SPOTLIGHT & EXCERPT - Journaling Power by Mari L. McCarthy

Oct 20

4 min read

Creating the life you want with the power of journaling

Hey, writers!

Book cover with lightning over ocean at dusk, titled JOURNALING POWER, by Mari L. McCarthy, 10th anniversary edition.

Question for you: Do you keep a journal?

It's amazing what putting words on a page can uncover, including things I didn't even realize I was carrying around (exhibit A: being legally blind but not getting classes until 3rd grade... um, yeah).

Don't get me wrong. We writers spend plenty of time putting words on the page. But there's something different about writing just for ourselves. No audience, no expectations, no need to make it sound good. Just you, your thoughts, and whatever comes out.

That's the idea behind Journaling Power: How to Create the Happy, Healthy Life YOU Want to Live by Mari L. McCarthy.

Drawing on her own experience, Mari explores how journaling can become a powerful tool for self-discovery, healing, and personal growth.

And I really love this book! It has such great prompts. I'm still working through them all, but so far, I'm blown away by what I'm learning about myself.

I'm sharing an excerpt that looks at one of my favorite aspects of journaling: the opportunity to question the stories we've been telling ourselves.

I hope you enjoy it, and I hope you try out the book! If you're still not sure, you can get a free Journaling Power workbook on Mari's website, so be sure to check that out, too!

~ CC

Excerpt from the book:

Journaling Is A Two-Way Street

To fully harness the power of journaling, it is important to understand it’s a two-way street. It’s not just dumping and dumping and dumping (although it can be seriously useful for that). It’s a learning process, too.

Quiet tree-lined residential street with a two-way traffic sign and Oak Ave sign beside brick houses.

For example, you’ll become aware of your deepest motivations and beliefs. You’ll discover that some of your beliefs may be worth hanging on to, while others are outdated and limit the person you want to be. When you come face to face with this situation, don’t hesitate to question your beliefs and adopt new ones!

As you go through this process, make it a point to cultivate self-knowledge. More importantly, remember to also cultivate self-compassion and keep your inner critic firmly in his place. As you explore your early experiences, you may see how your inner critic developed and grew through the judgments and comments of others. However, you don’t have to accept and internalize other people’s declarations about you.

Instead, challenge them!

A woman challenges the words of her inner critic!

Just because someone told you that you were awkward or stupid (or any other unjustified description), you don’t have to believe it for the rest of your life. You owe it to yourself to cast off labels others have given you and define yourself in your terms.

When you look back at the past, you will probably feel angry with people who have hurt you. And, you may be mad at yourself for some of the mistakes you’ve made! Decide to forgive yourself, and work toward forgiving others, too. Letting go of anger and resentment is cleansing for you — physically, emotionally and spiritually.

If you’ve been abused, forgiving an abuser is difficult, but it is definitely possible. You don’t have to condone what they did or have any contact with them. However, you need to recognize that holding on to the pain is bad for your health. Your anger will not affect the person you are angry with, but it can cause disease within your body and soul. So, it isn’t worth holding on to toxic emotions that can damage you.

You have a choice to make: choose emotional freedom!

More About the Book:

Book cover with lightning over a calm ocean at dusk, titled JOURNALING POWER by Mari L. McCarthy, with yellow subtitle text.

Are you ready to take control of your health and happiness, and healing - from the inside out?

In this powerful 10th anniversary edition of her international bestselling book, Mari L. McCarthy reveals how a simple pen-and-paper journaling power practice can unlock your inner healer, restore your connection to self, and help you create a life that finally feels like it fits.

Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and facing mounting health challenges, Mari turned to journaling - not as a hobby, but as a lifeline.

What she discovered wasn’t just helpful. It was transformational. Less pain. More clarity. Emotional freedom… and personal power reclaimed!

Heal. Grow. Transform.

Through Mari’s Journaling For The Health Of It™ method, thousands of people around the world have discovered how to:

Manage chronic illness and heal emotional trauma
Rewire negative thought patterns and reduce anxiety
Cultivate self-compassion and body trust
Awaken their intuition and inner wisdom
Navigate their healthcare journey with confidence
Live authentically, joyfully, and on their own terms

All you need to join them is a pen, a notebook, and a quiet space.

With inspiring writing prompts, Morning Pages exercises, and step-by-step guidance, Journaling Power gives you the tools to turn inward - where healing, clarity, and self-love reside.

Purchase a copy of Journaling Power: How To Create the Happy, Healthy Life YOU Want to Live, 10th Anniversary Edition on Bookbaby and Amazon.com. Be sure to add it to your GoodReads reading list.

All About the Author

Smiling Mari McCarthy in a purple top holds three self-help book covers about journaling and mindset against a pale background.

Mari L. McCarthy is the Founder and CEO-Chief Empowerment Officer of CreateWriteNow. She teaches health-conscious people how to use Journaling For The Health Of It™ for self-discovery, personal growth and mental wellness.

Mari discovered therapeutic journaling 28 years ago while navigating the challenges of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Teaching herself to write with her non-dominant left hand, which began as a simple physical therapy exercise, quickly became a powerful tool for emotional, mental, and spiritual transformation.

She is the multi-award-winning author of Journaling Power, Heal Your Self With Journaling Power, and Mindset Medicine. Her work also includes more than 20 Journaling For The Health Of It™ workbooks, such as Who Am I?, Declutter Your Life and Writer’s Magic Journaling Challenge.