The One Journaling Technique That Changed My Life

I’ve been journaling for over nine years now, and during all these years, I tried many different methods. And there is one method that truly changed everything for me—especially if you're looking for a way to use journaling to deeply create change in your life.

The method itself is actually very simple.

It came to me because I noticed that I only ever reached for my journal when I was feeling low—only when something was weighing on me, when I was sad, when I was overwhelmed with a problem.

And one day, as I was flipping through my old journals, I realized they were filled with sadness. Not necessarily negative, but you know what I mean—it wasn’t a place of light. It wasn’t a beautiful space to come back to.

And then I started thinking: if I was able to get into those difficult situations somehow, I must also be able to find my way out.

And when I started learning more about what it truly means to take responsibility for my life, to regain control over it, I created this method—almost without realizing it.

The way it works is very simple:

On the left-hand page, I would pour out everything weighing on my heart. I would write down my thoughts, my emotions, what I was going through. If I didn’t know exactly what I was feeling, I would describe what was happening inside my body—maybe a tightness in my chest, a lump in my throat, a sensation I couldn’t quite name. I would write about the situation, who was involved, what happened, how it made me feel.

And if I couldn’t even form full sentences, I would just write down words—scattered thoughts, whatever needed to come out.

The left side of the page became the space where I could empty everything my heart was carrying—without judgment, without censorship, without trying to sound a certain way. Just pure release.

I often imagined that through my hand, through my pen, all the emotions and energies inside of me were flowing out onto the paper—like magic.

Of course, it's beautiful to have someone to talk to, but there’s something powerful about seeing your own thoughts laid out in front of you.

Sometimes there are things you just can’t explain to another person. Sometimes there are emotions too complex, too raw. And that's why your journal becomes your safe space.

And it’s so important to let go of that habit of writing as if someone else might read it. This journal is for you. No one else.

Once you have poured everything out—once you feel yourself slowly calming down, breathing a little deeper, maybe even crying, maybe releasing anger—you will notice something beautiful:

At some point, maybe even while writing, you will start to see things differently.

You will have new thoughts like, "Maybe it wasn’t as bad as I thought," or "Maybe I could have handled it differently," or "Maybe there’s a lesson hidden inside this."

And when those moments come, you shift to the right-hand page.

On the right-hand side, you begin writing down new perspectives. New thoughts.

Maybe new beliefs that are more empowering. Maybe ideas for solutions. Maybe realizations about how you could respond differently next time.

It doesn’t have to happen immediately. Sometimes it takes just a few minutes, and sometimes it takes days, weeks, or even months. You can always return to it and capture the new perspectives that emerge over time.

Sometimes clarity needs time to unfold. And that’s okay.

But this right-hand side is important, because it’s where you remind yourself:

I still have the power to choose how I move forward.

Even when everything feels out of control, even when life feels overwhelming—we always have our thoughts. They are what remain, and they hold the power to change everything by guiding us toward new perspectives—perspectives that often stay hidden beneath intense emotions.

It’s a quiet blessing, something no one can ever take away from us.

Through the way we choose to think about what happens, we give meaning to our experiences.

And I truly believe that deep within us, we already carry the answers we are searching for. Sometimes they are buried beneath pain, confusion, or overwhelming feelings — but they are always there, waiting to be uncovered.

If you hear something beautiful that helps you heal—from a book, a friend, a therapist—you can also write it down on the right-hand side.

Anything that brings you closer to your healing, your clarity, belongs there.

This practice allows you to empty your heart on one side—fully and freely—and then slowly step into your own wisdom, and higher perspective on the other.

Because holding emotions inside without allowing them to move through us can create imbalances—and over time, these can manifest as illness.

When we suppress our feelings, they settle into our bodies, our cells, and with time, this emotional weight can show up as physical discomfort, anxiety, or deeper emotional wounds.

This method reminds you that you are never powerless. Even when everything feels dark, you still carry light inside you. You still have choices. And over time, you will realize that you are stronger than you thought.You will catch yourself reacting differently, seeing things with more clarity, finding gratitude even for the moments that once broke you.

This practice helped me so much that I created a journal around it, called Inner Mastery. And I truly hope it brings you as much peace, healing, and strength as it brought me.

Sometimes, life happens in ways we don’t expect. We’re thrown into situations where we don’t know how to respond, where emotions rise and we don’t know where to place them. And instead of letting these feelings move through us, we often hold onto them.

Somewhere along the way, we were taught that being strong means holding everything in — that true strength is about hiding our emotions and carrying the weight alone.

But that's far from the truth.

True strength isn't about suppression; it's about allowing ourselves to feel, to move through what arises, and to honor our emotions instead of burying them.

Having a space even if it’s just a few blank pages—where you can pour out all that you carry is pure magic. It’s not just healing for you; it ripples outward and heals everyone you touch. Because when you are lighter, when your heart is clearer, you naturally bring more light to the world around you.

I hope that Inner Mastery brings just as much light into your life as it brings into mine.

With love and gratitude, Rania