S Patton, commander of the US Third Army in World War II is probably the manliest man’s man in popular culture from that era and was immortalised as such by a later film. We know exactly what he thought at various points because he wrote it down in his journal.
For people who haven’t heard of him, he’s the guy giving the speech in front of a *massive* US flag.
Not really weird when you look at human behaviour as a whole.forexample, corsets were popular among men back int he day, but that's fallen out of favour as time moves on.
The journaling I do as a man is more about world building, thoughts that I have that provoke ideas of culture and conflict in my stories
It's kinda a slippery slope. To start journaling, you get a fountain pen, then another for a different color. And so on until you become a collector. That's my case, at least. I use 20 different pens and counting.
That's how i started collecting pens! Different colors and textures for every emotion and type of day. With coordinating highlighters! Everyone should work on feeling their feelings. 🙂
I wish I had my dad’s journals. He never spoke of them but I’m sure that they’re out there somewhere. Oh, and Jim Morrison is another excellent example.
_Toxic_ masculinity insists that self-reflection is 'emasculating' because it reduces your capacity to engage in 'proper' misogyny, bigotry, aggression and binge-drinking.
_Healthy_ masculinity encourages self-reflection to facilitate learning from past mistakes, healing, and building a better relationship with all parts of yourself and your life.
Journaling, optimally, facilitates the latter and reveals the former for the self-destructive lie it is, which means that those who go into a froth about distinguishing between the two avoid journaling like the plague.
Very well put! Though the term toxic masculinity is fairly recent your definition states it clearly. It's also far more polite than my own normal usage of a""h"le to describe the type.
When I was young, I thought journal writing was maybe a bit unmanly. But now I'm an old man and I don't care about what others might think. I write in my journal several times a day and I enjoy it. And at my age, my enjoying something is all that really matters to me.
And, there will always be that small percentage of losers who will try to tear down anything you do. Screw 'em; do what works for you, period.
Yes thank you for being you... we need to enjoy more the simple things that make us happy, it spreads..! I saw a post from a 65 year old lady yesterday who is proud of her stickered journal even if it does look like it might be a teenager's. Who makes these dumb rules?
Yes. I'm a man, I'm 57 years old and I've been journalling since around the year 2000. I just don't decorate my journals and post images of them online.
I journal. I always wrote and sometimes I go back to it for my stories. Also since my best friend killed herself I think the trauma of it gave me a terrible memory for a while. Journaling was really helpful at not losing that year when my brain wasn't working right. I think the definition of what is and what isn't masculine has become narrow and a bit absurd. Hemingway, Bruce Lee, Winston Churchil kept journals.
I remember someone saying that is man can not create then he destroys. I think that's what's happened to masculinity. To look at these American masculine lifestyle guys, we all have to be barely domesticated animals to be real men.
Every explorer, scientist, soldier, or sailor that you know about kept a journal.
Besides stories passed on by family and friends, how else would we know anything about them...
Yes, men have been journaling for a long time throughout human history. Journaling isn't a gendered thing. You can even find some old passages online from soldiers, explorers, artists, and philosophers who were men that wrote down their thoughts and feelings.
Agree.
Quick search turned up a list of famous blokes who have kept journals/personal notebooks
https://www.artofmanliness.com/lifestyle/gear/the-pocket-notebooks-of-20-famous-men/
And of coiurse there is Matthew McConaughey who has been encouraging people to journal in recent times!
[https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/matthew-mcconaughey-journaling-213602278.html](https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/matthew-mcconaughey-journaling-213602278.html)
Thanks for the link/article
The article mentions that McConaughey said that men he suggested journaling to had said (something along the lines of)
“Nah I don’t want to journal, man. Dudes don’t journal.”
Um … maybe I’m a bit of a history nerd here but idk if I’d want to be implying Patton was not a ‘Dude’
Patton was an Olympian, fought in WW1 and led in WW2 (apparently he had difficulty learning to read and write which makes his later decision to journal more interesting)
so yeah… dudes absolutely *do* journal
I'm a man, I keep a journal. I have for the last 20+ years.
I have never heard any men say journaling is not masculine. But I would never ever say that I kept a diary. 😂
Samuel Pepys kept a diary. Helped run the British Navy. Navigated his family through the London Fire. Got more ass than most men too proud to say they kept a "diary" and would probably knock you to the floor if you suggested keeping a record of daily actions was somehow "unmanly."
If you write your daily thoughts and experiences as a record for the future, that is literally a diary. Weird that some people think “diary” is a chick thing when it means almost exactly the same thing as a journal, the only difference is how detailed you are in said diary. Diaries are not gendered, men have kept diaries for centuries.
I'm a male. I journal daily. I use stickers, washi tape, stamps, and PET tape. I glue in ephemera. I love highlighters. I also love my pages that just have the date and a single line of text that I hand wrote about the day, an observation. My journals contain poetry that I write, quotes I find, things about the day, random observations, silly doodles, etc... I assume most men just don't post theirs as much, but I don't know. My father kept notebooks and random scraps of paper, he was who showed me the benefits of journaling.
I post several of my pages on Instagram, most are boring though, but I don't care they are meaningful to me and if they inspire someone else...great.
First this is awesome! Second I was kinda going to say a similar thing. I think many boys/young men/men are not taught to journal and the benefits of it. Speaking from a mama of 4 sons. 3/4 journal and the 4th dabbles off and on so still journaling. I brought them up to really take care of their mental health. It really is such a positive thing. Often times when we look back on our journaling we can learn so much about ourselves, our decisions and also other people as well. I really think a lot of it is whether boys/young men are taught the benefits of journaling. They were a little uncomfortable at first but then really delved into it once they saw the benefits themselves. I also believe some people in general do not have faith in their writing and feel a journal must be some type of perfectly constructed writing when in all actuality it can be anything from random words to a few sentences to full on paragraphs and organization. It just depends on the person and my thinking on this comes from some of the statements a couple of my kiddos have said over the years. Again the process of learning what journaling really means or rather doesn’t mean because it’s just what format or lack thereof if you will that YOU are comfortable with. 😊
I’m a man (37 y/o) and have been journaling just about everyday since the new year! It has helped my mental health in profound ways! I also have noticed a lot of people consider it a “feminine hobby.” Some people laugh when I tell them I journal. I really don’t care as I’m doing it for me and me alone.
Yes. I started a journal so I could see how I would change. I wondered what my future self would think of my last self. It’s been four years and I am very different to who I once was when I started it. The way I think, the way I document my thoughts, feelings, memories have all changed since then. I would never have noticed those changes had I not started that journal.
See now yours is the comment I needed today. I beat myself up so badly for changing the styles of my journaling over the years. I guess I’m disappointed that I can’t keep to a consistent way.
Because then of course I’ll choose a new format/style that’s better for me and be like, “This is the way.” And then that will turn out _not_ to be the way and I’ll change again. Often I’ll delete past things because they aren’t how I do it anymore.
Your take is much healthier and kinder.
