What Writing Taught Me About My Own Emotions (And How It Can Help Students Too)

For as long as I can remember, I’ve found a way to write.

Little stories when I was a kid. Journals when I got older. And eventually, pages and pages of messy, chaotic thoughts just trying to make sense of things.

Writing has always been my outlet, especially when my mental health hasn’t been great. It’s how I sort through it all. Somehow, the process of getting the words down is cathartic. I always feel lighter after I’ve been writing. Not necessarily fixed, but less weighed down.

Most of my Writing Starts With a Problem

Nowadays (since I am taking a break from my novel), a lot of my personal writing is goal-oriented. It’s usually me working through a worry or trying to figure something out: what’s bothering me, what I want, and how to change it.

And because it’s private, it’s unfiltered. That’s where I really get to know myself. It’s not always deep, but it’s honest, and most importantly, it’s mine.

No One Knows Your Life Better Than You

I always tell students: write what you know. And what does anyone know better than their own thoughts, possessions, beliefs, memories, and experiences?

That’s what makes personal narrative so powerful—it’s uniquely yours. It can feel daunting because even if we’re not sharing something super private, we’re still sharing a piece of ourselves, which makes most of us feel vulnerable.

But that’s also where the confidence comes from. For some students, writing a personal narrative helps them start writing more outside the classroom. It gives them something that’s theirs.

Start Small - Then Open Up

I usually teach personal narrative early in the year, especially with a new class. We start with general prompts:
◆ A time you discovered a hidden talent
◆ A moment you overcame a fear
◆ A time you made a new friend

They’re simple enough that everyone has something to say, but layered enough for older students to explore the impact more deeply.

After that, we do something a little more open: I ask them to write me a letter.

They tell me about themselves - hobbies, hopes for English, anything they’re worried about, or anything they want me to know. Sometimes they’ll mention they’re nervous reading aloud. Or that they have dyslexia. Or that there’s someone they’d rather not work with.

I always thank them for sharing those things. I think that’s important, I want to treat what they write with respect and for them to know there is value in using their voice.

Writing is Emotional Learning

Personal narrative links so naturally with SEL (social-emotional learning).
It helps students reflect.
It gives them a voice.
It teaches them to express something inward and turn it outward.
It gives them space to be heard, even if it’s just by themselves.

If someone’s not sure where to start? Just try.

Try writing a letter to your younger self. Or your future self. Write like no one’s going to read it. Let it be messy. And see what comes up.

Want to Help Your Students Start Exploring Personal Writing?

You don’t need deep therapy-level reflection to begin. Just a solid starting point.

That’s exactly why I created these Personal Narrative Writing Prompts, which are also available TpT - and they are a bestseller in my store for a reason.

They give students a way in no pressure, no overthinking. Just space to write something real.