Journalling Sucks. There, I Said It.

Journals in Every Drawer (But Not a Thought in Sight)

If you opened a random drawer in my house, you’d probably find a journal. Actually, no probably about it. There’s one in every drawer, like a museum of abandoned journalling intentions. Leather-bound, floral, spiral, very likely all from Kmart. And you know what? I love the look of them, and I love buying them. I even love the little ritual of picking the perfect pen that matches the vibe perfectly.

But actually writing in them? Yeah, nah.

Handwriting gives me actual hand cramps. Not metaphorical ones. Real, annoying, RSI ones that make me stop mid-sentence and question my life choices. And even when I do manage to write something down, my handwriting is so poor (from the aforementioned RSI) or I go back and cringe so hard I have to close the book immediately and hide it under something heavy. In a drawer, of course. I once found my high school journal and genuinely couldn’t tell if it was in code or just very poor penmanship. Possibly both. Probably both.

And I know journalling is meant to help you process and heal and get in touch with your inner self. But I’ve decided that my inner self is fine being left on read. You don’t need to journal to be mindful or self-aware or spiritual. It’s 2025. There are options. And this blog post? Is my humble protest.

A Flash Back to 2016

In 2016 I was a lifestyle blogger living in Glasgow. I wrote about my life, where I ate, what I wore, what I cooked. I was going to events, being invited to launches, and taking selfies outside restaurants with fairy lights. Embarrassingly, in hindsight, I said things like “girlboss” with no shame, and owned an embarrassing amount of rose gold. Yes, I was one of those blogger girlies before influencers were even a thing.

Back then, we all obsessed over Kikki K planners. Fifty quid worth of organisational stationery bliss. Surely, if I just bought the right layout with the right stickers, I would be organised, prepared, productive, and living the millenial-pink-toned dream. Did I use it? Absolutely not. But did it look perfect in flat lays? Of course. Though to be fair, so did the one-pound diary I picked up from Primark. Go figure.

Even back then, journalling wasn’t about self-reflection. It was about aesthetics. It was part of the brand. And it looked damn good on Instagram, next to a green tea and gluten-free croissant. But… it never really worked for me, and I think that’s when I started to realise that liking notebooks doesn’t mean you like writing in them.

It’s Not a Lack of Discipline

So, let’s address the obvious: people love to make journalling look like the ultimate sign of discipline. Wake up. Meditate. Write three pages of deep thoughts with a steaming cup of herbal tea beside you. No, not for me. My reality? I wake up to a fluffy black tail in my face, and have about fifteen minutes to get dressed and do a five-step skincare routine before walking, mindfully, to the bus stop and heading to the office.

Not journalling doesn’t mean you’re lazy or uncommitted. It doesn’t mean you lack self-awareness or that you’re allergic to growth. It just means writing stuff down isn’t your thing. And that’s okay! We all process in different ways. Some of us need to talk it out, some of us dance it out, and some of us clean aggressively while having imaginary conversations in our heads. All of which are completely valid.

There are so many beautiful ways to check in with yourself that don’t involve the guilt of an untouched Kikki K. So let’s stop pretending that the ability to write your feelings down with aesthetic handwriting and calligraphy headers is the gold standard for emotional intelligence. It’s not.

The Mindfulness Myth

One of the biggest arguments I hear in favour of journalling is that it’s a mindfulness tool. And as we know, I’m all about mindfulness. But journalling is not the only way to be present. In fact, if you’re anything like me, it can feel more like a chore than a grounding ritual.

Mindfulness can be a cup of tea in silence. A slow walk without your phone. Sitting in your car for five minutes before heading inside, breathing deeply and checking in with how you feel. It doesn’t need to be documented. You don’t need a timestamp to validate your existence.

The whole point of mindfulness is to be in the moment, not writing about the moment while it’s happening. And honestly, sometimes writing pulls you out of presence. You’re not noticing the breeze or the smell of your tea, you’re trying to remember how to spell ‘existential’.

You Don’t Need Pages to Heal

Another reason journalling gets all the PR is its supposed healing power. And yes, for some, writing can be incredibly cathartic. But for others? It can feel like you’re opening a wound with no real idea how to close it. Scribbling down raw emotion without a support system or plan for self-care after can leave you feeling worse.