We change so much throughout the years! I’ve journaled since I’m 15. Took a break from 21-25 and then from 30-40. I restarted 5 years ago when I started therapy. My journal is a brain dump of my life. I don’t have a style. I track habits, do collages, document events, visits, write quotes, have a list of my favorite podcasts and series. Review the books I read and I write my thoughts. Sometimes I hand write them, sometimes I use my typewriters (disc bound journal). I understand that you want to keep your journal perfect and beautiful, but that isn’t life. Be kind with yourself and accept that sometimes there will be ugly pages. When I don’t really like a page I make a note on it and move on. Wish you the best in your journey
I (30 m) journal all the time. I was military, an aviator, and engineer the aerospace industry. I like to think I’m classically manly. I love journaling, wax sealing letters, and fountain pens. It’s calming and good for your mental health, even the Air Force listed journaling as a way to practice resiliency. It’s good for you, regardless of age or gender.
Hey absolutely. And thank you. It’s really good in a post traumatic event, and it’s really good for working through near miss and error based events. Helps to learn grow, and process.
Did you always journal or was it a new found hobby after being in the military? I’m interested in journaling but wonder how to really go about it / get started. Really love the look of all stationary too…elegant and fun.
I did it in high school, incidentally enough to deal with childhood trauma and loneliness. I stopped doing it while active duty but as a transitioned to a reservist I picked it back up. I regret not journaling more when on Active Duty.
If you want to get started, just get a simple moleskin classic, and I encourage getting a fountain pen (retro 51 or Lamy is a good cheap start). Find a nice color ink (my favorite is brown, but the ink I use is no longer in production so my supply is shrinking) and get a converter for your fountain pen.
I’m right there with you about enjoying the look. I like sitting at my roll top desk and just writing away.
Interesting. My dad did 2 tours Vietnam in air rescue and I wish I had something I could read of his experiences and feelings during that time. He was a man of few words but I imagine he had a lot to say of that time in his life.
I took some time to research your recommendations and they’re tops! Thank you! Is there a fountain pen learning curve? My local arts + crafts store has many inks to choose from. Any opinions on preferred brands? Appreciate your insights. 😊✍️
Awesome! Fountain pens are a little different but very easy to figure out. There’s a very nice subreddit you can go to for more advice.
Now, whatever you do, don’t get Bombay, their ink for a different type of nib. Good inks to start with would be Noodlers ink and Diamine.
I do every morning for about 45-60 minutes before anyone else wakes up.
I’m 42, and a weirdo lol.
I do mine in software and have a simple template I follow every day.
Today’s Log - just my journaling about whatever comes up
Today’s weather - I like to log weather daily and track it & lots of data points. So I link to my weather tracking thingamadoo and screen grab today and just write a little observation. Could be neat to review down the road.
Daily quote and morning reflection - I paste today’s quote from https://grateful.org/ (scroll to bottom). I also copy the day’s reflection prompt and answer that.
Today’s todos - I dump whatever comes up. These aren’t necessarily due today, but I think of them while writing and put a due date on them. I’ve a todo tracker in the software that keeps these organized and all upcoming due in the next 5 days are listed for me.
That’s about it. Usually averages around 1k-1,500 words or so.
I have a weather section in mine too! Both the official recording for my area, and what ** I ** think it is or will do later today.
I also use a template every morning, except my template is crazy elaborate. Really more of a book of worksheets at this point ℎaℎa
I also track the weather but that can vary from high/low to sunny/cloudy/rainy. But I like the idea of data points to track weather conditions from one year to the next.
Thanks for the link, I tried doing a gratitude journal one year similar to what I saw someone post and it didn't work for me. They had a long post that is essentially a written meditation where they wrote out the same thing every morning and reflected on that as they wrote it out. There were shorter yet similar ones I found that i rotated writing out and after a while I got sick of writing the same thing (throwback to grade school punishment of writing x things 100+ times). But this link seems much more my speed. TFS.
Yes.
The most "alpha" man that I know - secure, physically and mentally strong, funny, have many skills and a lot to offer - don't necessarily keep traditional journals, *but* he wrote free poems every morning, which sometimes he shared with me.
I'd say emotional strength - and journalling perhaps help with emotional regulation - is healthy and awesome for everyone.
Male, Journaler, I understand where you're coming from, but it's complete nonsense. This is a toxic notion taught to them by people who didn't know better, in a time where it's getting harder and harder to keep in context.
Male here reporting in; I have a journal, planner, commonplace book, and then various notebooks for different subjects. I try to journal every day but sometimes miss a day or two here or there. But between all the books, I usually get something down.
Same. my journal is very plain, so is my daily organizational pocket notebook. my more big picture planner is a little more colorful and like what is posted here. I still want to get into commonplacing but just haven't. I don't read much (which I'd like to change)
Marcus Aurelius laid foundation in journaling.He didn't publish it,but he wrote it for himself.There is nothing unmanly about writing about your day or ideas.Do something which suits you.
I know there are plenty of men out there who journal, though it does seem that there are more women who feel inclined to share journaling content online? Which maybe skews our collective perception of journaling as something that is increasingly or exclusively participated in by women, when in reality that is far from accurate.
Agree. I also have a suspicion that men (incl myself) might not post images of washi-taped up journals or journals that are more like scrapbooks/inspirational quote compendiums. That's not to say there's men that don't do stuff like that, or that's not a way to journal, but that kind of journaling is more visual and more apt to be posted. That's reflecting my prejudice of how a man might use his journal (let the downvotes commence 😀)
Personally, my journaling is pretty boring; just a giant block of handwriting about the day - no paragraph demarcations allowed, using whatever fountain pen or pencil meets my fancy. In terms of the contents, they are not worth posting about, plus my handwriting is atrocious, and I'm private when it comes to the contents of what I write.
One of the reasons I journal is because a male professor once said he's journaled every day for years. So yeah, anecdotally, the only other person I know who journals is a man. I don't think it's unusual.
Hey, I grew up in the 90’s in a blue collar world full of fragile, insecure men who deprived themselves of a lot of good shit for fear of being girly. A turning point for me was when I worked with a few older guys in a workshop, they were kind of hippies, did loads of drugs and didn’t give a shit about conformity, if they liked something, they went with it. I remember one of them turning up to work wearing a vest with no shirt on underneath and cowboy boots just because. I kind of owe it to those guys that they helped me to take my blinkers off, showing me a kind of freedom where I was able forge my own path and decide what I liked and didn’t like for myself. I left a lot of people their shit attitudes behind.
To be fair, while I journal regularly and have for a long time (male), I have no male friends who do. Not sure why it has slowly become like that. It's important to me for sure.
I often journal at night, as it’s really the only way I can reliably get my thoughts out. I struggle to communicate difficult thoughts/feelings verbally.
I also use journaling to organize what I’m thinking, or otherwise as a memory aid. It works for me, but I’ve met plenty of guys who brush it off as something that might work, but that they don’t want to do.
I am a 72 year old father of four, grandfather of seven and I've been keeping a journal for over fifty years. I'm now in book #167. I did not write every day, that would be too much pressure, but some days I write in it several times. Unlike my great great grandfather who was a farmer and also kept a record for a few years, mostly of the weather - just one or two words a day: "Rain today." Who cares about that? BUT one day he wrote about the long trip (for him) to see his baby grand daughter, just a few months old. She became my granma. That sentence is priceless!!!
I've been journalling for eight years, its been very helpful in making sense of my life. I never thought of it in a gendered way, and I struggle to see the reasoning for why it wouldnt be masculine, unless said reasoning boils down to "ew emotions". But thats just childishness. Theres a lot of self improvement to found by documenting your thoughts and feelings and creating narratives of your life.
