Hey fellow humans, Welcome to issue #13

Today we’re going to talk about a practice I started incorporating into my life in late 2017, during what I would describe as my first “spiritual awakening”: journaling. Over the years, it has become one of the most effective tools for keeping me grounded; both in my personal life and throughout my founder journey. What I didn’t understand at the time was why it worked so well, until I later came across research explaining the neuroscience behind reflective writing.

More in the deep dive 👇

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Modern life constantly triggers the brain’s threat detection system. Deadlines, difficult conversations, financial uncertainty, and social pressure all activate the same biological circuitry that once helped humans survive predators.

At the center of this system is the amygdala, a small almond-shaped structure in the limbic system responsible for detecting threats. When the amygdala perceives danger, it releases stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, preparing the body for fight-or-flight.

The problem is that when the amygdala is highly activated, the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for reasoning, planning, and decision-making, becomes less active. As a result, emotional reactions intensify and rumination begins. The brain stays stuck replaying the event because it has not fully processed the emotional signal.

One of the simplest ways to interrupt this cycle is writing about your emotions, specifically through a process known as emotional labeling.

Research in affective neuroscience has shown that putting emotions into words can directly regulate the brain’s stress response.

In a well-known study conducted at UCLA by Matthew Lieberman and colleagues (2007), participants viewed emotionally disturbing images while inside an fMRI scanner. As expected, the images activated the amygdala, signaling a threat response.

However, when participants were asked to simply label the emotion they felt, for example, “this is anger” or “this is fear”, amygdala activity decreased significantly. At the same time, activity increased in the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, a brain region involved in emotional regulation and cognitive control.

This shift happens because labeling emotions activates the brain’s language centers, including Broca’s area, converting raw emotional signals into structured language. Psychologists refer to this process as affect labeling. By translating emotions into words, the brain moves from emotional reactivity toward cognitive processing.

Physiological studies show that emotional labeling can also reduce heart rate and stress markers, suggesting that the body begins calming down as the brain organizes the experience.

Writing amplifies this effect because it engages multiple brain systems at once.

When people write about emotional experiences, the amygdala processes the emotional significance of the event, the hippocampus organizes the memory, and the prefrontal cortex integrates the experience into a coherent narrative. This process helps the brain convert a stressful experience from an active threat into a processed memory.

Research by psychologist James Pennebaker, one of the pioneers of expressive writing, demonstrated this effect in controlled studies. Participants who wrote about emotional events for short periods over several days showed measurable benefits, including improved immune function, reduced stress, and fewer doctor visits. They also experienced significantly less rumination, suggesting that writing helps the brain complete unresolved emotional processing.

Over time, repeated emotional processing through writing can lead to neuroplastic changes, strengthening prefrontal regulatory networks and reducing amygdala reactivity. In other words, the brain gradually becomes better at managing stress.

The encouraging part is that this process does not require lengthy journaling sessions. Even short daily writing exercises can regulate the brain’s stress circuitry.

The following 10-minute protocol is a simple way to apply these neuroscience findings.

Set a timer for ten minutes and choose one emotional trigger from your day. Begin writing freely about what happened and how it made you feel. Focus on thoughts and physical sensations without worrying about structure or grammar.

This initial expression activates language processing areas in the brain and begins converting raw emotional signals into words, which can start reducing amygdala activity.

After writing for several minutes, pause and identify the main emotions involved. Write them down clearly and specifically, such as anger, anxiety, shame, or fear of rejection.

This step activates affect labeling, the process shown in neuroscience studies to dampen amygdala activity while increasing prefrontal regulation.

Next, briefly reflect on what may lie beneath the emotion. Ask questions such as “Why did this affect me so strongly?” or “When have I felt something similar before?”

This step engages the hippocampus, helping the brain contextualize the experience and integrate it into existing memory patterns rather than treating it as a new threat.

Shift toward perspective by writing a balanced interpretation of the situation and identifying one small action you can take. This might involve clarifying a misunderstanding, setting a boundary, or approaching the situation differently next time.

This step activates prefrontal planning networks, restoring a sense of agency and control.

Finally, reread what you wrote and note one key insight. This brief reflection reinforces the learning process and signals closure to the brain, helping prevent continued rumination.

The amygdala evolved to protect us from danger, but in modern life it often overreacts to stress and uncertainty. Writing provides a simple biological override: putting emotions into words shifts the brain from reactive to regulated, strengthening circuits for emotional control. Just ten minutes a day can make a meaningful difference, showing that sometimes the most powerful tools are also the simplest; a pen, a few minutes, and the willingness to face your emotions.

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Roya Pakzad, Founder @ Human X.0