Journaling Saved Me (and Still Does)

“In the journal I do not just express myself more openly than I could to any person; I create myself.” — Susan Sontag

I’ve been journaling since I was 13. That’s a LOT of scribbles, heartbreaks, teenage angst, traumas, quiet realizations, drama, and big dreams — inked into worn-out diaries that I still keep locked up safely in my drawer.

Every once in a while, I pull one out and read through it, and I feel like I’m visiting a past version of myself. It is the only time machine I have at present. It’s messy and raw and stupid sometimes (a lot of times actually), but it reminds me of so much. Reminds me how much I have grown and evolved.
And I truly believe journaling is one of the most underrated, yet most powerful, tools we have for healing and self-understanding. It might be the solution to 90% of our problems.

Why journal at all?
Because sometimes, you have no one to talk to — but your thoughts won’t stop screaming.
Because when you’re overthinking at 2 AM, a blank page can feel like the only thing that listens without judgment.
Because the moment you put words to what you’re feeling, it suddenly makes sense.
Giving a physical shape to your thoughts and feelings helps you look at them carefully, and suddenly it doesn’t feel as heavy as it did before. Now the page carries those thoughts and feelings. Not you.
It stops spinning in your mind and becomes something you can look at, work with, or soften into.
Journaling has been there for me at my lowest. When I felt lonely, lost, and confused, my diary was the friend that never left.
It helped me process things I didn’t even know I was holding. It helped me understand myself.
But most people think journaling finishes as soon as you put those words on the pages. They miss the most important part of going back to those old journal entries. Maybe a week old. Maybe months or years.
When I go back and read those old entries, I see patterns. I see pain I once thought was never-ending. I see growth I never acknowledged.
Re-reading journals helps me quantify my healing.
It’s like having evidence that I’m moving forward — even when it doesn’t feel like it.
You don’t need a million self-help books. You don’t need endless advice videos.
You need your own words. Your truth.
That’s what journaling gives you.
It connects you to your inner wisdom — the part of you that already knows what to do, what you want, and what you need to let go of. And the more you journal, the more clearly you think. You start organizing not just your words, but your life. You learn how to be with yourself without any external influence. You stop caring about society’s judgement and live on your terms.
You don’t have to journal everyday. Although that helps a lot. But just journal when your gut tells you now

Types of Journaling That You Can Try
1. Stream-of-Consciousness Journaling
This is my default when I don’t know what I’m feeling. I just write. Whatever’s in my head. No filter. No structure. I just write and write and write.
It is my favourite kind of journaling to do at night. After I’ve lived the whole day.
Sometimes what I’m looking for doesn’t show up in the first paragraph, or even in the whole entry but I feel lighter after that. And after some time, when I go back and read it, I see it clearly. And I begin to understand what I need.

2. Prompt Journaling
And then there are times when I need a direction. A little nudge. A question to focus on.
I use prompts when I’m stuck or trying to make a decision. It can be as simple as: What am I afraid of right now? or What do I need to forgive myself for?
You can find a lot of free prompts related to almost everything on Pinterest, Medium and a million other sites.
You’d be surprised how much clarity one question can bring when you’re honest with your answer.

3. Brain Dump
Think of this like emotional decluttering.
Just dump. Everything. Your fears, your to-do list, your random thoughts, your dreams from last night. Don’t try to sound poetic. Don’t even worry about grammar. This isn’t for beauty or accuracy.
And it works wonders. You feel lighter, and seeing your worries in a physical form diminishes it somehow.

4. Morning Pages (from “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron)
I tried this method a few years back, and it literally changed my mornings.
You write three longhand pages first thing after you wake up.
No thinking. Just writing. It’s like sweeping out all the mental junk before your day begins. It clears the noise and helps you feel lighter, more creative, more productive, and less anxious.

Journaling is not about being a good writer.
It’s about being real.
It’s about giving yourself permission to feel, to be confused, to celebrate, to mourn, to exist — without needing anyone’s approval.
Your diary is just for you and nobody else.
So get a notebook. Get a pen.
And begin.
You’ll be amazed at who you meet on the page.
– Anushka & Vishnu