Do Everyone a Favor and Please Get a Journal

It’s cheaper than therapy and less risky than a tweetstorm.

When it comes to expressing emotions, I’m about as graceful as a cat in the bathtub.

Especially with people I love.

I am the QUEEN of holding stuff in, letting it ferment, until one day...

BOOM!

I explode like The Challenger.

It’s messy, it’s loud, and we all can agree that it’s definitely not pretty.

I’ve torpedoed relationships single-handled with just a few words in the heat of the moment. Do I regret the way I’ve delivered those words?

Absolutely.

Do I like hurting the people I care about?

Not one bit.

But were those words my honest feelings?

Guilty, your honor!

Sometimes, you have to be the one to tell people the hard truths they can’t see themselves. But as I’ve clocked more years, I’ve grown to realize it’s not just about what you say but how and when you say it.

It’s like learning a new TikTok dance — except with words and emotions.

Your job isn’t done because you claim to love and care for someone.

Love is learning to set yourself aside and understanding that everyone’s emotional glass is different.

Some people have dainty teacups, and others are toting around gallon-sized jugs. Understanding and respecting these differences can make or break your relationships.

Do you want to know one thing that grinds my gears?

People with high emotional capacities act like they’re emotionally bulletproof until you shoot them. You know someone like this. They walk effortlessly, twirling through life’s challenges, making it all look easy, until BAM! They’re hit by an emotional bullet.

Well, here’s a spoiler alert. They’re not bulletproof. Not even close.

These emotional superheroes might seem like they can take on the world, but in reality, they’re just as vulnerable as the rest of us. It’s like watching Beyonce effortlessly navigate her public image and world tour, only to see the movie and realize she has her own “kryptonite” moments backstage.

When these high-capacity people finally get hit, all that pent-up emotion comes running out, just like the bee hive.

And here’s the best part.

This realization is important for two reasons.

First, it’s a reminder that assuming everyone can handle emotional stress like a champ is a recipe for disaster. Just because Bey can go on tour and make $579 million doesn’t mean everyone else should hold a garage sale and expect to quit their job.

Second, it teaches us a valuable lesson about empathy and understanding.

The express ticket out of my life is hurting me just because you’re hurt.

We all have our own set of baggage and issues. Don’t turn what could be meaningful conversations into emotional dumping grounds and years of trauma.

Most of us are too wrapped up in our own drama to care about yours, to begin with. So save the theatrics, and don’t unload your bad days on the individuals you claim to love the most.

Do you want to know my secret against emotional battles with people?

Journaling.

Yes, you heard that right — good old-fashioned journaling.

I dump every snarky, mean, or just plain ridiculous thought into my journal. And the best part? Once it’s on paper, it’s out of my head and off my chest.

Not everyone is a writer, and that’s okay!

There are many different options for journaling, such as traditional pen and paper, digital journaling (special shoutout to my on-the-go notion journal template), or even just ranting on your phone’s video app.

What do all of these methods have in common?

They’re practically free.

You’d be surprised to learn that keeping a journal is the equivalent of having a therapist who doesn’t charge by the hour.

So, the next time you find yourself steaming like a hot kettle, don’t go shooting off at your loved ones.

Grab a journal.