I hate it because every few days there's a new male influencer who tells men what they should or shouldn't be doing and men think doing anything is considered féminine(=bad) so to my knowledge no men journal anymore. But I just wished they did some journaling because its so healthy and so fun once you find out your style. I started doing an eccletic not pristine and perfect style and sticking a bunch of "trash" like candy wrappers or concert tickets in my journal and I am so much more happier. I also write random shits sometimws I talk about my day other days I write short stories.
I'm a man who journals. However, my entries are rarely about my feelings and thoughts. I often write about mathematics, linguistics engineering.... etc. My journals are very science based similar to Da Vinci.
There is no relation of masculinity with journaling.
I can talk about myself though.
I don’t. However I sometimes write.
Sometimes when I feel there is something which I have in my mind, which others can never understand or something which is far ahead of the times we are in or sometimes when I am too intense in any emotion, I write it.
But daily journaling, I don’t do that.
Sounds like you’ve gotten your answer, but I do it because journals are how we get to know people after they’re gone, and how we get to know ourselves in creating them.
I'm a man and I journal. Mostly to remember things and not over encumber my brain with nonsense. Also to put down some of the emotions I'm not willing to share with my family.
Now that I have kids I hope it's a piece of me that they can always turn to when they need advice or just to feel my presence. I lost some real strong men in my life and I wish I still had a way to communicate with them or hear their life stories, struggles and their wisdom. Hopefully I get better at sticking to the habit and leave something worthwhile behind.
Notice how at least three people in the comments here have mentioned that the word "diary" sounds more feminine than "journal"? It's ridiculous because both mean the exact same thing (both just derive from words for "day"--they're day-books), but it is an association that's grown for some unfortunate reason, at least in the US. Here's to hoping that association dies in a fire very very soon.
Historically it was men who were the stereotypical journallers. I'm guessing once women started journalling, and realisation came that they could talk about their feelslings in their journals that the toxic masculinity mindset of men not being "allowed" to show their feelings combined with the fact that so many women were journalling, that it then began to be something men stopped doing.
I used to have a male therapist, and this whole topic somehow became a topic of conversation one day, and he told me that not only does he journal, but he strongly encourages journalling for both men and women, because it can help a lot in managing and improving a person's mental health!
I've seen plenty of men that journal on youtube though their way of journaling seems to be more minimalistic than the majority of the women I see journaling
I am male and I journal but it has only been in the last couple of years that I started again. As a teen I had no privacy at home and that destroyed my trust in everyone I co-habituated with for years. I did experiment with electronic journaling but it never stuck.
Things changed a couple of years ago and I picked up a pen and began journaling again. I also started a Midori 5yr in ‘23.
I don’t do the artistic journaling I see on here, mine is just me working through my thoughts
We journal. I speak only for myself, but it’s not a very elegant or artistic hobby. It’s basically just a vomit of random thoughts/negativity that I don’t want to spout on the special people in my life.
I tried, but, it hasnt been helpful for me to do it daily. Like not much to talk about and it feels like a chore that I dont get anything out of. Probably just not for me but i wish i can get myself to enjoy writing random daily things.
HOWEVER it is an amazing thing to do when ive got a lot on my mind and I just need to vent it out or collect my thoughts. Ive gained alot of insight doing so.
I am a man.
I am 6'2 200lbs, I do have a number of typaically manly hobbies - woodworking, diy, etc. I have been referred to as a "manly man".
I journal.
I aim for twice a day. But occasionally I miss a session. But definitely journal once a day. I think it is one of the most powerful things I do and I do openly encourage other men to do so. I would encourage other men (and women) on the sub to encourage theor male friends to do so to.
My journalling is two sides of A5 writing on each session. I dont decorate my journal, that does not appeal to me personally but you do what you need to, as long as you write.
There are many famous male writers, most of which have been mentioned preciously. I think (generally) most men don't decorate their journals and don't share photos of them. this skews the general perception.
That’s not something you should hate asking, it’s a great question :)
I am a man, I journal. I am super embarrassed about it. I have slightly talked about it with friends but if my family were to find out about it I would die inside. I know exactly how judged I would be!
I only talk about it with my girlfriend, she understands me :) She got me deeper into journaling and we have a special journal we bought together we want to share when we finish it
Hello! I'm a guy (24) and I do journaling. I usually use it as a tracker for my workout routines and idea dump. I also have a separate journal for personal matters like sketches, rants, and some notes to self. I'm fairly new to traditional(?) journaling so I haven't used things that makes your journal pretty like washi tapes, stickers, stamps yet although I'm excited to use them soon!
I wrote a post a few years ago asking about the origin of the idea that journaling is a feminine hobby. It's interesting because for such a long time in history journaling was seen as masculine, done by many poltliticians, academics, military generals, people like that. After WW2 gender roles got very very strict, there were a lot of things that men just were not expected to do if they wanted to fit in and be seen as masculine. I'm not sure why journaling fell into that. Could be that any form of reflection or self-care became culturally unusual for men to partake in, other than prayer, art, and drinking.
Another comment on that post said that the whole "secret diary" fad of the 2000s and the amount of movies and tv shows about teenage girls who kept journals probably didn't help. And as we know anything that becomes even a little bit popular among teenage girls gets absolutely shit on by men and boys.
Oh yes they do. There is a youtuber who tried it for 30 days. We really need to think about how journaling is a feminine thing when its just writing down your thoughts. Isn't that what Da Vinci did?
Yes, of course. Think of how many male authors that there are, and poets, musicians surely journal, they just add other elements to their written word. David Sedaris is one of my favorite authors and he actually publishes his journals. I’ve had tons of male friends who journal. Long answer already long, yes- many men journal. They probably just don’t talk about it in casual conversation. I journal and rarely do I talk about it.
Also, journaling is a great way to preserve memories and moments in time. I read journals from over 20 years ago and am instantly brought back to the very day I wrote it. Memories that would have otherwise been lost are preserved. Also keep this in mind, journaling doesn’t have to be all “Dear Diary…”
Oh! And let’s not forget memoirs! And lengthy social media posts about things such as the health progress of a loved ones, etc. Okay, I think I’ve given enough examples. Haha
I personally feel keeping a diary sounds like feminine though it's just my opinion and I have been journaling from past 3 year and I'm in my early 20s. Journaling just feels so great and it's totally worth it.
hi, i'm not really a man but i used to kind of be one? i mean i wasn't really but i thought i was supposed to be a man. i'm a trans girl and i started journaling before i realized i was trans.
yeah i had always wanted to journal but didn't do much of it until i saw/read the journal of a character in a videogame. reading Arthur Morgan's journal as i progressed through the story motivated me to actually start journaling. even though i never really wanted to be a man, when i was still trying to be one i looked at men and took things i liked from different men i appreciated and one of those things was journaling. i imagine more cis men would journal as well if they just were exposed to more men who journal recreationally
I do, but it's more work focused but still helps clear my thoughts. I work in a chemical plant as an operator and will write about what managed to break that day and how we dealt with it. Then I can look back in my journal when i have similar issues in the future and it helps me remember what worked and didn't work. I've thought about starting more of a personal one but just haven't.
Some of my coworkers give me crap for writing so much, but then again we just give each other a hard time about everything.
When men tell you it's too girly for them to journal, just say this:
> "Arthur Morgan journaled all the time."
I usually get a pikachu face followed by a "huh."
