Why Journaling Is the Self-Care Tool You Didn't Know You Needed

🌟 Welcome back to the Dreaming + Doing Sunday Digest, where we come to restore, reflect, and prepare for the week ahead.

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Now, on to today’s sermon....

As Black women, it’s important we have go-to tools to support our healing. One of my go-to tools for self-care? Journaling. Back in the '90s, seeing Moesha (aka Brandy Norwood) with her box braids pouring her thoughts into her journal was a subtle yet powerful moment of representation. Finally, someone who looked like me helped me see that journaling was for us, too.

Since then, I’ve accumulated boxes of old notebooks over the years, filled with reflections from different periods of my life. It’s my way of processing events in real time when life be life-ing. When I was laid off and wrestling with what to do next, journaling gave me the clarity to start my own business. I remember writing late into the night, trying to make sense of the uncertainty. Those pages were like a compass that guided me through many intense moments. Journaling can often cure overwhelm, burnout, and anxiety, creating space to help you catch your breath when needed.

Let’s break down why journaling should be in your self-care toolkit as a Black woman in the workplace.

1. Improves Mental Health

 A national survey found that 10.4% of Black people are at risk for depression, compared to 7.1% of white people.  Numerous studies have shown that journaling can reduce overall levels of depression and even help process trauma and reduce stress. When I started journaling, I didn’t even know how much of a healing practice it would be. I was dealing with a lot of feelings, so I wrote to help settle my nervous system. Putting pen to paper is a cathartic and therapeutic act of self-preservation for your system to repair itself.

2. A Place to Put Your Anger

Black women often have to carry the emotional load in silence; journaling can be the quiet space we create to let out the anger, the exhaustion, and the disappointment we aren’t allowed to express out loud. Writing about your emotional experiences can help you regulate them more effectively. It can be the first step to understanding your needs and how to get them met.

3. Giving Voice to Your Experience

In a toxic workplace, it can feel like you've lost control over your own narrative. Your journal is a platform to get it back. When you write about your experiences, you're not just documenting events; you're giving voice to your truths and owning your version of events.

I remember a meeting where I had worked hard on a proposal, only for my manager to ask a male colleague for input on what I had created. At that moment, I felt invisible and started doubting my worth, wondering if I wasn’t good enough.

Looking back, I wish I had spoken up and said, 'Actually, in my experience, I’ve implemented similar solutions successfully, and I believe what I’m proposing would also work here.’ Writing this now helps me reclaim my power and remind myself that just because someone didn’t see my value doesn’t mean it wasn’t there.

It's like standing in the light and saying, "This is what happened, and this is how it made me feel." Doing so fully empowers you to validate your experience and take the first step in addressing them.

4. Ask the Right Questions

Without a doubt, having a consistent journaling practice accelerated how quickly I could learn the lessons I needed to learn and grow from them. This is especially helpful if you’re someone who needs answers quickly. When I needed to, journaling helped me hone in on the right questions to ask questions, such as "What have I learned from this situation?" “What can I praise myself for?” or "How can I grow from this experience?"  Part of how we grow is about applying the lessons from adversity to future challenges and sparing ourselves the drama next time. 

5. Map Out Your Dreams

It’s been proven that people who write down their goals are more likely to achieve them. The practice of writing down your dreams and plans allows them to become more real. If one of your ambitious career goals is to heal, journaling helps you clear the space to do so. What kind of workplace do you want to be a part of? What are your aspirations? What is the work that you desire to do? Use your journal to outline these goals and steps to achieve them. You can always go back and track your progress and celebrate your wins, one of the many perks of writing it down.

Journaling is a radical act of self-love, especially for us. It isn’t just words on a page; it's your pathway to healing. It’s the mechanism for regaining control and the space to repair the spirit when you’re feeling depleted. Toxic workplaces can be tough to navigate, so setting aside dedicated time for journaling can be one of the most rewarding acts you can do for yourself. So, what’s stopping you? Start today, even if it’s just a few sentences. Your story, your healing, and your liberation deserve the space.

Purpose to Practice:

• What’s one emotion you’ve been avoiding lately? What do you think it’s trying to tell you?
• What would you be doing with your time if you were not tied to the expectations of others? How does that vision feel in your body, and what’s one small way you can start creating it?
• Go back to your last journal entry. What do you notice about that time? In what ways have you changed or now view yourself differently?

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Dreaming on Purpose is a companion for today’s millennial Black professional woman on the path of self-discovery and redefining her next career chapter. This book is your call to action to resist the status quo and explore your career as a vessel for legacy, liberation, and healing.

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