Neither reality checks nor WILD are required for lucid dreaming.

I never did reality checks, they just didn't click for me. Like you said, it's like that effort... for what?

& personally I have way better experience with DILD than WILD.

Since you're already journaling, let that be your motivation. As Silence11 wrote, the key is really practicing attentiveness and critical awareness. When you're writing about your dreams, don't just focus on the events, really reflect on how you feel, how you react, what your thought process is in the dream. What moments are really different from waking life, what moments are really similar to waking life? And even, what moments may have brought to new light a habit or thought pattern that you have in waking life that you didn't realize before? This is how you capture the differences between your dreaming mind and your waking mind, and can recognize each.

So when you catch an awakening, don't worry about trying WILD. Instead reflect back on anything you can grab of your previous dream. Maybe make some notes if you want, or just think it over while staying comfortable.