Journaling and Intuition
What happens when you write without trying to be productive?
Sometimes my most strategic move isn’t planning or researching or talking it out. It’s sitting down with a notebook and writing three pages of nonsense.
Morning Pages, specifically.
But also one-line journals.
Also half-thoughts, scribbled goals, unfinished ideas.
It’s not about clarity. Not at first. But it comes. It always does.
This is not about productivity
I want to be clear about that.
This isn’t bullet journaling.
This isn’t habit tracking.
This isn’t using your journal to build a better you.
This is writing as a way to hear yourself.
To meet the thoughts under the surface. To access clarity that doesn’t always arrive in real-time. To notice what keeps coming up (and maybe listen to it this time).
What my journaling looks like
I keep a few journals in rotation. They serve different purposes but all support the same thing: getting closer to what I know, what I want, and what I’m here to do.
One Line a Day
A five-year journal I write in each night. It’s brief, low-lift, and surprisingly grounding.
Looking back is like reading the footnotes of my life. I can see patterns. I can remember what mattered. Here’s the journal I’ve been using for the last 5 years: Q&A a Day
Morning Pages
A practice from The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. Three handwritten pages, stream-of-consciousness, first thing in the morning.
It’s not polished. It’s not meant to be read. (Unless I make a note to save for a VERY rough draft). It’s not precious*. It clears the cobwebs and lets the good stuff through.
* I use a dollar store composition notebook (wide rule). I do love a nice pen, though. Here are two options: Mitsubishi Jetstream; Pilot Precise V5 RT
Music is also a plus. Here’s a playlist I created that I listen to while I write. Enjoy!
Special Occasion Journals
These come out for transitions, retreats, or new chapters. They help me hold space when I’m in-between things. Sometimes that’s when the most honest writing happens.
Why it works
Intuition needs space. Writing slows your thinking just enough for your inner voice to catch up.
It’s one of the simplest, most underused tools I recommend to clients who feel stuck or unsure.
You don’t need a new system. You just need a place to hear yourself.
If you’re looking for clarity, try writing. Not to say something profound. Just to say something true.
What’s your relationship with journaling right now?
What might change if you met yourself on the page?
🎧 Want more? I go deeper on this topic in this week’s episode of The Intuition Strategist—including how I use journaling to spark strategy, process emotions, and make decisions that stick. Listen to the episode on Substack, or on your player of choice below:
Apple Podcasts:
Spotify:
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✨ Ready to get clear on your next move? Join The Clarity Sprint, a one-month guided experience to help you make an aligned decision and move forward with confidence. We start with a personal strategy session (featuring Corporate Tarot Cards) and end with momentum.
Let’s get you unstuck.
— Leah
Every time I do this, I’m reminded of how valuable it is. I don’t make it a habit … but I may try to do it just a few days a month to start to build it in. Thanks for the prompt!
I journal every morning. Your thoughts are really valuable Leah.
I tend to reflect on my inner path, and gratitude. I love the act of actually writing pen to
paper and often begin my blogs that way
Thank you for your thoughtful post!