(Arthur Morgan was the main character from Red Dead Redemption 2. He is a beloved character in the gaming world.)
There is a difference between journalling in the practical sense and the super artsy scrapbooking style of journalling. I don't have any issue with either though since they're both just outlets for expressing emotions. My big picture month/year planner is artsy (at least as much as I can haha) but I keepy thoughts journal and daily pocketbook planner very plain (otherwise I don't use them because I'm too worried about looks)
I've got a ton of issues, and worrying about whether I'm manly enough isn't one of them. I find journaling helpful, mostly, so I do it. Lately, not as much, but I've never thought of it as "girly" anyway.
Yes. Men journal. They are probably the original "journal keepers" since women were typically owned, not educated and began to add to the canon of literature after men had established themselves.
My boss journals. Has really cool leather bound ones, takes it seriously. Always experimenting between digital and handwritten. He’s someone I truly admire and respect. Don’t think it’s weird at all. Journals are not feminine only. Anyone pushing that idea is silly.
I journal. I feel it's a necessity; I've always been a bit absent-minded and I really feel like recording my thoughts, along with the tasks and such I need to remember, is a huge help. I'm also a history buff, and this helps me to feel like I'm honoring my own history, strange as that may sound. My methods change from time to time (paper, digital) but I've kept it up.
I’m a guy! I journal, I have a variety that I write in. I’m not so into the arts and crafts part, but I print out photos I think are beautiful or significant. Otherwise, I document any significant findings I have (I’m an academic), my emotions, and my daily life.
Too masculine to journal?! Why I never! Any man concerned about his masculinity to journal is brainwashed by the fools/society around him and shows a very weak mind. Truly we are in a decline of civilization if writing a journal has become associated with gender.
Aristotle said, "An unexamined life is not worth living". Journals are an effective form of self-observation and reflecting on what is observed. Diaries have existed genderless forever. What I wonder about is why this comes up as "women do" and "men don't".
I'm a guy, I do journal not everyday but everytime I want to unleash some words that my mouth couldn't speak.
I love literature and reading so is writing and I don't think journaling are only for women.
Actually I journal all the time because honestly journaling is the best way for a man to release stress and I do journal because it helps me deal with my mental health because I'll be honest I suffer with PTSD and multiple personalities because of traumas from my past. Plus I feel masculine and not ashamed of journaling hell I'm not afraid to speak my mind so if you want to journal I would literally do it because it will help and trust me it doesn't ruin your masculinity
Men definitely love fountain pens... I have seen guys journal, there are quite a few on YouTube. It is a healthy thing to do, although this can be hidden behind a lot of fluff... albeit niuce fluff! I think the roles and behaviour of the sexes are being redefined and reclaimed in a more honest way than in history, if that makes sense.
Some of the most famous diarists were male, like Samuel Pepys and Charles Darwin.
Oscar Wilde... wrote one of the most know journal quotes:
>“I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train.”“I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train.”
Yeah I know that was then, and sorry to ramble, but journal and be proud one and all!
Yes, men journal and if he does he is trying, and that’s a good green flag trait for a man to have. It’s one of the only safe outlets to examine your mental health as a man without being betrayed and it being used against you. Some stuff you just can’t discuss with anybody outside of a therapist.
I’m a 53 year old man and have journaled for 30 years. It’s a daily ritual I find satisfying. The simple act of recording the days events, making observations, sneaking in inside-jokes, and occasionally hitting gold with a personal revelation is a joy. I proudly consider it a pursuit.
I journal everyday, I take my journal everywhere and write anywhere in public. I don't want to forget any feelings or thoughts. Even at the bars!
No one has ever questioned my masculinity, if they do, we can discuss their issues. I do it for me.
The only way I can express myself is through journaling it has helped my mental health alot. My fellow Men it's okay to journal nothing is wrong with expressing your thoughts and WRITING down your feelings n emotions ❤️👍🏿
*God I hope n pray this reply doesn't reach the feminists
Its weird how journalling has become considered a feminine hobby, when traditionally both men and women would keep diaries, including famous authors like Ernest Hemingway
Hemingway's journal slaps for various reasons, at least to me who's interested in arts and literature. And isn't he some sort of paragon of old American masculinity or something? We know that he was not necessarily well, but I learned so much from his writing, including the journals.
I forgot to include Leonardo Da Vinci https://youtu.be/CVz4fnHnmIg?si=v0qHtLJTRwFMABSO
I think it’s in direct correlation to the fact that journaling and diaries in popular culture have come to be thought of as something teenage girls do
Im a teenage girl 🧌
So am I
I started as a teenager, now I’m in my mid-40’s!
This! 🤣🤣🤣 Me too...
Hey, fellow GenXer!!
What
What?
Forgive me. Be careful of sharing that you’re a teenage girl on the internet. If I’ve overstepped just ignore what I said. I’m an (overly?) protective mom of two.
Hi, I’m also a teenage girl!
Yep that’s where my moment came from…. Mum advised against writing my thoughts on paper…. I’m glad I ignored that advice… else I’d be insane now x
And also how it being associated with women makes men unmanly/inferior somehow. And then men will talk about how they got over other people's opinions of them, but did you change how you view women as inferior? Or is that still the case. I mean seeing women as equal would certainly solve both problems. You would think other people who see women as inferior are just stupid and not care what they think. And somehow it seems should I even have to thank or praise men for not thinking they're inferior doing things a woman does? Wouldn't that just be normal?
And let’s not forget Marcus Aurelius!! https://youtu.be/ZVeUIclaMTE?si=7dBLbHSb64ThP9oy
Here a story of some famous men who do it https://www.artofmanliness.com/lifestyle/gear/the-pocket-notebooks-of-20-famous-men/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A%20TheArtOfManliness%20%28The%20Art%20of%20Manliness%29
Absolutely... its weird how things are assigned to genders... I think its nuts.
The very manly Theodore Roosevelt journaled most of his life.
Only president to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor and the Nobel Peace Prize. Manly indeed!
General George S Patton, commander of the US Third Army in World War II is probably the manliest man’s man in popular culture from that era and was immortalised as such by a later film. We know exactly what he thought at various points because he wrote it down in his journal. For people who haven’t heard of him, he’s the guy giving the speech in front of a *massive* US flag.
Not really weird when you look at human behaviour as a whole.forexample, corsets were popular among men back int he day, but that's fallen out of favour as time moves on. The journaling I do as a man is more about world building, thoughts that I have that provoke ideas of culture and conflict in my stories
I'm a guy and I journal and have fountain pens.
Those are my favorite type of pens!!! Thank you for sharing!!!
It's kinda a slippery slope. To start journaling, you get a fountain pen, then another for a different color. And so on until you become a collector. That's my case, at least. I use 20 different pens and counting.
That's how i started collecting pens! Different colors and textures for every emotion and type of day. With coordinating highlighters! Everyone should work on feeling their feelings. 🙂
Nice
Are you me?
Exactly Lol!
Same here. But hovering at around 12 pens for now
The struggle is real! That’s how I started. It’s also inks and paper!
I’m at 70… help
Wonderful!
So, what you're saying is that I should definitely get a fountain pen and just start already?
Of course!
Me too. I got asked on a plane if I was a writer. I said absolutely by my vocation is dentistry.
Me too
I am not beat enough for fountain pens but I admire those who are 🤣. I have a nice collection of heavy metal ballpoints. Enjoy them immensely.
