Dear Journal: How Honest Journaling Brings Healing and Clarity

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I joined a call this morning, and the focus was on a verse about the truth setting us free. The conversation reminded me how easily we can trap ourselves when we accept lies about who we are. Truth is not just something we believe. It is something we should practice, and honesty is the doorway to freedom.

That conversation stayed with me and led me into deeper reflection before writing this entry. I realized that even when I journal with the intention of healing, I must be mindful of how I write. This has nothing to do with grammar, formality, or how polished my words sound. It has everything to do with why I am writing. There is a difference between writing to avoid the truth and writing to be honest. Sometimes I sit down to write for healing and end up editing instead.

When I am working through emotional healing, honesty matters more than how the words sound. True healing requires facing what is raw and unfiltered. Writing the uncomfortable feeling, belief, or thought is difficult, but avoiding it only keeps it hidden. When I soften my words too quickly, I risk ignoring what my heart is trying to say to me. I am not suggesting that we be harsh with ourselves. I still believe in gentle living. But if truth is the pathway to freedom, then we must stay with it long enough to receive the healing that honesty brings.

Here are three ways I am learning to notice when I am writing to avoid the truth instead of facing it:

• When I erase my first honest words and replace them with something more comfortable. For example, I might write, “I feel angry disappointed about what happened.” That first word mattered. Crossing it out can silence what my heart was trying to express before I felt the need to make it more acceptable.

• When I explain my emotions instead of simply naming them. Rather than writing, “I feel overwhelmed,” I find myself justifying why I should not feel that way. Explaining too much can distract me from listening to what the emotion itself is trying to reveal.

• When I write in a way that protects an image instead of telling the truth. A sentence like, “I am fine, just tired,” can sometimes be a safer version of, “I feel unseen and worn down.” One preserves an image. The other opens the door to healing.

Healing journaling is not about impressing myself or trying to sound healed. It is about telling the truth on paper so I can release the lies that keep me bound. Scripture reminds me that truth brings freedom, and writing is one of the ways I practice walking toward that freedom.

I do not write to avoid the truth. I write to meet it.

Today’s reminder: I have the right to write and heal, and so do you.

Click the orange rectangles below to explore my Amazon healing toolbox. These are things I’m ordering to support my journaling, peace, and healing journey.

Heal Your Soul. The Art Therapy Journal:

• The cover of this journal instantly spoke to me. If you’ve ever seen my drawings, you know art isn’t my strong suit, but I truly believe creativity can help us heal. This journal feels like a challenge within a challenge—one part emotional healing and one part inviting out your inner artist. It also feels beautiful for co-journaling with teens or anyone who prefers drawing over writing.

The Healing Pages: Write, Tear, Burn, Heal

• This is a healing journal that demands movement, not just reflection! It invites you to write, release, and physically let go of what no longer serves you. These pages are meant to be written in, torn apart, destroyed, and ultimately burned. Because healing is not only something you think through. It is something you act on. This is not a journal you keep. . It is something you actively release.