You know what’s crazy? The way a grown woman can be lying in bed at 2 a.m., staring at the ceiling, and suddenly it hits you so hard that the tears come like a flood. Not just one tear, not the kind you can dab away with a tissue; but the kind that feels like your body is betraying you. The kind that makes you wonder if you will ever stop crying about him. And the most shocking part? You are not even crying for him anymore. You are crying for the version of yourself that got left behind.
I know that feeling too well. When the breakup is fresh, or even months old but still haunting, crying becomes a second job. You cry in the car, you cry in the shower, you cry while putting your phone face-down so you will not check if his name pops up. And while everyone around you tells you to “just move on,” you are left holding emotions that do not have a home. That is where your journal comes in. It is not about having perfect words or poetic paragraphs; it is about giving your pain somewhere to land so it does not keep choking you at midnight.
So, if you are still crying over him, here is how you turn those tears into pages that heal.
Write About the Last Time You Cried
Do not skip this. I want you to describe it in detail. Where were you? What triggered it? Did a song sneak up on you in the grocery store? Did a memory hit you when you least expected it? Write it all down. The more specific, the better. Because when you start to see your triggers on paper, you stop feeling like you are at their mercy; you gain awareness; and awareness is the first step to taking your power back.
Write the Words You Wished He Had Said
This one will cut deep, but it is necessary. What apology did you need? What explanation would have given you peace? Write it as if he had said it perfectly. Then, I want you to flip the script. Read those words out loud as if you are giving them to yourself. The closure you are waiting on is not going to come from him; it can only come from you.
Describe What Crying Feels Like in Your Body
Because sometimes heartbreak is not just in the mind, it lives in your chest, your stomach, your throat. Journal about where you feel the ache, the tightness, the heaviness. Then, imagine it softening. Imagine that knot in your chest loosening as you write. There is something powerful about seeing your body’s pain and then speaking kindness back into it.
Write a Goodbye Letter You Will Never Send
Pour it all out. The anger, the hurt, the questions, the love that still lingers. Get it on paper without censoring yourself. And when you are done, close the notebook. You do not need to send it. You do not need his response. The act of writing is the act of letting go.
Write About What You Gave
List every ounce of love, effort, and care you put into that relationship. Do not write it with shame; write it with pride. You gave what you had. You showed up. You poured love. That says more about your character than his absence says about yours.
Write About Who You Were Before Him
This is where it gets powerful. Think back to the version of you before he entered your life. What made you laugh so hard your stomach hurt? What dreams did you have pinned to your wall? Who were you when love was still light? That version of you is not gone; she is still inside you, waiting for you to bring her back.
Write About the Woman You Are Becoming
Now flip the script. Picture the version of you six months from now. The woman who wakes up in peace. The woman who walks into a room and does not look for him. The woman who is too busy living to keep crying. What does her life look like? What does she no longer tolerate? Writing about your future self is a declaration; and declarations turn into reality.
Write Your Nighttime Ritual
When crying at night feels inevitable, replace it with ritual. Use your journal to design it: light a candle, write one page about your feelings, jot down one line of gratitude, and end with an affirmation like, “I am healing even when it hurts.” Make it yours. Make it sacred. And when the tears come, you will already have a ritual ready to hold you.
Write Down the Truths You Forget
Because when you are crying, your brain lies to you. It tells you that you are unlovable, that he was your only shot, that you will never feel whole again. Combat that with truths. Write them down: “I am still lovable. His choice does not define my worth. This sadness is temporary.” Keep a running list. Add to it every time your tears try to tell you otherwise.
Write Your Progress
Healing is sneaky. You do not always notice it until you look back. Keep a progress page. How many times did you cry this week compared to last? Did journaling help shorten the spiral? Did you smile, even for a moment, when you thought you could not? That is growth. That is healing in motion.
Crying will never make you weak. But staying in the same loop of tears will keep you trapped. Journaling gives you the exit. Every page is proof: yes, I cried, but I also wrote. Yes, I hurt, but I also healed. And one day soon, you’ll flip back through your Reclaim. Piece x Peace Journal and realize something incredible—you don’t cry for him anymore.
