How to Read Your Old Journals with Kindness

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How to Read Your Old Journals with Kindness

Meeting your past self

It takes a strange kind of courage. You open an old journal.

Perhaps you have a small stack of them in a drawer. You have them on a shelf.

You see them. You feel a pull of curiosity. But you also feel a twinge of hesitation.

“Will I cringe at who I was?” “Will I be flooded with sadness?” “Will I just sound silly?”

I know that feeling so well. It is tempting to leave those pages closed. It is tempting to let the past be the past.

tHE STORY OF BECOMING

A Story of Becoming

But consider this.

Your old journals are not a record of your flaws. They are a story of your becoming.

They are proof that you have grown. They are proof you have changed. They are proof you have endured.

Reading them isn’t about judgment. It is about integration. It is about gathering all the parts of yourself with compassion.

If you feel the nudge to look back, here is how you can do it with kindness.

1. Create a Soft Space

Do not read your old journals while rushing. Do not read while waiting for the laundry.

Treat it as a quiet conversation with a past version of yourself.

Make a cup of tea (you know I love this!). Light a candle. Sit in your comfiest chair.

Create a feeling of safety. Create a feeling of warmth.

2. Read as a Witness, Not a Critic

Your goal is not to edit. Your goal is not to judge.

Your goal is to witness.

Read the words on the page as if you were listening to a dear friend. What was she feeling? What was she afraid of? What was she hoping for?

Offer her your silent, kind presence.

3. Look for the Threads

As you read, don’t get lost in just the words. Look for the threads.

  • Threads of Strength: Notice the hard things you walked through. You are here. Now. You made it. Acknowledge the resilience in those pages.
  • Threads of Joy: What made you happy? What small moments did you record? Let yourself feel that joy again.
  • Threads of Desire: What did you long for? Are there dreams in those pages that you’ve since fulfilled? Are there ones that are still waiting for you?

yOUR ACTION POINTS

Action Point: Journal ABOUT Your Journal

When you are done reading, open your current journal.

Take a few minutes to write a letter to that past self.

Try one of these prompts:

  • “Dear [Your Name], I just sat with you for a while. I want to say…”
  • “One thing I see in you that I had forgotten is…”
  • “Thank you for getting through that hard day. Thank you for holding on to that dream. Thank you for writing this down.”

You are not the same person who wrote those words. You have grown.

Reading your old journals is a beautiful way to honor the path you have walked.

Be kind to yourself. All of you is welcome here.

With love, Debbera