Don’t have time for journaling? Trust me, I’ve been there. But, as entrepreneurs, we’re constantly searching for the next tactic, marketing strategy, AI tool, or productivity hack that will move our businesses forward. But sometimes the biggest shift doesn’t come from consuming more information. It comes from creating space to hear our own thoughts.
For years, I thought journaling simply wasn’t for me. I wasn’t naturally drawn to writing pages about my feelings, and honestly, I thought I was too busy. But once I discovered a different approach to journaling—one focused on processing rather than documenting—it completely changed the way I lead my business, coach my clients, and make decisions.
In today’s episode, I’m sharing how I finally became dedicated to journaling and why I’m such a huge proponent of it for each of my coaching clients. Plus, how you can use it as a tool for business growth.
Listen to this episode now:
Search for episode 184 of Called to Both on your favorite podcast player!
Why So Many High-Achieving Women Resist Journaling
This episode actually came from a conversation with one of my coaching clients. During one of our sessions, she was talking through a challenge she was facing in her business, and I asked her a simple question: “Have you journaled about it?”
Her response might actually be a question you have been asking: “I actually really want to start journaling, but what are we actually doing when we journal?”
She wasn’t asking because she doubted the value of journaling. She genuinely didn’t know what the process looked like. Were there prompts? Was she supposed to write about her day? Was there a right way to do it?
The more I thought about her question, the more I realized she’s probably not alone.
Most ambitious women I know fall into one of two categories. Either they’re convinced they don’t have time to journal because life already feels completely full, or they’ve built a journaling habit that’s become an essential part of their daily rhythm. I’ve personally experienced both extremes, and I understand why so many women never get started.
When you’re running a business, raising a family, managing clients, and trying to keep all the moving pieces together, sitting quietly with a notebook can feel unproductive. Ironically, that’s often exactly what we need.
The women I coach are incredibly capable, hardworking, and driven. They’re also making dozens of decisions every single day. Without realizing it, many of them spend so much time reacting to what’s happening around them that they rarely stop long enough to process what’s happening within them. That’s where I think journaling can become so powerful.
Journaling Isn’t About Recording Your Day
One of the biggest misconceptions about journaling is that it’s essentially keeping a diary. I was one of those people who assumed journaling meant writing down everything that happened that day, documenting memories, or reflecting on my emotions in beautifully written paragraphs. That approach never stuck for me because it felt forced. I would start a journal with good intentions and eventually abandon it because I honestly wasn’t excited about recording the events of my day.
The kind of journaling I practice today is completely different. Instead of documenting my life, I use journaling to process my thoughts.
One of the best resources on journaling is The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. Her concept of stream-of-consciousness writing gave me permission to stop worrying about writing something meaningful and instead focus on simply emptying my mind.
When I sit down with my journal, I don’t have a polished goal in mind. Sometimes I begin with a question like, “Why does today feel so heavy?” or “What decision am I avoiding?” Other times I simply start writing whatever comes into my head without stopping.
As I continue writing, something fascinating happens. If I keep my pen moving long enough, I begin uncovering ideas and insights that I never would have reached if I’d stayed inside my own head. That’s why I don’t think of journaling as writing. I look at it as thinking on paper.
Why Writing by Hand Makes Such a Difference
Now I am a huge fan of digital tools. I organize my business in Notion, capture ideas in my Notes app, and keep nearly everything else digital. Those tools are incredibly helpful for organizing information, but they serve a different purpose than journaling.
When I need clarity, I always return to pen and paper. There’s something about physically writing that slows your mind down. Instead of racing from one thought to the next, you’re forced to move at the speed of your hand. That slower pace creates space for deeper thinking.
Research has consistently shown that handwriting engages the brain differently than typing. We remember information better when we physically write it, and the process creates a stronger connection between our thoughts and our actions. I’ve noticed that difference firsthand.
If I’m brainstorming content ideas, I’ll often type them into Notion. But if I’m wrestling with a difficult business decision, processing a challenge, or trying to understand why something feels off, typing never gives me the same clarity that handwriting does.
The physical act of writing helps me untangle thoughts that otherwise stay jumbled together.
My Simple Journaling Process
People often assume they need an elaborate system to begin journaling, but my process is surprisingly simple.
Write Three Pages
Whenever possible, I aim to write three pages by hand without stopping. I’m not trying to create something polished. I’m simply giving every thought in my mind permission to come out onto the page.
Some days those pages are full of frustrations. Other days they’re full of ideas. Sometimes they’re completely random. The important thing is to keep writing.
