The Healing Power of Journaling: A Guide for Black and Brown Women Navigating Grief

Hello, beautiful sisters,

As a black woman, I am writing this blog post today to shed light on a powerful tool that can help us navigate the complex journey of grief - journaling. Often overlooked and sometimes deemed 'boring,' journaling can be a transformative practice, especially for those who have never been introduced to it. Today, I want to share with you the mental health benefits of journaling, particularly for black and brown women dealing with loss.

When it comes to journaling, I'm not new to this; I am true to it.

The irony, too, is that my mom, the late Beverly Carroll, was an avid journaler, and I had the opportunity to save many of her handwritten journals upon her passing. I have used journals for years, writing about my deepest fears, pain, growth opportunities, struggles, relationship woes, and other kinds of life experiences that I simply could not or did not want to express to another human being. Journaling was my refuge. I can now look through many of my journals and think I sure was crazy! LOL.

The person I am today would never.....

Therefore, it's my pleasure to advocate for women to use journaling as a means to cope with grief.

Grief journaling can provide a therapeutic outlet for women coping with grief by allowing them to express and process their emotions. Writing about their feelings may help them gain clarity, understand their emotions, and gradually navigate the healing process. It can serve as a private space to reflect on memories, explore the impact of loss, and identify coping strategies. Ultimately, grief journaling can be a tool for self-discovery and finding comfort during a challenging time.

Here's how journaling can help you weather this storm:

1. Emotional Release: Journaling provides a safe space to express your feelings without judgment. It allows you to pour out your heart, your anger, your sadness, and your confusion. This emotional release can be incredibly therapeutic and can help you process your grief.

2. Self-Reflection: Writing about your experiences and emotions can help you gain a deeper understanding of yourself. It can help you identify patterns, triggers, and coping mechanisms. This self-reflection can lead to personal growth and healing.

3. Stress Reduction: Writing can be calming and meditative. It can help reduce stress and anxiety, which are often heightened during times of grief.

4. Memory Preservation: Journaling allows you to preserve memories of your loved one. Writing about shared experiences, special moments, or everyday interactions can help keep their memories alive.

5. Healing: Writing about your grief can help you heal. It's like stitching up a wound - it might hurt at first, but with time, it helps the wound heal.

If you've never journaled before, or if you think it's boring, I encourage you to give it a try. Start with a few minutes each day. Write about your feelings, your memories, or even your dreams. There's no right or wrong way to journal - it's your personal space to express yourself. Moreover, don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.

As black and brown women, we often carry the weight of the world on our shoulders. We are strong, resilient, and powerful. But we also need to remember to take care of our mental health. Journaling is one tool that can help us do that.

Grief is a universal experience, but it is also profoundly personal. It can feel like a storm, unpredictable and overwhelming. But remember, it's okay to grieve, and it's okay to seek help.

Grief can feel like a storm, but remember, every storm eventually passes. And just like the clear sky that emerges after the storm, clarity and healing can emerge from grief. With time, support, and self-care, you will weather this storm.

In our community, we are no strangers to adversity. We have faced challenges with courage and resilience and will continue to do so. Grief is a fact of life, evidence of our love for someone...rather than try to eliminate our grief, walk alongside it and adopt healthy practices that will enable you to live your new normal in a way that's best for you. But remember, you are not alone in this journey.

With love and solidarity,

Kinyatta E. Gray writes about grief and loss, and is the founder of The Heart of Miss Bee, Inc, Flights In Stilettos, and InHer Bliss Life Coaching. Gray has design and released over 20 guided and blank journals for women, teens and men.