Writing in a journal is not something that I have always done. Honestly, I don’t write in my journal every single day.

That may seem funny for a person who creates and sells journals, but the truth is, journaling, for me, is more about a process than a routine.

My friend journals almost every day. She is a true journal girl. She has journals from elementary school, high school, and college. Boxes of thoughts that spilled onto the pages of her books.

She loves it.

I tried it.

I hated journaling that way.

For her, it is joyful and a part of who she is. For me, it felt forced. It felt hard.

So, I let that version of journaling go.

Instead, I began using writing as a tool. I write when I am making decisions, going through something stressful, celebrating something meaningful, or simply feeling grateful for the quiet parts of life.

Not every day. Not every moment.

Just when it feels helpful.

Sometimes, that is what writing really is. Not a habit to maintain, but a way to check in with yourself.

A quiet moment to ask, “How am I really doing?”

Not the quick answer you give other people. The honest one.

One day, while cleaning out my closet, I found a small box filled with journals. I may have written in only five journals throughout my life. None of them is completely filled.

But as I read through them, I noticed something.

I had always written when I needed to.

And it was enough.

It is not about how often you journal. It is about how you use it and what works for you.

Writing can become a place to untangle what feels overwhelming.

It gives you somewhere to put the thoughts you do not always say out loud. The frustration, the guilt, the exhaustion.

Instead of carrying everything quietly, you begin to release it one word at a time.

But writing is not only for the hard moments.

It can also help you reconnect with the parts of yourself that still feel like you.

The things that light you up.

What makes you excited or happy?

The small moments that matter.

The parts of your life that are still yours, even when so much of your time is spent caring for others.

Sometimes, writing helps you find your way back to those things.

Not by forcing change, but by noticing what still feels steady, meaningful, or true.

There is no right way to do this.

You do not need perfect words.

You do not need to write every day.

You just need a moment of honesty.

A place to put what you are carrying.

And maybe, over time, a way back to yourself.

If you’ve ever needed a quiet place to hold what you’re carrying, writing can help. Writing became one of the ways I began to process what I was feeling.

— J. Lashelle

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When You Don’t Know What You’re Feeling, Start Here.

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