If you want to change your life, one of the most powerful things you can do is begin to write. Not for anyone else—not for a grade, a platform, or a polished product—but for yourself. Because when you begin to write honestly, something begins to shift. Stories loosen. Patterns reveal themselves. And your inner truth starts to rise to the surface.

Writing is more than self-expression—it’s a direct path to self-discovery. “When you really tell the truth, your life changes,” says Mark Matousek, a former magazine journalist and award-winning author who teaches at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York. Just as the spiritual path is about seeking the truth, writing is also a way of uncovering it.

 “You become your own guide and guru when you’re honest with yourself on the page and ask the difficult questions,” he explains. The questions are the key. Through self-inquiry, you become your own source of wisdom. Writing helps you excavate that inner knowing—it taps into your intuition and your deepest self.

He notes that many people are strangers to themselves. “You go on automatic without understanding why you might do something,” says Matousek. “We all have patterns that we repeat unknowingly, and writing gives us a way to understand how those patterns affect our lives.” Committing to a writing practice lets you reread what you wrote, offering a chance to become a witness to your own story. That witness awareness allows you to see things with greater perspective and compassion.

You want to reach a place where you’re not judging yourself. Instead, you’re simply observing: “Isn’t that interesting that I’m doing this...?” Curiosity becomes your compass. The more you understand yourself and why you do what you do, the freer and happier you become.

In addition, writing can assist with the process of letting go. You’re able to release the stories that keep you trapped in the past. “It helps you to disentangle from the past and the stories you keep telling yourself,” Matousek says. We don’t usually question our own narratives—we just replay them on a loop. “It’s a replay until you ask, ‘What is this obsession and why am I having such a hard time moving beyond it?’”

Often it’s a misinterpretation of a story that causes the most suffering. We interpret and create narratives constantly—about everything. And two people can experience the same event and walk away with entirely different stories. Writing allows you to see the story you’re telling yourself and consider how it might be keeping you stuck.

And it’s not just emotional—it’s physical. Writing has been shown to lower blood pressure, improve sleep, decrease doctor visits, boost memory, and increase self-awareness.

Matousek recommends writing for 15 to 20 minutes a day to gain clarity and insight. To begin, he suggests asking yourself questions like:

• Where do I feel most authentic in my life?

• What doesn’t feel true?

• What do I really desire?

• Where is fear driving me?

• What gifts do I hide because they were once judged?

• What needs healing?

Circumstances are always changing, so it’s helpful to regularly reevaluate what’s working in your life—and what isn’t.

And remember: the goal isn’t perfect prose. “Someone during your education probably said something that made you never want to write again,” says Matousek. But this isn’t about perfection. Forget the grammar rules, forget the punctuation. Just tell the truth.

Whether you’re journaling by hand, typing in a Word doc, or voice-to-texting into your Notes app, the form doesn’t matter. Make lists, write a poem or jot down song lyrics. Whatever feels natural to you. The work is simply a tool for self-discovery—it’s for your eyes only.

As Matousek puts it, “If you can write an email, you can do self-inquiry.”

Robin Fasano is a contributing writer to Natural Awakenings.