05/25/2025
Lately I've been thinking about the benefit of physically writing/journaling, especially when things aren't clear or maybe messy. I found this informative podcast (it has the written version below it if you prefer to read) and wanted to share its insights.
Here is one snippet from the podcast-
Mills: Do people have to write on a regular basis to see a really significant effect? Do I have to write something every day to really experience the benefits?
Pennebaker: Oh my God, no. To give you an example, I write maybe two or three times a year when something miserable is going on. When I hear about journaling and writing every day, I just get nervous about it. I would hate that because I use writing when I’m dealing with something that is ugly, unpleasant, painful. And if life is going well, why in the world do I want to introspect that? I want to enjoy life when it’s here and when there’s bad things, writing for me helps me get through them. And so I view it almost as—I’ve often thought of it as an antibiotic. You have all these bad things going on and then you use this method to get past it, and then next time something bad happens, I’ll use writing again.
James Pennebaker, PhD, also discusses his research on language use, and how analyzing the words that people use in their daily lives can offer insights into their emotions, motivations, and personality.
