I’ve always been better at writing than any other form of communication. I think that’s one of the reasons I got into marketing and eventually became a Director of Marketing—communication, especially written communication, has always called to me.
For the longest time, I wasn’t the best writer. I made grammatical errors, and my writing wasn’t always proper English. In college, one of my professors even asked me if English was my first language. I answered, “No, it was Spanish.” I’m sure she felt bad after making that comment.
Despite that, I’ve always been good at free writing—simply putting whatever is on my mind onto paper. To this day, I write every morning. It’s one of the best ways to clear my mind.
It surprises me when I speak to people who don’t free write or journal. I understand it’s not for everyone, but with so much going on in our minds, how do we release it? How do we clear it?
For me, writing helps organize my thoughts—and I have a lot of them. I write about things I want to accomplish, things I’ve already accomplished, situations I’ve experienced, happy memories, finances, to-do lists, and things that weigh heavily on me. Sometimes I even write about secrets I wouldn’t share with anyone else but still need to get out of my head.
This is why I always turn to journaling.
My sister struggles with journaling. She doesn’t enjoy it. She has tried, but she always tells me she doesn’t know what to write. That makes me think there are many other people who experience the same kind of writer’s block.
Here are a few suggestions for getting started:
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Write anything. If you don’t know what to write, write about not knowing what to write.
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Get comfortable talking to yourself. A lot of journaling is really just a conversation with yourself, and that’s okay. If something bothered you, write it out. If something good happened, write it out.
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Set aside a specific time when you’ll actually pick up a pen and paper. For me, that time is always in the morning while I’m having my coffee. It works for me because it’s become part of my routine.
Journaling is a proven practice that helps you process emotions, reduce stress, and work toward your personal goals. Sometimes all it takes is a blank page and a few honest thoughts.