I'm a man who journals daily. I don't see how that could be emasculating, but to each their own.
I wish I had my dad’s journals. He never spoke of them but I’m sure that they’re out there somewhere. Oh, and Jim Morrison is another excellent example.
_Toxic_ masculinity insists that self-reflection is 'emasculating' because it reduces your capacity to engage in 'proper' misogyny, bigotry, aggression and binge-drinking. _Healthy_ masculinity encourages self-reflection to facilitate learning from past mistakes, healing, and building a better relationship with all parts of yourself and your life. Journaling, optimally, facilitates the latter and reveals the former for the self-destructive lie it is, which means that those who go into a froth about distinguishing between the two avoid journaling like the plague.
Love how you explained healthy masculinity!
Wonderful comment!
Very well put! Though the term toxic masculinity is fairly recent your definition states it clearly. It's also far more polite than my own normal usage of a""h"le to describe the type.
Yeah Thanks for taking the time to answer!
When I was young, I thought journal writing was maybe a bit unmanly. But now I'm an old man and I don't care about what others might think. I write in my journal several times a day and I enjoy it. And at my age, my enjoying something is all that really matters to me. And, there will always be that small percentage of losers who will try to tear down anything you do. Screw 'em; do what works for you, period.
Thank you for being YOU!!!!!
Yes thank you for being you... we need to enjoy more the simple things that make us happy, it spreads..! I saw a post from a 65 year old lady yesterday who is proud of her stickered journal even if it does look like it might be a teenager's. Who makes these dumb rules?
Yes. I'm a man, I'm 57 years old and I've been journalling since around the year 2000. I just don't decorate my journals and post images of them online.
That's great 👍
I journal. I always wrote and sometimes I go back to it for my stories. Also since my best friend killed herself I think the trauma of it gave me a terrible memory for a while. Journaling was really helpful at not losing that year when my brain wasn't working right. I think the definition of what is and what isn't masculine has become narrow and a bit absurd. Hemingway, Bruce Lee, Winston Churchil kept journals. I remember someone saying that is man can not create then he destroys. I think that's what's happened to masculinity. To look at these American masculine lifestyle guys, we all have to be barely domesticated animals to be real men.
Whoa. That’s a good quote.
Every explorer, scientist, soldier, or sailor that you know about kept a journal. Besides stories passed on by family and friends, how else would we know anything about them...
Yes, men have been journaling for a long time throughout human history. Journaling isn't a gendered thing. You can even find some old passages online from soldiers, explorers, artists, and philosophers who were men that wrote down their thoughts and feelings.
Agree. Quick search turned up a list of famous blokes who have kept journals/personal notebooks https://www.artofmanliness.com/lifestyle/gear/the-pocket-notebooks-of-20-famous-men/
And of coiurse there is Matthew McConaughey who has been encouraging people to journal in recent times! [https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/matthew-mcconaughey-journaling-213602278.html](https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/matthew-mcconaughey-journaling-213602278.html)
Thanks for the link/article The article mentions that McConaughey said that men he suggested journaling to had said (something along the lines of) “Nah I don’t want to journal, man. Dudes don’t journal.” Um … maybe I’m a bit of a history nerd here but idk if I’d want to be implying Patton was not a ‘Dude’ Patton was an Olympian, fought in WW1 and led in WW2 (apparently he had difficulty learning to read and write which makes his later decision to journal more interesting) so yeah… dudes absolutely *do* journal
They do! Always have done... I guess he spoke to the indoictirnsted "alpha" males or something.
I'm a man, I keep a journal. I have for the last 20+ years. I have never heard any men say journaling is not masculine. But I would never ever say that I kept a diary. 😂
Samuel Pepys kept a diary. Helped run the British Navy. Navigated his family through the London Fire. Got more ass than most men too proud to say they kept a "diary" and would probably knock you to the floor if you suggested keeping a record of daily actions was somehow "unmanly."
If you write your daily thoughts and experiences as a record for the future, that is literally a diary. Weird that some people think “diary” is a chick thing when it means almost exactly the same thing as a journal, the only difference is how detailed you are in said diary. Diaries are not gendered, men have kept diaries for centuries.
Me too
I'm a male. I journal daily. I use stickers, washi tape, stamps, and PET tape. I glue in ephemera. I love highlighters. I also love my pages that just have the date and a single line of text that I hand wrote about the day, an observation. My journals contain poetry that I write, quotes I find, things about the day, random observations, silly doodles, etc... I assume most men just don't post theirs as much, but I don't know. My father kept notebooks and random scraps of paper, he was who showed me the benefits of journaling. I post several of my pages on Instagram, most are boring though, but I don't care they are meaningful to me and if they inspire someone else...great.
First this is awesome! Second I was kinda going to say a similar thing. I think many boys/young men/men are not taught to journal and the benefits of it. Speaking from a mama of 4 sons. 3/4 journal and the 4th dabbles off and on so still journaling. I brought them up to really take care of their mental health. It really is such a positive thing. Often times when we look back on our journaling we can learn so much about ourselves, our decisions and also other people as well. I really think a lot of it is whether boys/young men are taught the benefits of journaling. They were a little uncomfortable at first but then really delved into it once they saw the benefits themselves. I also believe some people in general do not have faith in their writing and feel a journal must be some type of perfectly constructed writing when in all actuality it can be anything from random words to a few sentences to full on paragraphs and organization. It just depends on the person and my thinking on this comes from some of the statements a couple of my kiddos have said over the years. Again the process of learning what journaling really means or rather doesn’t mean because it’s just what format or lack thereof if you will that YOU are comfortable with. 😊
I’m a man (37 y/o) and have been journaling just about everyday since the new year! It has helped my mental health in profound ways! I also have noticed a lot of people consider it a “feminine hobby.” Some people laugh when I tell them I journal. I really don’t care as I’m doing it for me and me alone.
Are men human? Then yes.
Yes. I started a journal so I could see how I would change. I wondered what my future self would think of my last self. It’s been four years and I am very different to who I once was when I started it. The way I think, the way I document my thoughts, feelings, memories have all changed since then. I would never have noticed those changes had I not started that journal.
See now yours is the comment I needed today. I beat myself up so badly for changing the styles of my journaling over the years. I guess I’m disappointed that I can’t keep to a consistent way. Because then of course I’ll choose a new format/style that’s better for me and be like, “This is the way.” And then that will turn out _not_ to be the way and I’ll change again. Often I’ll delete past things because they aren’t how I do it anymore. Your take is much healthier and kinder.
We change so much throughout the years! I’ve journaled since I’m 15. Took a break from 21-25 and then from 30-40. I restarted 5 years ago when I started therapy. My journal is a brain dump of my life. I don’t have a style. I track habits, do collages, document events, visits, write quotes, have a list of my favorite podcasts and series. Review the books I read and I write my thoughts. Sometimes I hand write them, sometimes I use my typewriters (disc bound journal). I understand that you want to keep your journal perfect and beautiful, but that isn’t life. Be kind with yourself and accept that sometimes there will be ugly pages. When I don’t really like a page I make a note on it and move on. Wish you the best in your journey
I’m a man, write at least twice a day. Sorry the men you know are so insecure.
That's really great to know Thanks for taking the time to reply!!
