Another installment in our series “The Journal Speaks Back”  –  Menomonie resident John Wilkerson invites you to join him in his love for journaling.

Journaling carries a power beyond storytelling. For many, putting personal thoughts and emotions onto paper is a way to process both the trials and the joys of our lives. I do this with my own writing.

By February, New Year’s resolutions are often a memory, and we’re once again facing the quiet pressure of why. Why is a difficult word. The more words we place in front of it to ask a question, the easier the answer becomes, but used as its own island of inquisition, why carries immense power.

This is where personal journaling earns its place, not as self-help or therapy, but as a daily act of orientation.

Over the years, I have come to see journaling as a way to do three essential things: clarify of self, discover emotion, and claim my day before the world speaks.

Clarity

Most of us believe we know our values. We say things like family, independence, faith, hard work, or integrity, but when you read back through honest writing, patterns appear that surprise you. What we repeatedly write about is what we are actually organizing our lives around, not what we wish we were.

Journaling gives clarity a paper trail. It shows where our attention goes under stress, what angers us enough to keep returning to the page, and what moments we protect without fully realizing it. Over time, you stop guessing what matters and start seeing it.

This clarity changes decision-making. When you know what you value, you argue less with yourself. You say no faster. You feel steadier, even when choices are difficult.

Discovery

Many people avoid journaling because they fear it will pull them too far inward. That fear is understandable. Emotions can feel unruly when they remain unnamed. The written page does something different. It slows down emotional absorption.

Writing does not demand that you fix how you feel. It asks only that you notice it. When you describe an emotion rather than react to it, you create a small, healthy distance. That is perspective.

Over time, emotions become signals rather than verdicts. You learn the difference between passing frustration and something that deserves attention. This is emotional maturity, not emotional intensity.

The Quiet Power of the Morning

Morning journaling works best when it is an invitation, not a command.

You don’t need a long session, ten minutes is enough. What matters is that you write before the day assigns you an identity, before email, news, or obligation defines who you are supposed to be.

Morning writing clears static. It gives your nervous system a sense of authorship. You start the day having already spoken once in your own voice.

Practically, this often leads to better focus, calmer transitions, and fewer reactive decisions. Emotionally, it builds trust with yourself. You show up daily, even briefly, and that consistency compounds. At its best, journaling is not about improvement. It is about presence. You are saying, “I’m worth listening to before I try to change.” That alone alters how the day unfolds.

If you are curious about starting, or returning to the page, here are three simple prompts you can use tomorrow morning:

• What felt heavy yesterday?
• What am I joyful for today?
• Why? – Yeah, I slipped in the why questions just for fun.

You do not need better answers. You only need real ones.

John Wilkerson works most days writing and fiddling with his computer. His new, old, home in Menomonie is constantly subjected to DIY mayhem. His background includes ghost writing, newspaper reporting, and a stretch in marketing and advertising. John may be contacted at: [email protected]