This year I’m volunteering with the National Literacy Trust as a National Year of Reading 2026 champion. Literacy in all its forms is vital and as part of this I wanted to help people explore what the idea of ‘self-literacy’ might look like, how we might better understand ourselves. I was keen to partner with an organisation, who would collaborate on this project with me. I approached the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) Libraries on running a series of sessions based around principles of journalling with ‘self-literacy’ at the heart. As a coach and practised facilitator I am experienced in running workshops and discussions. And they invited me to pitch the idea to them.

From my pitch: Sometimes our emotions, thoughts and experiences can get the better of us. They may feel jumbled, overwhelming, unclear – like one big puzzle which needs to be solved. We crave clarity. But how do we get there? We might turn things over in our mind, talk to a friend, partner or family member. We need some time to make it all make sense. This is where journalling comes in. As we write out our thoughts on the page and describe our experiences and emotions, we begin to create a sense of order from the chaos. We also gain meaning and perspective. From feeling conflicted to being able to process our thoughts and experiences, as well as those small and big decisions that niggle away at us; journalling can bring us an important sense of clarity. It can also lead to improved self-esteem, better mental health and contribute to more agency to create positive change in our lives. It’s also fun.

For this project my inspiration partly came from reading Daisy Fancourt’s book Art Cure which emphasises how the arts can measurably improve health outcomes. I have spent many years journalling and have always found it a brilliantly cathartic way to better understand and articulate my own thoughts and feelings. It now forms a core part of my creative practice as a writer and creative. It has helped me to navigate experiences, circumstances and decision-making. And is a valuable way to process ideas, gain mental clarity and get to know ourselves better. As we do so, we get to pay attention to our inner life, develop compassion for ourselves and empathy for others.