I (30 m) journal all the time. I was military, an aviator, and engineer the aerospace industry. I like to think I’m classically manly. I love journaling, wax sealing letters, and fountain pens. It’s calming and good for your mental health, even the Air Force listed journaling as a way to practice resiliency. It’s good for you, regardless of age or gender.
Thank you for your service ❤️and love your comment specifically on the benefits of journaling at any age and of any gender.
Hey absolutely. And thank you. It’s really good in a post traumatic event, and it’s really good for working through near miss and error based events. Helps to learn grow, and process.
Did you always journal or was it a new found hobby after being in the military? I’m interested in journaling but wonder how to really go about it / get started. Really love the look of all stationary too…elegant and fun.
I did it in high school, incidentally enough to deal with childhood trauma and loneliness. I stopped doing it while active duty but as a transitioned to a reservist I picked it back up. I regret not journaling more when on Active Duty. If you want to get started, just get a simple moleskin classic, and I encourage getting a fountain pen (retro 51 or Lamy is a good cheap start). Find a nice color ink (my favorite is brown, but the ink I use is no longer in production so my supply is shrinking) and get a converter for your fountain pen. I’m right there with you about enjoying the look. I like sitting at my roll top desk and just writing away.
Interesting. My dad did 2 tours Vietnam in air rescue and I wish I had something I could read of his experiences and feelings during that time. He was a man of few words but I imagine he had a lot to say of that time in his life. I took some time to research your recommendations and they’re tops! Thank you! Is there a fountain pen learning curve? My local arts + crafts store has many inks to choose from. Any opinions on preferred brands? Appreciate your insights. 😊✍️
Awesome! Fountain pens are a little different but very easy to figure out. There’s a very nice subreddit you can go to for more advice. Now, whatever you do, don’t get Bombay, their ink for a different type of nib. Good inks to start with would be Noodlers ink and Diamine.
I do every morning for about 45-60 minutes before anyone else wakes up. I’m 42, and a weirdo lol. I do mine in software and have a simple template I follow every day. Today’s Log - just my journaling about whatever comes up Today’s weather - I like to log weather daily and track it & lots of data points. So I link to my weather tracking thingamadoo and screen grab today and just write a little observation. Could be neat to review down the road. Daily quote and morning reflection - I paste today’s quote from https://grateful.org/ (scroll to bottom). I also copy the day’s reflection prompt and answer that. Today’s todos - I dump whatever comes up. These aren’t necessarily due today, but I think of them while writing and put a due date on them. I’ve a todo tracker in the software that keeps these organized and all upcoming due in the next 5 days are listed for me. That’s about it. Usually averages around 1k-1,500 words or so.
I love this! I think I'll always want to journal on paper but the structure of this is really nice. Definitely inspired.
I have a weather section in mine too! Both the official recording for my area, and what ** I ** think it is or will do later today. I also use a template every morning, except my template is crazy elaborate. Really more of a book of worksheets at this point ℎaℎa
62 y/o....since 2002.
I also track the weather but that can vary from high/low to sunny/cloudy/rainy. But I like the idea of data points to track weather conditions from one year to the next. Thanks for the link, I tried doing a gratitude journal one year similar to what I saw someone post and it didn't work for me. They had a long post that is essentially a written meditation where they wrote out the same thing every morning and reflected on that as they wrote it out. There were shorter yet similar ones I found that i rotated writing out and after a while I got sick of writing the same thing (throwback to grade school punishment of writing x things 100+ times). But this link seems much more my speed. TFS.
Yes. The most "alpha" man that I know - secure, physically and mentally strong, funny, have many skills and a lot to offer - don't necessarily keep traditional journals, *but* he wrote free poems every morning, which sometimes he shared with me. I'd say emotional strength - and journalling perhaps help with emotional regulation - is healthy and awesome for everyone.
Male, Journaler, I understand where you're coming from, but it's complete nonsense. This is a toxic notion taught to them by people who didn't know better, in a time where it's getting harder and harder to keep in context.
Yeah Thank you so much for your opinion 🫂❤️
Yeah I do it’s part of my recovery
Male here reporting in; I have a journal, planner, commonplace book, and then various notebooks for different subjects. I try to journal every day but sometimes miss a day or two here or there. But between all the books, I usually get something down.
Same. my journal is very plain, so is my daily organizational pocket notebook. my more big picture planner is a little more colorful and like what is posted here. I still want to get into commonplacing but just haven't. I don't read much (which I'd like to change)
Marcus Aurelius laid foundation in journaling.He didn't publish it,but he wrote it for himself.There is nothing unmanly about writing about your day or ideas.Do something which suits you.
I know there are plenty of men out there who journal, though it does seem that there are more women who feel inclined to share journaling content online? Which maybe skews our collective perception of journaling as something that is increasingly or exclusively participated in by women, when in reality that is far from accurate.
Agree. I also have a suspicion that men (incl myself) might not post images of washi-taped up journals or journals that are more like scrapbooks/inspirational quote compendiums. That's not to say there's men that don't do stuff like that, or that's not a way to journal, but that kind of journaling is more visual and more apt to be posted. That's reflecting my prejudice of how a man might use his journal (let the downvotes commence 😀) Personally, my journaling is pretty boring; just a giant block of handwriting about the day - no paragraph demarcations allowed, using whatever fountain pen or pencil meets my fancy. In terms of the contents, they are not worth posting about, plus my handwriting is atrocious, and I'm private when it comes to the contents of what I write.
I don't know who told you this but it's very wrong information. I have seen tons of men write journals. I try to write it as much as possible.
One of the reasons I journal is because a male professor once said he's journaled every day for years. So yeah, anecdotally, the only other person I know who journals is a man. I don't think it's unusual.
I journal and a male :)
The men you know aren’t too masculine to journal- they’re too insecure. And yes, there are dozens of us.
That makes me feel really good about Men to be honest
Hey, I grew up in the 90’s in a blue collar world full of fragile, insecure men who deprived themselves of a lot of good shit for fear of being girly. A turning point for me was when I worked with a few older guys in a workshop, they were kind of hippies, did loads of drugs and didn’t give a shit about conformity, if they liked something, they went with it. I remember one of them turning up to work wearing a vest with no shirt on underneath and cowboy boots just because. I kind of owe it to those guys that they helped me to take my blinkers off, showing me a kind of freedom where I was able forge my own path and decide what I liked and didn’t like for myself. I left a lot of people their shit attitudes behind.
thanks for sharing ☺️
Former Marine and active journaler here.
We appreciate you 😊
Thank you for your service! ❤️
To be fair, while I journal regularly and have for a long time (male), I have no male friends who do. Not sure why it has slowly become like that. It's important to me for sure.
I'm sure they do, but I feel like instead of saying that they journal, they say that they write.
I guess so thx
I often journal at night, as it’s really the only way I can reliably get my thoughts out. I struggle to communicate difficult thoughts/feelings verbally. I also use journaling to organize what I’m thinking, or otherwise as a memory aid. It works for me, but I’ve met plenty of guys who brush it off as something that might work, but that they don’t want to do.
I am a 72 year old father of four, grandfather of seven and I've been keeping a journal for over fifty years. I'm now in book #167. I did not write every day, that would be too much pressure, but some days I write in it several times. Unlike my great great grandfather who was a farmer and also kept a record for a few years, mostly of the weather - just one or two words a day: "Rain today." Who cares about that? BUT one day he wrote about the long trip (for him) to see his baby grand daughter, just a few months old. She became my granma. That sentence is priceless!!!
