Lee Chambers was in his late twenties when he lost the ability to walk after a severe illness. He had to learn to walk again with an 18-month-old son and a pregnant wife at home. A large part of his recovery was aided by writing and journaling.
We spoke to Lee — now an Environmental Psychologist and wellbeing consultant — about the hidden health benefits of putting pen to paper.
Could you tell us a bit about your background?
"My own personal journey is one of challenge and ownership. I suffered from mental health challenges at university. I found myself redundant just six months after graduating. I was told I was too young and too diverse to launch my first business. And in 2014, I lost the ability to walk due to illness. As I navigated my way through these adversities, I never once considered how powerful writing could be.
I had always found writing difficult — an academic necessity. I have always had an aptitude with statistics and an affinity for data. Surely writing was just not for me. And then, one day, I started something that became a habit, and it slowly changed my world view. Something simple, yet powerful, that costs little, but gives priceless clarity. That something is journaling."
When did you start journaling and why?
"I'd never been one for a formalised journaling process. I'd always been a take-notes-here-and-there type of writer. The idea of sitting down and segmenting a time to write had always seemed rather abstract.
After losing the ability to walk, I suddenly found myself seated considerably more often than I was used to. I started to journal my feelings and my progress as I proceeded through walking rehabilitation and intensive physiotherapy. Not only was this an excellent way to track my progress towards recovery, but it also provided an element of therapy.
After a year, I was back on my feet. Now I wanted to try and control my chronic disease and find a way to come off my unpleasant combination of medications. Once again, journaling was pivotal in this pursuit.
I experimented with nutrition, journaling how I felt as I isolated ingredients. Three full journals later, I had clarity on what to eat to maximise my daily energy. Next up was sleep and movement. Suddenly, I was writing a considerable amount every day."
What type of journaling did you do?
"My journaling journey started with a notepad and a pen. I hadn't gone out with the intention of journaling, so hadn't researched what was available. I found this free-form style worked well for me as I was recording health progress, thoughts and feelings. Some days I would get through half a page, other days it was six pages.
Tracking my nutrition, I turned my notebooks into a structured logging system. Moving forward, I purchased a notebook to chronicle my life — an investment I hope will be read by people who didn't live through these times."
Today, a wellness journal or lined notebook can give you that same flexibility — structured when you need data, open when you need to process feelings.
Were there any other things about the process that helped you get better?
"Journaling helped me navigate my emotions through my health struggles and gave me an outlet when I didn't feel like talking. It gave me a tangible way to see my progress on stiff and painful mornings. It gave me a way to clear my mind before sleep, taking my thoughts and writing them down.
It has helped me disconnect from the world, stay focused on my goals, remember life's small wins, and become better at expressing myself. In my work, journaling is a powerful tool, which can be used to manage stress and anxiety, aid recovery, cultivate gratitude and promote reflection.
The one major takeaway for me is simple: find a journal that works for you, and just start writing. Having a relationship with your mind through journaling is something that everybody should explore."
Explore journal prompts for mental health, self-care journaling, and our habit tracker guide for practical ways to start.
About Lee Chambers
Lee is an Environmental Psychologist, Wellbeing Consultant and Founder of Essentialise Workplace Wellbeing. He holds an MSc in Environmental Psychology from the University of Surrey and is a member of the British Psychological Society.
Find out more: leechambers.org · Essentialise Workplace Wellbeing
