Why You Should Be Journaling If You’re Unhappy

A tool which has made it easier to cultivate joy in myself

It started with some advice from my scary grandmother

Journaling is a practice I have adopted to help shape the way I interpret my reality, and frame my psychology to find joy and peace in times of dullness or melancholy. But before I delve into the details, let me share with you my story on why I value and treasure this practice.

My grandmother, Ayako, is among the most positive, strong, and independent people I know. She’s an incredibly strict woman, who I used to be terrified of, but as I grew older I’ve come to respect and value the wisdom she instilled in me at a young age.

My parents chose to raise my siblings and I in America, so we only visited her in Japan during the summer. I looked forward to seeing my grandmother, but she was also every small child’s nightmare. She would make us do chores, practice reading and writing in Japanese, and be active from early in the morning.

But one of my favorite activities we did together was wake up really early in the…