MindJournal: Finally a Journal for Guys
A Journal for Guys. This is MindJournal.
Guys, it's time to talk about mental health. Yeah, we get it- it can be a topic that is avoided by men or minimized when it comes to expressing our thoughts and feelings. The team over at MindJournal recognized the stigma and struggle and decided to do something about it.
After crushing it with their Kickstarter campaign, MindJournal has rapidly become the world's first and only men’s journaling brand. Geared towards guys, the aim is to raise not only awareness for men’s health but also provide a way to address the daily issues, worry, stress, and pressure guys face.
MindJournal utilizes highly researched and user-developed questions while blending proven therapeutic writing psychology into a sleek, cool AF journal that any guy would want to use.
We wanted to try out this journal and see what it was all about- and how it goes about getting there. Our crew here at duuude grabbed ahold of the journal and gave it the ultimate test- by actually trying it (go figure). We took it to the office, threw it in our backpacks, and even brought it along with us anywhere we went to have it handy.
INITIAL IMPRESSIONS:
When we opened the packaging we found a hardcover journal sleeve encasing the journal itself. The heartiness of the boxed journal already stood out as something guys would be eager to open and use. The box itself says: “Even though this journal has lines- life is not about staying within them.” Our thought: instant hook, line and sinker.
The journal itself felt solid and the smooth front and back cover makes you want to pick it up and carry it everywhere you go. The pages are thick but not overwhelmingly bulky giving a perfect amount of pages within the journal. The two-pronged bookmark helps mark a page you left off on and mark a page you want to possibly head back to and review. The font choice is awesome and aligns with its theme of boldness and bravery (for taking the task on and writing about your feelings).
Overall impression: this thing rocks.
INSTRUCTIONS/GUIDES
Immediately when you open the first page of the journal you are greeted by the following text:
Something about the rocky and rough parts of a man’s walk in life resonated with our crew. As we progressed through the journal we found clear outlined instructions on how to use the journal.
HOW IT WORKS:
Time stamp tracks progress through the journal with each entry you make
Feelings checklist prompts some possible feelings you may identify with or find ones you didn’t know you had
Intentions and Achievements helps you track “wins” both big and small
Gratitude gives three lines to list out what you’re grateful for- all things to help you keep things in perspective
Happy Hour let’s you identify what you want or need to do for some self-care
The Programme gives the guides’ tools for 30 thought provoking questions for further exploration
Coaching helps you learn the ropes and get the most out of the journal
The additional “Manual” takes a further in depth look at how to maximize the journal and gain more of its benefits.
VIBE
The vibe of a journal, let alone one that tries to pull off the task of helping dudes put thoughts and feelings to paper must deliver on its promises. This journal does just that. The text prompts, word choice, fonts, feel, and overall tone of the journal aligned with our duuude crew and was actually enjoyable to use. The size of the journal is similar to a standard paperback book and is easily something you would toss in a work bag, bring to the office, throw in your backpack, or even take on trips. The vibe is just what you’d expect and want it to be for a journal aimed at men. The simple yet powerful wording of the prompts doesn’t mince words or make you feel a certain way. It guides you into identifying your own thoughts and helps put pen to paper.
STANDOUT FEATURES
We found that this journal had some takeaways and standout aspects we thought were notable:
It’s ability to help draw out thoughts and prompts to encourage exploration of self were on point
The free-form sections blended with guided ideas and questions offered a good balance of usability and enjoyment
The page flow, structure, and use of phrasing/wording was well thought out and clear
The variety of exercises mixed with the consistency of specific prompts helps guide the journal writer forward
With all the standout features and takeaways we found just one area to improve the durability of the journal for those who carry it with them to various places. After one full day of leaving the journal in a hot car the cover started to warp slightly. We went ahead and wrapped ours with a rubber band around the journal to hold the cover down so we could not worry about warping it in different conditions and seemed to do the trick.
MindJournal Overall duuude factor: Must get!
MindJournal Information
MindJournal was founded by Ollie Aplin, an avid journaler and designer from the UK. Developing a way to address his own experiences with PTSD, MindJournal was born. Knowing that the best way to get a handle on his own needs, he also knew the best way to get other guys help to was by journaling.
“I’ve kept a journal ever since my mum died in 2005. It’s never been an easy thing to do, to write about your feelings and what’s on your mind but it’s helped me to rebuild my life after losing my mum. I always felt that there needed to be a better way of doing it and that more guys would benefit from it if they knew how to do it. That’s why I created.”
MindJournal is Ollie’s and others’ go to place to drop thoughts onto paper and get out of “our heads” when forecasting future goals, challenges, needs and desires. Taking the basic principles of journaling and combining them with in-depth research conducted by Professor James Pennebaker, Ollie was able to merge his own experiences and needs with the proven benefits of journaling. The outcome is simple: a tool for guys to express what’s on their minds.
“My hope is that with MindJournal, I can provide a friendly, comforting voice to other guys that remind them they’re not alone and that whatever they’re thinking or feeling, is okay.”
You can grab a journal or learn more about the company by visiting MindJournal online:
