Hi hi! I’m Nina (@diarybynina), and I’m part of the incredibly powerful and beautiful team of ambassadors at Archer & Olive (@archerandolive), but today I don’t want this blog to feel formal or overly produced. I want to talk to you like we’re sitting together having a drink while cutting paper at the table. Because this post is for the people who want to have a journal… but don’t want to write. Or don’t like writing. Or don’t have time. Or simply don’t want to go that deep into their emotions all the time. And that’s okay. It really is.

There’s this very intense idea on social media that if you have a journal you have to write super long pages about your feelings, giant paragraphs dedicated to one specific topic, analyze your life under a microscope, and have existential clarity… and honestly, no. Sometimes you just want to stick pretty things down, make a collage, and that’s it. Sometimes you just want to feel like you created something without having to explain what’s going on inside your head, and that feeling is valid, and important too.

Supplies

Remember you can use my code: NINIS10 to get 10% off!

• Notebook
  You can use any size of journal. In my case, I used an A5 notebook.

• Stamps, pens, stickers, etc.
  Feel free to use any decorative elements that help you express the best version of your journal.

Here I’ll share a few pages you can create if you want to have a journal without having to write so much.

My Basics or My Essentials

This page is almost like creating your own little visual ritual. The idea is to make a sort of “basket” inside your journal filled with the things you love having nearby when you create, or things that in some way define you as a person. Sit down for a moment and think about what those things are, the ones you love having within reach or use all the time in your daily life. It could be stationery, random objects, food, drinks, anything you want.

You can draw each item, paste images, or simply create a collage using downloaded photos. I included my paintbrushes, a cup of coffee, washi tapes, sushi, strawberries, my Archer & Olive journal (obviously, wink wink), and other little things that make me really happy. I even added one of my favorite fictional characters who, at this stage of my life, represents me so much.

You don’t have to write a long explanation about why you like these things, it’s enough that they’re there. This page doesn’t require emotional depth, but it reminds you that journaling can be your own intimate little ritual that doesn’t need justification. It becomes a visual reminder of who you are.

A Page for Later

This one is magical because it removes all the pressure. I use it all the time. It’s literally a page where you write down a topic you want to talk about someday… but not today. It can be a small phrase hidden between images, something like “what I really feel about fear” or “that conversation that still weighs on me.” And you leave it there. You don’t expand on it. You don’t force yourself to go deeper. You just acknowledge that it exists and that when you’re ready, you’ll come back to it.

It’s a gentle way of saying, “yes, this matters,” without pushing yourself into emotions you’re not ready to open.

If you want to make it a little more creative, you can play with papers and find a curious way to hide the phrase. I made a heart shape and wrote my phrase in the center. When I finally felt ready, I used all the space around the heart to release my emotions and write about it. That page can wait for you for a long time, or maybe when you finish decorating it, you’ll suddenly find the perfect words to begin. You move at your own pace.

A Page About a Song

If you don’t want to write about how you feel, let a song do it for you.

Choose that song you’ve been playing on repeat or the one that unexpectedly touched your heart. Print the album cover, add related images, cut out a lyric, or write your favorite line big and bold. You choose the aesthetic. Sometimes I feel inspired and literally write the entire song. Other times it’s just one small phrase. And sometimes I only focus on images that match the vibe. Whatever makes me happy in that moment.

You don’t need to analyze it or explain why you love it. Sometimes a song says exactly what you don’t know how to put into words, and having it in your journal becomes a time capsule of that stage of your life. It’s emotional without feeling invasive.

In this case, I chose a Bad Bunny song, which is funny because it makes me extremely emotional, and one of the lyrics really marked me. You might be thinking, “Nina, why is that funny?” Girl. This is dancing music. Benito usually writes songs that aren’t exactly sentimental, but there I am crying every time I hear it. I think I defined my feelings perfectly with that page.

The Basic Page for Days Without Time (or Without Energy)

We all have days when we want to do something creative but don’t want to write a single line about how we feel. That’s where this page comes in.

Find a phrase you heard somewhere that stuck with you. It could be from a movie, a podcast, a random conversation, anything. Write it big in the center and then decorate around it.

Easy.
Simple.
No complications.

Use stickers, scraps, colors, simple drawings, paint, crayons, images, markers… whatever you want. You don’t need to explain why the phrase marked you. Sometimes just seeing it there, beautiful and surrounded by things you like, is enough. It’s journaling in simple mode. The basic level we all return to at some point. The complexity is up to you, just enjoy it.

Introduce Your Pets

This is my favorite, and it probably always will be because I have three dogs and I love them with my whole heart. They are the most beautiful creatures on this planet and change my mind. 

Dedicating a page to your pets is a pure act of love.

Paste their photos, make an adorable collage, and write small things like their nicknames, what they do when they’re happy, their weird little habits, and what makes you laugh the most about their personality (because those of us who have pets know their personalities are VERY clearly defined)

It doesn’t have to be deep or poetic. You don’t need to write them a Shakespearean poem. Just write small details that make you later look at the page and say, “yep, this is absolutely my pet.”

While you write about them, you’ll notice you’re smiling without realizing it. And sometimes that’s more therapeutic than any intense reflection.

A Page Dedicated to Your Childhood

This page is pure nostalgia.

Paste a photo of yourself as a child and around it write simple things you loved back then. The foods that made you happy, the games you played, the shows or movies you watched over and over, your favorite colors, the little things you wanted.

But important: this is not for analyzing your childhood or drawing deep conclusions. We’re not digging into heavy memories here, and we’re not pretending childhood was perfect either. Leave all that outside. This is just about remembering. Reconnecting with that version of you who enjoyed things without overthinking and found wonder in small details.

Doing it with images, colors, and memories keeps it light, almost tender.

For me, what I loved most was remembering the movies I watched when I was very little, realizing that I’ve been fascinated with dinosaurs and dragons since I was a kid, and that I’ve always loved markers and anything related to creativity. I guess I still have a child’s mind, just with adult money now, which basically means I’m finally making that little girl who dreamed of fantasy, tons of markers, stickers, and colors very happy.

At the end of the day, almost all these pages can be created with downloaded images, printed photos, stickers, scraps, and simple drawings. You don’t need to fill pages with text for your journal to have value. Cutting and pasting is also a form of expression. Creating without explaining yourself also counts.

Your journal doesn’t have to be a place where you constantly analyze yourself. It can be a space to play, collect moments, and keep things you love. It can be light. It can be visual. It can simply be yours.

And that, honestly, is more than enough.

And truly, if you can’t print images, draw them! I actually think that would be even more fun, but that’s just my opinion. You can always share yours with me on my social media (@diarybynina). And even if my content is in Spanish, you can absolutely message me in English! I love when you share your creations or your thoughts with me, it makes me so happy.

I’m also leaving you this little free printable here for even more inspiration!!!!

When life feels loud, your journal can be a quiet room. When everything feels messy, it can be your soft landing place. Aaaaand when you get lost, come back to this blog, I’ll help you return to yourself, okaaay?

If you decide to use the printable, I would love to see your cozy pages.

Tag @archerandolive and @diarybynina, it makes my heart so happy to see your rituals come to life.

#AOshare #archerandolive

In this video, you will find inspiration