Each new year begins the same way for me: a blank page and a pen. The practice is journaling. I have been writing consistently for twenty years, using the page to process my thoughts, record days and events, and notice what keeps resurfacing in my thinking. It functions a bit like self-therapy. I try to stay positive, though sometimes I need to vent. Writing things down helps me understand what is really going on. I prefer to write in the morning, and the length varies. Sometimes it is a couple of paragraphs, sometimes a few pages. I do not concern myself with how the writing sounds. The value is in the act of writing itself. There are no rules. Just show up and write.
From time to time, I look back and recognize patterns or insights that were not obvious in the moment. When I start a new journal, I dedicate the first pages to reflecting on what I have learned, what I am still working on, and what feels new or important to explore in the year ahead.
Both my own experience and research point to similar benefits. Writing regularly can reduce stress, increase self-awareness, support emotional regulation, and strengthen resilience. I experience these effects in quiet but meaningful ways, greater clarity, a steadier emotional center, and more room to think. Journaling does not need to be polished or profound. A simple notebook is enough to begin. What might surface if you gave yourself a few minutes to write without expectation or outcome
