The Power of the Pen: Young Man, You Should Be Journaling!

Guys Don’t Journal—Do They?

Fellas, when someone mentions “journaling,” what’s the first thing you think of? Some middle school girl writing, “Dear Diary, today I saw my crush in the hallway” in her little book with a lock? Or a poet pouring out her heart sitting under a tree observing nature?

Nah, man. That’s not what we’re talking about here. Journaling isn’t drama-tracking or keeping a book of sappy sob stories. It’s actually a way to build clarity, growth, and connection in your life. And as a Christian, it can add depth and richness to your walk with God. Journaling isn’t just a tool—it can also be a weapon.

It’s not just for girls. Young man, you too can experience the awesome benefits of journaling. Let’s take a look at some reasons why every young man should strongly consider journaling—how you can get started, how to make it simple, and how it can help you navigate life’s challenges like a pro.

 

Breaking the Journaling Stereotype: It Ain’t Keepin’ a Diary

First, let’s get this out of the way—journaling isn’t “keeping a diary.” It’s not being soft or emotional. It’s being intentional. It’s about creating the space to process your thoughts, keep track of your goals, reflect on your journey with God, and figure out life. In the same way you hit the gym to stay strong physically, journaling is a way you can stay strong mentally and spiritually. 

If you think journaling is soft, think again. Guys like Frederick Douglass, Theodore Roosevelt, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., LeBron James, and even King David (yep, that David) wrote down the things they went through. If journaling was good enough for history-making leaders, it’ll be good enough for you.

 

Life Just Be Lifin’ Sometimes

This statement is as true today as it ever was. Balancing everything (classes, work, relationships, and everyone’s massive expectations) can get heavy. Really heavy. If your journey as a young man feels like it’s paved with extra obstacles, there’s some truth to that: 

• Mental health: Nearly 1 in 3 college students reports dealing with anxiety, and over 40% say they feel overwhelmed most of the time (National College Health Assessment, 2023). 35% of students in a recent survey by the American College Health Association (ACHA) said they had been diagnosed with anxiety.
• Stress: 51% of young men feel completely overwhelmed by stress (American Psychological Association, 2022).
• Loneliness: 1 in every 3 young adults (34%) feels lonely.
• Societal pressure: Holding true to the “tough” and “unbothered” stereotypes adds invisible weight.

 

All of this can be a lot to carry. Journaling gives you a private space to deal with life’s challenges. A place to sort through emotions, set goals, and remind yourself who you are…and, most importantly, Whose you are.

In my novel, Exactly How It’s `Posed to Be, one of the characters is encouraged to write things down in a journal on the regular. Although skeptical at first, this young man eventually uses his journal to process everything from relationship issues to his concerns over his friend’s actions. His journal eventually helps him recognize changes in himself—how he’s grown in Christ, and new feelings for a young lady that suddenly emerged. In the end, this fella was able to reflect on how his decisions played out…and whether or not he liked the results.

 

How Journaling Can Help You, Young Man

Mental Clarity and Stress Relief - You’ve got a million thoughts running through your head, from homework deadlines to that cringy thing you said the other week. Writing it down gets it out of your system. It’s like taking off a heavy backpack. It can help you feel lighter and clearer.

Emotional Awareness and Growth - When you journal, you start noticing patterns—like why you feel certain ways or what triggers the stress in your life. You begin to understand why you feel what you do, without folks judging you. That awareness helps highlight areas of your life for prayer and deeper study. Eventually, you can learn to control the emotions and not allow them to control you.

 

Spiritual Growth - Keeping a record of your prayers and how God answers them builds faith. On tough days, flipping back through your personal record of answered prayer is like reviewing God’s highlight reel in your life. You’ve got tangible evidence to remind you that He’s been faithful before, and He will be again.

Goal Setting and Progress Tracking - Whether you’re working to graduate, starting a business, trying to stay disciplined in your workouts and eating habits, or strengthening your faith, journaling can help you break big goals into smaller steps. Reaching goals doesn’t seem so daunting when they become bite-sized actions.

Creativity and Problem Solving - Sometimes the answer you’ve been praying for just clicks when you’re writing. You’ve got the mind of Christ which is capable of creating amazing solutions, even in the toughest situations. Journaling can help you tap into God’s creativity and wisdom.

 

Debunking Journaling Myths

Myth 1: “Journaling is soft.” Nah, bro. Writing ain’t soft—it’s strategy. It takes courage to be honest with yourself, and then record and reflect on your shortcomings as well as your victories. Add to that the strength required to take action to improve and you’ve got something that’s definitely not for the weak.

Myth 2: "I’m not a good writer." You’re not submitting your journal to your English professor. No one will be checking your journal grammar. Write the way you talk. It’s fine if it’s raw and straight to the point. Your journal entries don’t have to be pretty—just real. 

 

Myth 3: "I don’t have time." Let’s face it. We make time for things that are really important to us. If you’ve got time to scroll through TikTok or play game after game of 2K, you have time to get some thoughts out on paper and journal. With a little honest reflection, you’ll realize you have more time than you thought.

 

How to Get Started Journaling (Without Overthinking It)

Pick Your Tool - Notebook? Cool. Notes app on your phone or voice memos? Even better, especially if you’re always on the move. Whatever is natural and comfortable for you to get your thoughts down and review them again later.

 

Start Small - Plan to write for just five minutes. Start by writing down something you’re grateful for, a prayer, or something stressing you out. Look up scriptures that cover the situations that concern you, and jot them down in the journal as well.

Ask Yourself Questions and Answer Them Honestly

• How did I see God move today?
• What’s something I need help with?
• What’s something I’m proud of?
• How am I feeling today, and why?
• What areas of disobedience are in my life that I need to address?
• What am I afraid of?
• What does the Bible say about the things I’m concerned about?

Create a Routine - Tie journaling to something you already do habitually—like writing immediately after brushing your teeth, or right before your first class. We rarely miss meals, so writing while eating breakfast or lunch might work well too.

Check This Out – You could easily start journaling with The Exactly How It’s `Posed to Be - Bible Study and Discussion Guide. Filled with thought-provoking questions, space to record your thoughts about what you read in the novel, room to jot down your prayers, and the way God answers them, it’s an awesome way to become comfortable with journaling. (More)

 

Write Your Way to Victory

Life can be a lot like putting together IKEA furniture without instructions—messy, confusing, and extremely frustrating. Journaling is kind of like your manual—helping you make sense of the pieces and keeping you focused on God’s Word. It doesn’t just help you process today, it helps build your tomorrow. When life feels heavy, your journal becomes a space where you can pray, reflect, and remind yourself that God’s got you…just like always.

 

So grab a notebook, or pick up your phone, and start today. Five minutes is all it takes. Write down a prayer, list out your goals, or just vent about that test you bombed. The better you know yourself—and what God is doing in your life—the better equipped you’ll be to handle anything that comes your way.