5 Powerful Ways Journaling Can Transform Your Life in Midlife (Yes, Really)

ByTish Lee

Midlife is a season of change – some we make, and others… well, we don’t exactly ask for them. 🤷‍♀️

Our bodies change. Irregular periods. Hot flashes and night sweats. Mood swings. No desire for sexual intimacy or maybe that’s being a bit dramatic but definitely a decreased libido for sure. Insomnia. Random aches and pains.

I think you get the gist of what I’m saying – midlife throws a lot of crap our way!

🌟 Just a heads-up, some links may be affiliate links; simply put: I get a little cash if you buy something through my links at NO extra cost to you! Thank you in advance! 🌟

 

But I’ve also noticed something else about this stage of life… our perspective starts to shift. Suddenly, things that used to feel so important just don’t matter as much (if at all).

For example – can someone tell me why I used to care so much about name-brand clothes? Or why I wouldn’t leave the house without my hair and makeup done? Or why I spent soooo many years of my life trying to physically shrink my body to fit someone else’s narrative of what a “healthy” body looks like or what a “beautiful” body looks like?

WTF was I thinking? Ugh.

But I digress. 😏

Somewhere in all these… adventures we’ll call ’em LOL… I knew I needed to go back to something that used to be such an important part of my life – journaling.

My “journaling” days started way back when I was little and got my first diary (do you remember those little girly diaries that had the locks on them? Man I LOVED that thing!) and my entries went something like this…

Matt looked so cute today with the way his hair was feathered. And he smiled at me! He actually smiled at me.

I got to sit next to Joey today and our legs bumped each others.

We held hands today… under the table.

Oh to be young again. When life was so much simpler, I was boy crazy and had a crush on someone new like every week🤦‍♀️ and I had no freaking clue what midlife (or life in general) had in store for me. Anywho, let me reign myself back in… again!

All that to say, journaling has always been a way for me to sort through all the shit in my head (and life). It was one of the things that helped me when I first admitted I was an alcoholic and needed help all those years ago (March 3, 2026 was my 12 year sober anniversary! 🤩Hot damn!)

And for goodness sake, midlife has got a LOT of things going on in my head 🤣 so it was time to bring journaling back into my life (plus it was an excuse to buy a pretty new journal and some pens… don’t judge me!)

Journaling in Midlife is Different

plus size woman journaling on the beach

Obviously, now as a 51-year-old woman, journaling looks a lot different than those silly young girl diary entries!

Considering I’ve been with my honey for 9 years now, these days I’m not writing about who smiled at me or who’s leg brushed up against mine 🤣.

Now I write more about things like:

  • Why did that comment bother me so much? (when I’m in my unapologetic era and don’t give a flying f*** what other people think… hey, I’m still a work in progress – what can I say?!)
  • What do I actually want for this next phase of my life? Is this all there is?
  • This is a new symptom – don’t forget to chat with Dr. Lisa about this and find out if it’s just another fun midlife side effect or something more serious?

As I’ve brought journaling back into my life, I’ve found 5 ways it has helped change my life (or maybe me is a better way to phrase that) and can help you too. Here they are.

1. It Helps You Get All the Noise Out of Your Head

If you feel like your brain never shuts off… welcome to the club!

Between life, responsibilities, random worries at 3am (seriously what is with this waking most nights between 3-3:30 am questioning/worrying about things???), and replaying conversations you could have handled differently (just me?), it’s a lot.

Journaling gives all of that somewhere to go! Instead of carrying it around in your head all the time simply dump it into a journal. It doesn’t have to make any sort of sense – just get. it. out. of. your. head.!

For me personally, 99% of the time once I dump (braindump as I call it) all of that I usually don’t think about it again. Imagine that 🤷‍♀️

2. It Helps You Understand What You’re Feeling

I’ve always been an emotional person but damn has midlife made it even more so… more complicated too!

One minute you’re fine, the next you’re irritated, emotional, nostalgic, or questioning everything (it’s not just me, right?!).

When you write this stuff down, it helps to see what’s really going on. Personally, I’ve found that usually what I think I’m emotional about has nothing to do with the underlying reason of why I’m really emotional.

Journaling can be a great way to connect those dots!

3. It Keeps You Grounded When Everything Feels Like It’s Changing

There is so much change going on in midlife that sometimes it can feel like you can’t catch a break or a breath!

Journaling helps ground you if you make it a regular routine.

Yeah yeah if you’re anythhing like me you probably hate that word and want to rebel against it. I’m not a routine type girly but but BUT journaling is a routine for me because it’s that important.

All it takes is a few minutes a day (do it first thing in the morning or right before bed each night). Simply check in with you—not your responsibilities, not everyone else’s needs… just you.

Your sanity will thank you! 😜

4. It Helps Let Go of What No Longer Serves You

I don’t think I’m over exaggerating when I say this phase of life has you questioning and rethinking everything.

Relationships. Careers. Old stories you’ve been telling yourself. Old beliefs. Old habits. Expectations. You name it, midlife has got you questioning it.

And that’s not actually a bad thing! Journaling is a way to help you sort through all these things. It can be a great way to find:

  • What you’re holding onto out of habit
  • What you actually still want
  • And what you’re finally ready to release

At this time in our lives we don’t have the time or energy to keep hanging onto things that no longer serve us! Life is too damn short.

5. It Helps You Reconnect With Yourself

Somewhere along the way of life – between taking care of everyone else, job responsibilities, trying to get through the day, etc. – it’s easy to lose touch with ourselves.

But guess what? Yep, journaling can help you reconnect with yourself. lol Kidding aside, it is a great way to reconnect with your thoughts, feelings, desires, your voice and more.

Because your journal is private, this is the place you get to be YOU. Not who others think you are. Not who people expect you to be. Not who you were. Just the real YOU. The person you are today. In this very moment. (and that is the version I hope you show up in the world as because you’re ‘perfect’ as that version of yourself!)

If You’re Not Sure What to Write… I’ve Got You!

I never have had the problem of not being able to journal because “I don’t know what to write” (which is something many people say is why they don’t do it).

If you’re specifically struggling with body image, I recommend checking out my guided journal Love Your Body, Love Yourself: A 21-Day Self-Love and Body Acceptance Journey.

Inside, you’ll find prompts that help you:

  • Shift how you see your body
  • Build self-acceptance
  • And start treating yourself with a little more kindness

👉 You can check it out here: Love Your Body, Love Yourself: A 21-Day Self-Love and Body Acceptance Journey

Journaling Tools

I’m a self-proclaimed journal/notebook and pen addict! Just sayin’. That means I have lots of recommendations for you! These are all items I’ve purchased and used myself – some more recently and others not so recently lol.

These are my Amazon affilaite links.

BLANK JOURNALS / NOTEBOOKS

GUIDED JOURNALS

PENS

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