There is a continual conversation about self-improvement, self-care and personal development but where do you start?
At times we all have to go back to basics when we’re feeling:
- Under the weather
- Fidgety
- Gloomy
- Distracted
- Unable to focus
- Feeling sorry for ourselves
However, it’s even more important when we’re experiencing these symptoms over a long period of time.
The importance of going back to basics and journaling.
Going back to basics and journaling helps us learn and understand ourselves better, so we can uncover the fog in our heads and see more clearly what we want and should be doing instead of being self-absorbed when we know we have a job to do, goals to meet and roles and responsibilities to fulfil.
I didn’t start journaling until I was in my 40’s; I felt so desperate and I didn’t know how to express my deep and darkest thoughts and feelings. This made me feel unheard and I wasn’t sure what else to do, so I gave it a go. You don’t have to be a great writer or good at English and I was never a diary keeper when I was young which means anyone can do it in any format; by writing, drawing, collaging, in colour, patterns, and numbers to represent you and your inner self.
So where do we start?
Journaling is one of the few forms of therapy that can give us the comfort of our own belonging.
Even though journaling has become a huge topic of conversation over recent years it’s nothing new but has evolved as part of human nature over thousands of years.
A bite-sized history of journaling.
Journaling and the recording of thoughts and events date back thousands of years and evolved independently across different cultures. However, here are the key moments in history that highlight its development.
Ancient Roots – The Sumerians (~3100 BCE). Here is evidence of some of the earliest written records, inscribed on clay tablets and used to document daily life, trade, and events.
Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans kept personal reflections. The Roman Emperor and philosopher, Marcus Aurelius, kept a private journal. His work and Meditations is essentially a private journal and is still widely read today for its philosophical insights.
Medieval and Renaissance Periods.
Monks kept manuscripts that combined personal reflections with religious texts, chronicling their spiritual journeys and observations.
Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519), is renowned for his journals, which included sketches, scientific observations, inventions, and personal musings.
The Modern Era - 17th–18th Century. With the invention of the printing press and increased literacy, keeping diaries became more common, particularly among the wealthy and educated.
Samuel Pepys, a 17th-century Englishman, is famous for his detailed diary documenting the Great Fire of London, the plague, and other events.
19th Century - Journaling became more widespread as education expanded. People, especially women, were encouraged to keep diaries as a way to reflect and improve themselves. One of the most famous examples of this is of course, Anne Frank's “The Diary of a Young Girl”.

Today, journaling has evolved into various forms, including:
Bullet Journaling: A systematised way to track tasks and thoughts (created by Ryder Carroll in the 2010s).
Digital Journaling: Using apps and digital platforms to document thoughts.
Creative Journaling: Incorporating art, photos, and other media into journals.
Journaling is now a universal practice that has been shaped by human creativity and the desire to document, learn and understand life.
Let journaling support you and your life.
There are no rules but it’s important to understand that journaling is about opening your heart.
- As an individual trying to help you manage your thoughts, feelings.
As a business owner wanting to make sure you get the most out of your day.
- As a runner journaling helps you keep track of your training and what has affected your performance.
Songwriters, authors and poets to help them keep track of their thoughts, emotions and incidents of interest to refer back to and inspire them in the future.
- Journaling offers a range of mental, emotional, and even physical benefits.
It will help you enhance your self-awareness: Writing helps you process your thoughts and feelings, leading to greater self-understanding. With this, you can identify triggers, patterns, and areas of personal growth.
- Journaling serves as a mental release, helping you unload worries and anxieties. Being able to express your emotions on paper can be cathartic and reduce stress.
Regular journaling has been linked to reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety. It provides a safe space to process emotions gain clarity and improve your mental health.
- Writing freely can spark ideas and creative solutions allowing your mind to explore new possibilities to boost creativity.
Writing about a problem often clarifies your thoughts and helps you see solutions more clearly enabling you to break problems down into bite-sized pieces.
- Journals will serve as a record of your journey, highlighting how far you've come, and revealing recurring challenges or successes.
We can get in the way of our own successes.
A lot of my clients say,
“I used to journal, and it made me feel good, but I got out of the habit.”
What can get in the way of getting back to basics and journaling:
Being busy | A crisis |
A change in routine | Tiredness |
Not being bothered | Being scared of being honest with yourself |
How to start getting back to basics and journaling.
If you start investigating logs, diaries and journals there are hundreds out there for everyone on everything:
- Prayer
- Meditation
- Dreaming
- Running
- Lyrics and song writing
- Reflection and gratitude
These suggestions are a great place to start but you can create your own.
What’s important to remember, however, is that getting back to basics and journaling is about putting your hand on your heart and spilling the beans about yourself to yourself.

Tips for getting back to basics and journaling.
Start today, by finding a quiet place so you can think …….. and cry if you need to.
Ask yourself the following to get you started:
- What’s going well?
- What’s not going well?
- How could it be different?
- Where do you want to go next?
- Why and when are you going to do it?
- How did this turn out for you?
Being able to journal about positive experiences fosters gratitude, which improves overall happiness.
Isn’t that what we all want?
If you're ready to start making changes to the way you are managing your emotions, thoughts and feelings and want to release the burden of what's holding you back let's talk. Book a 30-minute conversation now and get started on your first steps to a new story of your life.