Don’t Worry About Reading It Again
One of the biggest mindset shifts that helped me embrace journaling was to stop worrying about reading over my writing. The reality is, they’re not written for my future self. They’re written for my present self.
Their purpose is to help me process what’s happening today so I can move forward with greater clarity tomorrow. Once a journal is full, I usually place it on a shelf or tuck it away in a drawer. Occasionally I even throw one away.
That might sound strange, but it reminds me that the value isn’t in preserving every page—the value is in who I become through the process of writing.
Capture Actionable Ideas Separately
One thing I have learned over the years is that great ideas often appear while I’m journaling. If I suddenly realize I need to email a team member, launch a new project, or write down a business idea, I don’t interrupt my writing session. Instead, I’ll quickly circle the thought, finish my journaling, and then transfer the actionable idea into my project management system.
That allows me to stay fully present while journaling without worrying that I’ll forget something important.
The Benefits of Journaling Go Far Beyond Stress Relief
Many people think of journaling primarily as a wellness habit, but I’ve found it to be one of the most practical business tools I use. One of the greatest benefits is clarity.
When everything stays inside your mind, it’s easy for problems to feel bigger than they actually are. Writing forces those thoughts into a more organized form. Challenges become easier to define, and once you can clearly define a problem, you can usually begin solving it.
Journaling has also strengthened my decision-making. Rather than reacting emotionally to situations, I can explore multiple perspectives on paper before deciding what to do next. That simple pause has saved me from making countless reactive decisions in my business.
Creativity is another unexpected benefit. Some of my favorite podcast ideas, coaching concepts, and business strategies have surfaced while journaling, not because I was intentionally brainstorming, but because I’d finally created enough mental space for creative ideas to emerge.
Perhaps most importantly, journaling has rebuilt my trust in myself.
Why Self-Trust Is Essential for Business Growth
One pattern I’ve noticed while coaching entrepreneurs is that many successful women slowly lose confidence in their own judgment. They’re constantly consuming advice from other entrepreneurs, creators, and experts.
Everywhere you look, someone has a strategy they’re convinced you should follow.
There’s tremendous value in learning from experts, but eventually you have to filter all of that information through your own experience, intuition, and goals. If you never pause to hear your own thoughts, you’ll always feel dependent on someone else’s answers. That’s why I believe journaling is so valuable.
As a coach, I never want to simply hand someone a marketing strategy and send them on their way. Of course strategy matters, but I also want my clients to trust themselves. I want them to believe they are capable of making thoughtful decisions, solving problems creatively, and leading their businesses with confidence.
Journaling helps cultivate that confidence because it reminds you that your own voice still matters.
Three Journal Prompts to Get Started
If staring at a blank page feels intimidating, begin with a simple prompt. Questions often unlock thoughts that wouldn’t surface otherwise.
Here are three prompts I regularly recommend.
1. When I think about the next step in my business, I feel…
Allow yourself to answer honestly without trying to fix anything. Notice what emotions, fears, or excitement come up.
2. Describe Your Dream Day
Imagine your ideal workday in vivid detail. Who are you spending time with? What kind of work fills your calendar? Where are you working? How do you feel throughout the day?
This exercise often reveals that the life you’re working toward may look different than the goals you’ve been chasing.
3. What Are Three Things I’m Most Grateful for Today?
Rather than rushing through obvious answers, spend a few minutes considering what genuinely fills your heart with gratitude. Gratitude has a remarkable way of shifting our perspective, especially during challenging seasons.
Start Before You Feel Ready
If you’ve convinced yourself that you’re too busy, not creative enough, or simply not the journaling type, I’d encourage you to challenge that story. You don’t need the perfect notebook, expensive pens, beautiful handwriting, or profound thoughts. You simply need a willingness to slow down and begin.
Your first journal entry may feel awkward, and that’s perfectly normal. The goal isn’t to write something worth sharing. It’s to create enough space for your own thoughts to rise above the constant noise of everyday life.
Some of the greatest breakthroughs in your business won’t come from another strategy or another course. They’ll come from reconnecting with your own creativity, intuition, and wisdom. Sometimes all it takes is a blank page and the courage to start writing.
Find it quickly:
Why I needed to record this episode (2:02)
My approach to journaling (4:00)
Find a journal and pen that you love (9:03)
Capture some ideas for later (10:07)
Follow prompts for business growth (11:38)
Mentioned in this Episode:
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
Your Dream Life Starts Here by Kristina Karlsson
Your Dream Life Starts Here Workbook
Notion: joymichelle.co/notion
Fringe Journals: fringestudio.com
