Over the past few weeks, I’ve picked up a small habit that has made a surprisingly deep impact on my everyday life. It’s simple, almost unassuming—but powerful. I’ve started writing down my emotions.
Not journaling about events. Not documenting my day as I dononnthis blog. Just sitting down and writing what I feel.
What I’ve realised is this: emotions lose their chaos when they meet clarity. And clarity often comes through writing.
From Emotional Turbulence to Calm Awareness
Earlier, when someone’s words or actions triggered me, my default response was to sit with it. Brood over it. Replay the scene again and again in my head. Get stuck at victimhood. The mind, when left unchecked, is very good at amplifying pain.
Now, I do something different.
I write.
I ask myself simple but honest questions:
Why am I feeling this way?
What exactly triggered this emotion?
Is it about what the other person said—or what it touched within me?
Can I look at this from their point of view?
Is there something I could have done differently?
What is this situation trying to teach me?
The moment these questions hit paper, something magical happens. The emotion slows down. The intensity reduces. What felt overwhelming suddenly feels… manageable.
Writing doesn’t judge. It listens. And in that space, the mind starts to calm itself.
Writing My Way Through Confusion
This habit has helped me immensely during moments of indecision too.
Whenever I find myself at a crossroads—unable to take a call, mentally rattled, pulled in different directions—I resist the urge to keep thinking in circles. Instead, I write.
I write down:
Where the confusion is coming from
The options available
The pros and cons of each choice
What excites me
What scares me
Putting thoughts on paper removes distractions. It clears the mental fog. And almost every single time, somewhere between the lines, a solution quietly reveals itself. Not forced. Not dramatic. Just… obvious.
Capturing Joy, Not Just Pain
What surprised me the most was how powerful this practice is even during moments of happiness.
When I feel joyful, excited, or deeply content, I now make it a point to write that down too.
What made me feel this way?
What did I do?
Who was involved?
What conditions enabled this feeling?
By doing this, I become more aware of my joy. And awareness is the first step to repetition. When we recognise what truly makes us happy, we can consciously create more of it. Slowly, a positive pattern begins to form.
A Habit Worth Cultivating
Writing down emotions is not about fixing yourself. It’s about understanding yourself.
I’m genuinely grateful to Arun Verma, the founder of Creativegarh from whom I’ve picked up this habit. It has helped me respond instead of react, observe instead of judge, and understand instead of suppress.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, confused, triggered, or even extremely happy—try writing it down.
Not for anyone else. Just for you.
