Don’t leave the BS out in your journal

I went to therapy a week ago and finally let out all the heavy stuff I’d been carrying around. At one point, my therapist asked, “Do you journal?”

I nodded proudly. I’ve been journaling for over 10 years! But then I added a caveat: I only write down the “good” stuff. You know, the day-to-day wins, happy thoughts, the fun creative prompts, and the harmless little details of my life.

I honestly thought that was how it worked. I kept my journals pristine, like a highlight reel, while the “bad stuff” was relegated to some secret, imaginary vault in my head for “special occasions” (aka when things got really rough).

Well, shocker: my therapist gently suggested that I should be including all of it. No filters this time. She told me not to leave the “bullshit” out because every thought—even the ugly ones—has a place on the page.

It turns out, mixing the good with the bad creates a safe space to express yourself without the shame or judgment you might feel when talking to another person. By putting those thoughts on paper or in typed words, you can actually acknowledge them, understand yourself better, and finally manage the chaos.

There’s even a process called “negative journaling.” It’s all about the value of acknowledging those uncomfortable feelings to break the cycle of negative thinking patterns.

So, it’s time to get messy. No more “pristine” journals—it’s time to let the pages handle the heavy lifting for a change.