Thursday, January 15, 2026

Thursday, January 15, 2026

When you shine the light of awareness on yourself, you begin to awaken to an authentic life. With the help of daily journaling you begin to become conscious of what masks your Authentic Self. You pen down passing thoughts and emotions running through your mind like a broken record and leave them on the pages of the notebook. Journaling daily clears your mind and lightens your heart. More importantly, things about yourself are revealed to you which you were not even aware of. 

So place the bubbling thoughts, not under your control, of bitterness, anger, resentment or sorrow triggered by a family member, a friend or social event on the pages of your notebook. Then watch the petty or vindictive thoughts, careless actions or unnecessary words get seeped into the pages leaving your mind free. Go ahead, pour your heart out in that journal and watch how it heals you. Jotting down private thoughts and emotions that hurt soften their edges when translated into words and eventually they dissipate.

Uninhibited, extempore journaling as a cure was pioneered by the psychologist, Dr. James Pennebaker. He named it “expressive writing” and prescribed it to his patients who were distressed or emotionally disturbed. With this “prescription” he received such good results that thousands of other psychologists and therapists have successfully followed his method. 

When we are emotionally anxious or low, creative flow gets restricted. Emotional gunk plugs our creative faucet and clear thinking. But self-disclosure in a notebook cleanses it, reduces our blood pressure and stress level and improves our emotional and spiritual well-being. We are more honest with ourselves, more grounded and more at ease. 

Once your inner world is clear your outer world shines brighter. You declutter the dark, nebulous mental mess that accumulates every twenty-four hours. Doing so changes the outer circumstances. Clear headed, you are ready to tackle your day with more clarity. Journaling is not some magic but a scientifically proven fact. After a few months of practice you get hooked on filling 2-3 pages every day. You allow yourself to scream silently as you jot down your frustrations. When journaling turns into a habit, the notebook turns into a most intimate friend you communicate with in silence and solitude. It becomes your own therapist, a wise teacher within. 

There are days when there is nothing negative to write about. Perhaps something wonderful has happened or just simple good things have come your way. Don’t let them pass without noting them down. Emphasizing positives is as important as underlining negatives. 

When you have collected enough notebooks, say six or nine months, go back and reread some randomly. You’ll feel distanced from the disturbing emotions that you had experienced when they were triggered and made you write them. The rereading would delight you, make you proud of yourself the way you feel now. You may even save some of the gems of ideas still smoldering under the heap of word ash.

You’re on an exciting journey of journaling. Keep at it and watch the positive effect it is going to have on your emotional and social life.