Healing isn’t about pouring your pain onto a page. It’s about integration. About noticing patterns, choosing differently, allowing yourself to rest, and creating safety in your body and environment. And guess what? That can happen without you writing a single sentence.

You can process feelings through movement. Through art. Through quiet. Or through conversation. Even through laughter. Healing is not a one-size-fits-all process. And just because you haven’t filled a notebook with your trauma doesn’t mean you’re not doing the work.

Romanticising Your Life Without a Pen

Let’s talk about romanticising life. That beautiful trend where even the most ordinary moments are turned into something soft and sparkly. People love suggesting journalling as the best way to do this, but there are so many other ways to bring intentionality and joy into the everyday.

Lighting a candle with your morning cup of tea. Choosing a playlist that makes you feel like the main character (mine is my French Girl Vibes playlist on spotify). Cooking something slowly while humming along to your favourite song. Wearing perfume even if you’re staying home or ducking to the shops for milk. These little acts are ways to make life feel magical. No pen required.

Romanticising your life is about presence, not performance. It’s about feeling your moments instead of trying to record them. You don’t need to document your days to prove you’re living well. Let your memory hold the beauty. Let your senses soak it in.

Alternatives That Actually Work

If you’ve tried journalling and it’s not working, stop forcing it. There are so many other options for reflection, growth, and creativity. Try voice notes. Honestly, recording little audio memos on your phone is weirdly comforting and surprisingly helpful. You get the clarity of journalling without the hand cramps.

You can also try photography. Take a picture each day of something that moved you or made you pause. Create a folder on your phone or desktop. Upload them to Instagram. That’s your visual diary. No words, just moments.

Or try what I like to call ‘mindful muttering’. Talk (or sing your thoughts if you’re musically inclined) to yourself while you clean. Let the thoughts come up, without judgement, without curation. Just let them out. You’d be surprised how many answers show up when you’re chatting to yourself over a sink full of dishes.

If journalling worked for everyone, the self-help section would be out of business

It’s 2025. We Have Options (and Adult Money).

It’s 2025. We’re millenials. We’re no longer stuck in the 90’s where a diary with a tiny padlock was our only option for self-expression, and we now have adult money. We have voice notes, digital vision boards, AI chat buddies (I love you ChatGPT), and a gazillion other ways to process, create, and heal.

You’re allowed to do what works for you. Whether that’s talking into your phone, scribbling half-thoughts on a napkin, or walking barefoot on the grass while thinking about your childhood. There is no rulebook. You’re not behind. You’re not doing it wrong.

If you ever feel guilty for not journalling, or not sticking to it, or not liking it even though your best friend swears by it? Please know this: you’re not broken. You just need to try something a little bit different that doesn’t risk you getting RSI. And that’s completely okay.

So do it. Close that journal. Tuck it back in the drawer next to the other five you bought from Kmart during your most recent hope-spiral. Make a cup of tea. Put on your favourite music. And remember that you’re doing just fine without the pressure to fill a single page.

No pen licence required.

We Need to Stop Clapping for Basic Decency – Chaos, Crumbs and Clarity

In today's episode of Chaos, Crumbs and Clarity, we're unpacking why we need to stop clapping for basic decency. You know the script. A man texts back within twenty-four hours and we're screenshotting it to the group chat. A man plans a date more than three hours in advance and we call him a unicorn. A man manages to listen, pay attention, and behave like a fully formed adult, and our nervous systems short-circuit because we genuinely don't know how to receive it.Here's the truth nobody is saying out loud. The bar has been dragged so low that Satan himself needs a chiropractor after a competitive round of limbo. We've been culturally trained to be grateful for behaviour that should not require gratitude. We've been told these things are bonuses when they're actually the entry requirement. And in the meantime, women have been quietly doing the basic decency thing forever, without applause, while men get standing ovations for outputs we generated for them.Today we're talking about why a great man is genuinely just an average woman, who benefits when the bar stays low, the invisible labour women have been performing for free for centuries, and the friend-test that cuts straight through every excuse we've ever made for mediocre men. Let's get into it.For more visit BryJaimea.com or follow over on IG @BryJaimea

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