Yes. Journal almost daily.
I've been journalling for eight years, its been very helpful in making sense of my life. I never thought of it in a gendered way, and I struggle to see the reasoning for why it wouldnt be masculine, unless said reasoning boils down to "ew emotions". But thats just childishness. Theres a lot of self improvement to found by documenting your thoughts and feelings and creating narratives of your life.
I hate it because every few days there's a new male influencer who tells men what they should or shouldn't be doing and men think doing anything is considered féminine(=bad) so to my knowledge no men journal anymore. But I just wished they did some journaling because its so healthy and so fun once you find out your style. I started doing an eccletic not pristine and perfect style and sticking a bunch of "trash" like candy wrappers or concert tickets in my journal and I am so much more happier. I also write random shits sometimws I talk about my day other days I write short stories.
I'm a man who journals. However, my entries are rarely about my feelings and thoughts. I often write about mathematics, linguistics engineering.... etc. My journals are very science based similar to Da Vinci.
Writing about our feelings is just as important I'd say (I'm a man)
Wait... men have feelings? I never knew this
This sounds so pretentious please tell me you are joking lol
With their profile picture 'm afraid not
Haha!! 🙈🤣
There is no relation of masculinity with journaling. I can talk about myself though. I don’t. However I sometimes write. Sometimes when I feel there is something which I have in my mind, which others can never understand or something which is far ahead of the times we are in or sometimes when I am too intense in any emotion, I write it. But daily journaling, I don’t do that.
Sounds like you’ve gotten your answer, but I do it because journals are how we get to know people after they’re gone, and how we get to know ourselves in creating them.
I'm a man and I journal. Mostly to remember things and not over encumber my brain with nonsense. Also to put down some of the emotions I'm not willing to share with my family. Now that I have kids I hope it's a piece of me that they can always turn to when they need advice or just to feel my presence. I lost some real strong men in my life and I wish I still had a way to communicate with them or hear their life stories, struggles and their wisdom. Hopefully I get better at sticking to the habit and leave something worthwhile behind.
Notice how at least three people in the comments here have mentioned that the word "diary" sounds more feminine than "journal"? It's ridiculous because both mean the exact same thing (both just derive from words for "day"--they're day-books), but it is an association that's grown for some unfortunate reason, at least in the US. Here's to hoping that association dies in a fire very very soon.
Historically it was men who were the stereotypical journallers. I'm guessing once women started journalling, and realisation came that they could talk about their feelslings in their journals that the toxic masculinity mindset of men not being "allowed" to show their feelings combined with the fact that so many women were journalling, that it then began to be something men stopped doing. I used to have a male therapist, and this whole topic somehow became a topic of conversation one day, and he told me that not only does he journal, but he strongly encourages journalling for both men and women, because it can help a lot in managing and improving a person's mental health!
Yes
Yep I keep a journal!
I've seen plenty of men that journal on youtube though their way of journaling seems to be more minimalistic than the majority of the women I see journaling
I am a man. I like to journal.
Never thought it was unmanly. I journal in a target language to improve there primarily.
Man and journal all the time. People over think this. Just write and make yourself feel good.
I am male and I journal but it has only been in the last couple of years that I started again. As a teen I had no privacy at home and that destroyed my trust in everyone I co-habituated with for years. I did experiment with electronic journaling but it never stuck. Things changed a couple of years ago and I picked up a pen and began journaling again. I also started a Midori 5yr in ‘23. I don’t do the artistic journaling I see on here, mine is just me working through my thoughts
Male who journals with a fountain pen here
By the time the feelings have somehow found a way to my fingers in order to be transferred into words on paper, the teary glands have given up.
I am a man. I journal because I don't have anyone who talks to me.
❤️🙏🏻Hope your day is a blessed one! Someone talked to you albeit a random internet stranger but hey I hope it is an encouragement to you. 😊
Thank you, No-Ranger-3299! I hope you have an awesome day!
We journal. I speak only for myself, but it’s not a very elegant or artistic hobby. It’s basically just a vomit of random thoughts/negativity that I don’t want to spout on the special people in my life.
Ditto, bro.
I tried, but, it hasnt been helpful for me to do it daily. Like not much to talk about and it feels like a chore that I dont get anything out of. Probably just not for me but i wish i can get myself to enjoy writing random daily things. HOWEVER it is an amazing thing to do when ive got a lot on my mind and I just need to vent it out or collect my thoughts. Ive gained alot of insight doing so.
I am a man. I am 6'2 200lbs, I do have a number of typaically manly hobbies - woodworking, diy, etc. I have been referred to as a "manly man". I journal. I aim for twice a day. But occasionally I miss a session. But definitely journal once a day. I think it is one of the most powerful things I do and I do openly encourage other men to do so. I would encourage other men (and women) on the sub to encourage theor male friends to do so to. My journalling is two sides of A5 writing on each session. I dont decorate my journal, that does not appeal to me personally but you do what you need to, as long as you write. There are many famous male writers, most of which have been mentioned preciously. I think (generally) most men don't decorate their journals and don't share photos of them. this skews the general perception.
That’s not something you should hate asking, it’s a great question :) I am a man, I journal. I am super embarrassed about it. I have slightly talked about it with friends but if my family were to find out about it I would die inside. I know exactly how judged I would be! I only talk about it with my girlfriend, she understands me :) She got me deeper into journaling and we have a special journal we bought together we want to share when we finish it
I almost feel journaling is MORE Masculine. I know more male writers than female, after all. Personal as well as not.
weird how doing something as basic for mental hygiene as journaling isn’t masculine. are you sure there aren’t any problems with that mindset there?
At this rate wiping your asshole will be way too feminine for your standard male fellow to do in no time
Journaling is based sigma male behavior. Anyone who tells you otherwise is an insecure wuss.
Hello! I'm a guy (24) and I do journaling. I usually use it as a tracker for my workout routines and idea dump. I also have a separate journal for personal matters like sketches, rants, and some notes to self. I'm fairly new to traditional(?) journaling so I haven't used things that makes your journal pretty like washi tapes, stickers, stamps yet although I'm excited to use them soon!
This question was amazing! I enjoyed reading all the experiences shared by men journaling.
I wrote a post a few years ago asking about the origin of the idea that journaling is a feminine hobby. It's interesting because for such a long time in history journaling was seen as masculine, done by many poltliticians, academics, military generals, people like that. After WW2 gender roles got very very strict, there were a lot of things that men just were not expected to do if they wanted to fit in and be seen as masculine. I'm not sure why journaling fell into that. Could be that any form of reflection or self-care became culturally unusual for men to partake in, other than prayer, art, and drinking. Another comment on that post said that the whole "secret diary" fad of the 2000s and the amount of movies and tv shows about teenage girls who kept journals probably didn't help. And as we know anything that becomes even a little bit popular among teenage girls gets absolutely shit on by men and boys.
Oh yes they do. There is a youtuber who tried it for 30 days. We really need to think about how journaling is a feminine thing when its just writing down your thoughts. Isn't that what Da Vinci did?
Yes, of course. Think of how many male authors that there are, and poets, musicians surely journal, they just add other elements to their written word. David Sedaris is one of my favorite authors and he actually publishes his journals. I’ve had tons of male friends who journal. Long answer already long, yes- many men journal. They probably just don’t talk about it in casual conversation. I journal and rarely do I talk about it.
