In a world full of noise and endless information, writing things down remains one of the simplest ways to make sense of our thoughts, support our mental wellbeing and reconnect with our creativity. By Elizabeth Talbot
UNTIL about five years ago, I didn’t realise the writing I had always done had a name: journaling.
I wasn’t keeping a diary or documenting my days. I was writing letters to myself, making lists, filling pages with thoughts, questions, frustrations, rants, ideas and things I didn’t want to forget or needed to get out of my head. Some pages were me revisiting the same thoughts until I bored myself stupid. Over times, I have started to recognise these patterns, the thoughts that loop when something needs attention, and the ones that begin to fade once they have been given enough space on the page.
I have always had a busy mind, the kind that replays conversations long after they have ended, over-thinks small details and tries to solve tomorrow’s problems when I should be sleeping. Writing became a way of making sense of things. What I now call “paper and pen therapy” started very simply; I just needed somewhere to dump it all.
When your mind is full of thoughts and feelings and you slow down enough to focus on what you want to write, something begins to shift. There is something almost magical about that space between your mind and your hand, where thoughts that felt tangled begin to settle into something you can actually see. I am a very visual person; it is how I learn and understand things. Seeing my thoughts in front of me helps me process them in a way that thinking alone never does.
When I came across the work of psychologist Dr James Pennebaker, who spent decades researching expressive writing, it clarified my method. His research shows that putting thoughts and feelings into words helps us process experiences rather than store them away, and helps us organise what we are carrying rather than hold it internally.
I have come to realise that a busy mind is not a negative thing. If anything, it means you carry a lot – empathy, curiosity, love, ideas and the ability to notice things others might miss. But it can also feel like a lot to hold, and journaling has become my way to express and break down all the busyness.
There is something about the physical act of writing that makes it different from typing or just carrying it all around in your head. Feeling the pen move across the page, seeing the words take shape, crossing things out and letting ideas spill into the margins, slows you down and brings focus. The rhythm of writing becomes part of the reflection and can feel almost meditative.
I rarely finish writing with everything neatly worked out because life doesn’t work like that, but I almost always finish with a clearer head than when I started. Journaling hasn’t necessarily changed what happens in my life, but it has changed how I meet it. It gives me space to step back, a little distance from whatever feels overwhelming, and the chance to contemplate what is really going on rather than just reacting. Often, what I think is bothering me turns out to be surface noise, and if I stay with the page long enough, what really needs my attention usually finds its way through.
Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way introduced me to her “Morning Pages” practice – three pages of stream-of-consciousness writing first thing in the day. What inspired me was the freedom in the idea: you just write. No over-thinking, no editing, no trying to make it sound good – and if you can’t think of what to say, you write that!
You can’t get it wrong. It’s about trusting yourself, the process and bypassing the critical voice in your head, giving your thoughts space to surface.
A journal is a safe place where you don’t have to get things right, because there is no right or wrong way, only your way. You can change your mind, contradict yourself, cross things out, forget grammar, start again and write what needs to be written for your eyes only. In a world where so much feels performative, that kind of private honesty feels rare, grounding and necessary.
Life is messy and rarely linear – we move forward, we doubt ourselves, we change direction, and we begin again more than we admit. My journals reflect that. They can be chaotic and thoughtful, but they are always true to how I feel at the time.
Reading back, I sometimes see resilience I didn’t recognise as I was living it, or realise something I worried about passed far more quickly than I expected. Some journals I have destroyed because it felt like the right moment to let them go – the healing is in the act of writing itself, not in keeping the pages forever.
Journaling has also changed the way I speak to myself. We can be incredibly harsh in our own heads, often saying things we would never say to anyone else, yet when those thoughts are written down, they lose some of their edge.
Perspective appears, the running commentary eases and your inner wisdom becomes easier to hear. Most of us take in far more than we have space to process – news, podcasts, social media and constant input. It is hardly surprising that so many people feel mentally full and rarely fully switch off. For me, journaling is a way of paying attention, not to fix everything or turn reflection into another task, but to notice what is already there instead of being on autopilot.
