From Survival to Strategy: How Journaling Became My Anchor

More than a decade ago, I didn’t start journaling because I wanted to.

I started because I had to.

Life had placed me in a tough private situation—one that shook my foundation far beyond the walls of my home.

Even though I kept showing up at work, leading teams, delivering results, and putting on the polished armor of professionalism, the truth was: my strength was stretched thinner than it had ever been.

Every morning, I would power through, believing I could handle the day. Meetings, deadlines, leadership challenges—it all felt manageable at first. But then, around early afternoon, the emotions I had carefully tucked away would come rushing in like a tidal wave. Overwhelming. Uncontainable.

And yet, there was no option to fall apart.

There was only the reality of continuing to lead, perform, and deliver.

So, I carved out thirty minutes in the middle of my day—not for inspiration, not for creativity—but for survival. I would pour my thoughts onto paper simply to make it through without breaking under the weight of everything I was carrying.

Journaling, in that season, wasn’t elegant. It wasn’t curated.

It was triage. It was essential.

From Crisis Response to Conscious Ritual

When the storm eventually quieted, something unexpected happened.

I didn’t put the journal away.

What had started as a necessity became a rhythm.

A space for reflection.

A catalyst for clarity.

A tool for creative leadership.

I realized that journaling doesn’t only have to catch us when we’re falling—it can build us long before we reach that point.

It can be a space where visions are birthed. Where scattered ideas become sharp strategies.

Where the emotional noise clears, making space for true decision-making.

Rather than journaling only when the tension became unbearable, I learned to make it part of my daily foundation.

I learned to use it before things became overwhelming—to stay clear, coherent, and aligned as I moved forward.

Why Journaling Works (And Why It’s Just the Beginning)

Science backs what my experience taught me.

Research from psychologist Dr. James Pennebaker shows that expressive writing can lower stress, strengthen immune function, and sharpen our cognitive processing.

Other studies confirm that journaling improves decision-making, reduces anxiety, and strengthens self-awareness.

When we write, we slow our thinking down enough to integrate it.

When we slow down enough to integrate, we move through life—not just react to it.

That’s why journaling has become more than a crisis tool for me.

It’s a leadership practice.

A vision-building habit.

A way to stay connected to the woman I am becoming.