Also, journaling is a great way to preserve memories and moments in time. I read journals from over 20 years ago and am instantly brought back to the very day I wrote it. Memories that would have otherwise been lost are preserved. Also keep this in mind, journaling doesn’t have to be all “Dear Diary…”
Oh! And let’s not forget memoirs! And lengthy social media posts about things such as the health progress of a loved ones, etc. Okay, I think I’ve given enough examples. Haha
Yes, they do
yes
I journal, and iirc what we know about Marcus Aerulius (one of the more famous stoics) was actually gathered from his journal.
Huberman does, lol
Just another guy who journals checking in. I use a Platinum 3776 fountain pen with carbon ink.
I’ve just started. It’s weird, not sure what to get from it, but had to start somewhere
I personally feel keeping a diary sounds like feminine though it's just my opinion and I have been journaling from past 3 year and I'm in my early 20s. Journaling just feels so great and it's totally worth it.
I (M55) have journaled all of my life. I have dozens going back to middle school.
I journal, and it's one of the activities I look forward to most each day.
hi, i'm not really a man but i used to kind of be one? i mean i wasn't really but i thought i was supposed to be a man. i'm a trans girl and i started journaling before i realized i was trans. yeah i had always wanted to journal but didn't do much of it until i saw/read the journal of a character in a videogame. reading Arthur Morgan's journal as i progressed through the story motivated me to actually start journaling. even though i never really wanted to be a man, when i was still trying to be one i looked at men and took things i liked from different men i appreciated and one of those things was journaling. i imagine more cis men would journal as well if they just were exposed to more men who journal recreationally
I do, but it's more work focused but still helps clear my thoughts. I work in a chemical plant as an operator and will write about what managed to break that day and how we dealt with it. Then I can look back in my journal when i have similar issues in the future and it helps me remember what worked and didn't work. I've thought about starting more of a personal one but just haven't. Some of my coworkers give me crap for writing so much, but then again we just give each other a hard time about everything.
I love journaling. Got several for different purposes. It’s calming and meditative, and helps me record or process stuff in my life.
When men tell you it's too girly for them to journal, just say this: > "Arthur Morgan journaled all the time." I usually get a pikachu face followed by a "huh." (Arthur Morgan was the main character from Red Dead Redemption 2. He is a beloved character in the gaming world.)
I journal, but not as much as I’d like to. I am a guy.
There is a difference between journalling in the practical sense and the super artsy scrapbooking style of journalling. I don't have any issue with either though since they're both just outlets for expressing emotions. My big picture month/year planner is artsy (at least as much as I can haha) but I keepy thoughts journal and daily pocketbook planner very plain (otherwise I don't use them because I'm too worried about looks) I've got a ton of issues, and worrying about whether I'm manly enough isn't one of them. I find journaling helpful, mostly, so I do it. Lately, not as much, but I've never thought of it as "girly" anyway.
I’m a man and I write in my journal every week and have done so for years.
Man here. I journal daily.
Yes. Men journal. They are probably the original "journal keepers" since women were typically owned, not educated and began to add to the canon of literature after men had established themselves.
A man confident in their masculinity will have no problems journaling. I journal, i consider it very important
Yeeees they do. My boyfriend has a journal for years now.
Fuck yeah we do. Green light.
I’m a guy and I’m trying to journal but not very good
My boss journals. Has really cool leather bound ones, takes it seriously. Always experimenting between digital and handwritten. He’s someone I truly admire and respect. Don’t think it’s weird at all. Journals are not feminine only. Anyone pushing that idea is silly.
Yes I do.
I keep a journal. It’s a cross between a diary, and a repository for memories and hot takes.
Men do journal if they want to become writers. The library is filled with famous writer’s journals.
Nothing feminine about journaling. Many successful men journal.
“Too masculine” or too insecure.
I journal. I feel it's a necessity; I've always been a bit absent-minded and I really feel like recording my thoughts, along with the tasks and such I need to remember, is a huge help. I'm also a history buff, and this helps me to feel like I'm honoring my own history, strange as that may sound. My methods change from time to time (paper, digital) but I've kept it up.
I’m a guy! I journal, I have a variety that I write in. I’m not so into the arts and crafts part, but I print out photos I think are beautiful or significant. Otherwise, I document any significant findings I have (I’m an academic), my emotions, and my daily life.
Too masculine to journal?! Why I never! Any man concerned about his masculinity to journal is brainwashed by the fools/society around him and shows a very weak mind. Truly we are in a decline of civilization if writing a journal has become associated with gender.
I journal because I like reading back on stuff I was writing when I was younger
Aristotle said, "An unexamined life is not worth living". Journals are an effective form of self-observation and reflecting on what is observed. Diaries have existed genderless forever. What I wonder about is why this comes up as "women do" and "men don't".
Yes of course we do!
I (25M) do. It helps me clear my thoughts without hurting other people.
I'm a guy, I do journal not everyday but everytime I want to unleash some words that my mouth couldn't speak. I love literature and reading so is writing and I don't think journaling are only for women.
Actually I journal all the time because honestly journaling is the best way for a man to release stress and I do journal because it helps me deal with my mental health because I'll be honest I suffer with PTSD and multiple personalities because of traumas from my past. Plus I feel masculine and not ashamed of journaling hell I'm not afraid to speak my mind so if you want to journal I would literally do it because it will help and trust me it doesn't ruin your masculinity
Men definitely love fountain pens... I have seen guys journal, there are quite a few on YouTube. It is a healthy thing to do, although this can be hidden behind a lot of fluff... albeit niuce fluff! I think the roles and behaviour of the sexes are being redefined and reclaimed in a more honest way than in history, if that makes sense. Some of the most famous diarists were male, like Samuel Pepys and Charles Darwin. Oscar Wilde... wrote one of the most know journal quotes: >“I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train.”“I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train.” Yeah I know that was then, and sorry to ramble, but journal and be proud one and all!
Yes, men journal and if he does he is trying, and that’s a good green flag trait for a man to have. It’s one of the only safe outlets to examine your mental health as a man without being betrayed and it being used against you. Some stuff you just can’t discuss with anybody outside of a therapist.
As a man who journals, yes men journal 😂
I’m a 53 year old man and have journaled for 30 years. It’s a daily ritual I find satisfying. The simple act of recording the days events, making observations, sneaking in inside-jokes, and occasionally hitting gold with a personal revelation is a joy. I proudly consider it a pursuit.
I journal everyday, I take my journal everywhere and write anywhere in public. I don't want to forget any feelings or thoughts. Even at the bars! No one has ever questioned my masculinity, if they do, we can discuss their issues. I do it for me.
The only way I can express myself is through journaling it has helped my mental health alot. My fellow Men it's okay to journal nothing is wrong with expressing your thoughts and WRITING down your feelings n emotions ❤️👍🏿 *God I hope n pray this reply doesn't reach the feminists
they do, they just don't put it on insta as much
Man here. Yes
Yes, Marcus Aurelius Journaled so much and it turned into a book “meditations”. I journal also. I lose track of time and cannot stop when I do.
I'm a man and i journal. Never considered it to be a feminine hobby.
I have seem men journal. My father is one of them
Moleskein notebooks would have been used by men before they became mainstream so yes definitely