A Journaling Practice for Healing After Betrayal
Before there was a blog, there was a journal.
Before there were hashtags and headlines, there were quiet tears and shaky hands holding a pen.
Today marks Day 20 of this #40DaysTo40 journey — the halfway point.
And in a full circle moment, I found myself pulling out the very journal that helped me survive the early days of heartbreak and betrayal.
I started it on 7/18/22, months after discovering the infidelity that would unravel life as I knew it.
That first entry?
A letter to my daughter.
I didn’t even know what to write at the time.
There was too much… and yet somehow, not enough.
But I started.
And that was everything.
On the Inside Cover: Prompts That Held Me
On the back of the journal cover, I scribbled four simple prompts. I think I found them on YouTube or in a blog post.
They were my lifeline — the bridge between my silence and my voice:
I don’t want to write about…
I forgive you for…
I remember…
Letter to someone…
Those four phrases cracked me open.
They helped me untangle the pain.
And over time, I didn’t need them anymore.
The words came on their own.
The healing came through the pages.
It’s wild, isn’t it?
How we can lose something that once came naturally.
I used to keep diaries in grade school with ease.
But somewhere along the way — through womanhood, motherhood, betrayal, burnout — the pen got heavy.
This journal reminded me:
💫 My voice never left me. I just needed to remember where I last laid it down.
Mantra for Day 20:
“I honor the pages I wrote in pain, and the ones I now write in power. My voice is my homecoming.”
A Letter to My Daughter (Blurry, but Real)
Today’s post includes a photo of that first letter I wrote to her. It’s blurry — not to hide, but to protect what was sacred in that moment.
Back then, I wrote hoping one day she would understand.
Now I write so she never has to forget how to find her own voice.
Journaling Invitation:
If you’re navigating pain, betrayal, or simply feeling lost, here’s where you can begin:
- What don’t you want to write about? Write that.
- Who do you need to forgive — including yourself?
- What memory needs to be witnessed?
- Who deserves a letter, even if you never send it?
Start messy. Start honest.
Start where it hurts.
Your healing will follow your handwriting.
Downloadable Journaling Prompts
Note: This story is shared from my personal lens, grounded in my lived experience, reflection, and healing. Names are omitted intentionally. I write to reclaim my voice, not to assign blame or shame.
This space is for truth-telling, growth, and connection — not conflict.
Thank you for witnessing my journey.
devXpressions 
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