Let’s be honest, life right now?
It’s loud, fast and overstimulating. It’s “what day is it?” energy on repeat.
And somewhere in between keeping everyone alive, answering texts, and trying to drink your coffee before it gets cold…you give yourself 5 minutes and finish a book but immediately forget everything that just emotionally wrecked you.
Like… cool. Love that for us 🙃
That’s where journaling—and romanticizing your reading routine—comes in.
Not as another thing to keep up with but as something you come back to.
Romanticizing Your Routine Isn’t Extra—It’s Necessary
There was a time when reading felt like an experience.
Think:
- Scholastic book fairs
- Staying up way too late to “just finish one more chapter”
- Actually feeling the story
Now we rush it, skim it and then we forget it.
Romanticizing your routine is just choosing to slow it down again.
It’s:
- lighting the candle
- grabbing your favorite bookmark
- sitting in your cozy corner
- letting the story actually stay with you
Not aesthetic pressure or perfection...just intention
Why Journaling While You Read Changes Everything
If you’ve ever said: “I know I liked that book but I literally couldn’t tell you what happened…”
You’re not alone.
Journaling while reading helps you:
- actually process the story instead of consuming it
- remember characters, plot twists, and feelings
- track your reading moods (because mood reader life is REAL)
- look back later and reconnect with that version of you
Because let’s be honest—sometimes it’s not even about the book.
It’s about who you were when you read it.
Simple Ways to Start (Without Making It a Whole Thing)
You do not need a perfect system. You need something you’ll actually use.
Try this:
✍🏽 1. The “No Pressure” Method
After each reading session, jot down:
- what happened
- how it made you feel
- one quote you loved
That’s it. No overthinking. Get your Genre Journal Bundle here.
📖 2. Annotate As You Go
If journaling feels like too much after the fact, do it in the moment.
Use:
- tabs
- highlighters
- sticky notes
Mark:
- favorite lines
- plot twists
- emotional damage (important)
Then later, you can transfer your favorite moments into your journal if you want. Get your annotation bundle here.
🧠 3. Track Your Mood, Not Just the Book
This is where it gets powerful.
Write:
- what was going on in your life while reading
- your energy level
- why you picked that book
Because your reading life = your real life.
💭 4. Create a “Reading Memory” Instead of a Review
Forget formal reviews.
Try:
- “This book felt like…”
- “I needed this because…”
- “This version of me…”
Make it personal.
Because no one reads like you do.
For the Overwhelmed Moms, Busy Women, and “I Just Need a Minute” Readers
Let’s call it what it is. You’re holding a lot.
Schedules, emotions, responsibilities and expectations and somehow you’re still trying to carve out time for yourself without guilt.
Journaling + reading isn’t another task.
It’s:
- a pause
- a reset
- a place that’s yours
Even if it’s just 10 minutes.
Even if it’s messy.
Even if it’s one sentence.
Why This Matters More Than You Think
Because one day you’re going to flip back through those pages…
And you won’t just see what you read.
You’ll see:
- what you were healing from
- what you were dreaming about
- what you were surviving
And how far you’ve come.
Your Reading Ritual, Your Way
Whether you’re:
- feeling soft and romantic
- a little chaotic
- deep in your fantasy era
- or emotionally spiraling over a cowboy romance
Your reading ritual gets to match you.
That’s the whole point.
If You’re Ready to Make Reading Feel Like Yours Again…
This is exactly why I created our journaling + reading ritual bundles.
Not to make it prettier.
But to make it stick.
To help you:
- slow down
- stay present
- and actually remember what you read
Because reading was never meant to feel like something you have to keep up with.
It’s something you come home to.
You don’t need more time.
You just need a moment that actually feels like yours again. 🖤