I always thought journaling was something other people managed to keep up with. I’d start off motivated, scribbling in a paper notebook or jotting quick thoughts into my phone, but it never stuck for more than a week. Nothing gave me a reason to keep coming back.
But that changed the moment I tried Day One. What began as an experiment has grown into a daily habit, and now I can’t imagine journaling without it.
Journaling always felt out of reach for me
Tried often, quit every time
I liked the idea of journaling, but actually keeping up with it never worked. I’d hear people talk about it, helping them clear their minds or track their progress, and I wanted that for myself. The problem was, every time I tried, I gave up almost as quickly as I started.
I first gave it a shot with Samsung Notes, since it was already on my phone and easy to open. For a few nights in a row, I typed short reflections before bed or jotted down little things I didn’t want to forget. But the habit never lasted. After a week, the entries stopped. Opening it felt more like tossing scraps into a drawer than keeping a real journal.
A few pages would fill up, then the notebook would sit untouched. Every time, it left me wondering if journaling just wasn’t for me. The page felt too empty, and without prompts in the app or reminders set up, I rarely knew what to write beyond a line or two. Even when I tried again on paper, I only managed a short burst of entries before falling silent.
The one app that finally pulled me in
Day One made it stick
After so many failed tries, I wasn’t really looking for another journaling app. I’d convinced myself that journaling just wasn’t something I could keep up with. But when I came across Day One, I decided to give it a chance. From the moment I opened it, I could tell it was different. The design was clean and welcoming. Creating an entry was as simple as tapping a button, and I could start writing without worrying about formatting or where to put it. It already felt like a proper journal instead of another notes app.
What really made me stick with it were the small details. I could drop in a photo when I didn’t feel like typing, and each entry could automatically save the weather and location when I enabled it. Those touches gave my words a sense of context and importance. Looking back, an entry wasn’t just text on a page. With a photo, the weather, and the location attached, it carried the feeling of the moment in a way plain writing never could. However, adding more than one photo is part of the subscription.
Most of my entries are written, but you don’t have to stick to typing. Day One also lets you record your voice, which makes it easier to capture thoughts at the moment (available with Premium). Then I discovered the On This Day view. It resurfaced past entries from the same date in earlier years, turning my journal into a timeline I could actually revisit. That was the moment I knew this app had solved the problem I’d struggled with for so long.
Download: Day One for Windows | macOS | Android
From skipped entries to a daily habit
Prompts turned effort into routine
Before Day One, skipping a day usually meant I lost momentum. One missed entry turned into a week, and soon the notebook or app was set aside. Day One changed that cycle. Instead of relying solely on willpower, it provided me with small nudges, such as reminders and prompts, that made it easier to keep going. Even on busy days, I would add a note or a single photo just to stay consistent.
On days when I didn’t have much to say, a daily prompt gave me a place to start. Sometimes it was as simple as jotting down one thing I was grateful for, and that small entry was enough to keep my streak alive. Templates helped too, offering formats like a gratitude entry or daily summary that made writing feel less daunting and often encouraged me to write more.
The place my memories belong
Now that journaling has become part of my routine, Day One feels like the natural home for my memories. It isn’t just a place to store notes. It’s a real journal, and I notice that difference every time I open it.
Privacy matters to me, and Day One takes that seriously. My journals use end-to-end encryption, and on my iPhone I lock the app with Face ID. Knowing my entries are secure lets me write more freely. What began as a trial run is now part of my day, and Day One turned journaling into a routine I enjoy. It might do the same for you.