I also think the world needs more creativity, not productivity disguised as creativity or pressure to make something good. Just more permission to play, notice things, reflect and be present with ourselves for a while. So much of adult life pulls us away from that, yet it is often in those moments of creativity, reflection and curiosity that perspective, ideas and self-trust begin to return.
Through the workshops and creative sessions I now run, I often meet people who say they are not good at journaling or don’t know how to start. What I have learned is that journaling is completely personal. It might be a paragraph, a list, a drawing, a poem or a few scribbled words. It isn’t about being a writer; it’s about being awake to your own life. Journal therapist Kay Adams describes this through what she calls the “Journal Ladder”, the idea that people begin with simple structures and gradually move towards more open reflection as confidence grows. What people usually need first isn’t instruction; it is reassurance that they can start exactly where they are.
In my workshops, I use prompts to help people take that first step, giving them something to respond to without pressure, which often opens the door to deeper reflection and creativity – and they usually realise they have more to say than they thought.
“Write at the Shoreline” is the name I have given to my journaling practice and workshops – a space where endings and beginnings meet the page. A place to pause, notice the details and allow your thoughts and feelings to surface with curiosity and compassion.
That is what journaling has always given me. Not a perfect record of my life, just somewhere to meet myself, trust myself and understand things a little better than I did before I picked up my pen.
And in a world that asks a lot from us, learning to listen to ourselves may be one of the kindest things we can do for ourselves.
The research on journaling
*Writing engages the prefrontal cortex – the area of the brain linked to clear thinking, planning, perspective and emotional regulation, helping us respond rather than simply react.
*Expressive writing can reduce stress – research by psychologist Dr James Pennebaker found that putting thoughts and feelings into words can help people process difficult experiences.
*Journaling can lower cortisol – regular reflective writing has been linked to reduced levels of the body’s main stress hormone.
*It can ease anxiety and improve mood – studies suggest journaling helps calm racing thoughts and create greater emotional balance.
*Writing creates psychological distance – putting feelings on paper can help us to step back and see situations much more clearly.
*Gratitude journaling boosts wellbeing – focusing on what is going well can
support dopamine and serotonin, chemicals linked to motivation, pleasure and mood.
*Handwriting can improve focus and memory – slower, physical writing often supports concentration and deeper processing.
*Journaling increases self-awareness – regular reflection can help people recognise patterns, habits and triggers more clearly.
*Creativity supports wellbeing – expressive activities such as writing, drawing and journaling have been linked to
confidence, resilience and emotional wellbeing.
*Even short sessions help – benefits can come from just a few minutes of regular writing.
Start journaling today
Write the date and the time, and where you are. Notice something about your surroundings and note it down. Then check in with yourself: how am I feeling? How does my body feel?
Then begin with one of these:
*What feels louder in my mind than it needs to be?
*Where do I need more kindness from myself?
*What can I appreciate that I normally overlook?
Set a timer for five minutes. Do not over-think, keep your pen moving and let the words come as they are. If you get stuck, write that you are stuck and keep going. Remember, journaling is for expression, not performance.
Workshops and retreats
My journaling workshops, reflective writing sessions, creative retreats and talks are designed to help people slow down, reconnect with themselves and explore writing and creativity in a simple, accessible way. These sessions are not about writing perfectly or making something impressive, but about giving yourself permission to pause, play, reflect and see what happens when you spend a little more time with your own thoughts and creativity.
Drop-in Taster Session at The Isis Centre
Monday 25 May, 1pm to 1.30pm, £10 pay at venue
All the following workshops and creative day retreats are available to book now:
Take a Creative Pause – Journaling Workshop
CCA Galleries International, Saturday 6 June, 10am to 12pm
Guided Journaling Workshop
The Wellbeing Hub, Saturday 4 July, 10am to 12pm
Journaling & Creative Day Retreats
Frances Le Sueur Centre, Sunday 12 July, Saturday 12 September, Saturday 14 November, 10am to 4pm.
The Isis Centre, Saturday 27 June, Saturday 3 October, 10am to 4pm.
One-to-one sessions, workplace wellbeing talks and tailored group workshops are also available. These sessions are open to anyone, whether you are completely new to journaling or returning to it after many years.
For more information, upcoming dates or to enquire about workshops and talks, please contact: elizabethtalbot13@gmail.com or visit writeattheshoreline.com
