[50 Articles Reached!] Organizing My Mind Through Output—What the Habit of Writing Has Given Me

"I want a place to output."—I had been harboring that thought vaguely. Ideas are always popping into my head. In my heart, inexpressible emotions are swirling. I felt that I wanted to put them into words and output them to the outside world.

That was when I encountered note. Once I started writing, I was able to notice my "inner voice" more than I had imagined.
And I also realized that the very act of writing has the power to organize the mind.

For me, note is not just a text posting tool.
It has become a place to know myself and express myself.

The Necessity of a "Place to Output"

Since I was a child, I have had a vague interest in the movements of the heart, and I studied psychology in my student days. I think my interest in "my own inner heart" has been high for a long time.

The "things I felt vaguely or was curious about" and "small feelings of discomfort" inside my heart. Since I started note, I have developed the habit of putting them into words.
By putting into words things that were "vague," feelings that were blurry begin to take shape.
While writing, I sometimes realize, "Oh, this had this kind of meaning."

By having a place for output, I feel that I have become able to touch emotions deep in my heart that I didn't even fully understand myself yet.
note has become a place for dialogue with myself.

The Habit of a "Idea Notebook"

Since I started note, I have kept an A5-sized notebook at hand.
The moment something pops into my mind or I feel like something is about to become words, I open the notebook immediately.

What I write there is just a one-line murmur or bullet points as they come to mind.
It is not meant to be neatly organized, nor is it intended for anyone else to see.

And that is fine.

The idea notebook is, for me, a place for "first-stage output."
Not everything I write becomes an article.
There are many things that remain asleep in the notebook.

That is fine, too.
By writing things out, I have become able to turn my eyes toward my inner self, and the act of writing itself gives me a sense of security.

No one sees it. It is not evaluated.
Still, it is a precious time to connect with myself for sure.

The idea notebook is my own "secret place."

Insights Born from Dialogue with "note magic"

When shaping an article, I use an AI writing tool called "note magic." It is a GPTs for note writing developed by my friend Lalala GPT, and when I give it free memos, it proposes structures and draft text.

*Lalala GPT's note magic is here. This is amazing! 😊

What I write first is a "memo as it comes to mind" that is not yet organized.
I write out feelings that I cannot even verbalize well myself just as they are.
This is, for me, "second-stage output."

Sometimes the text returned by AI feels like 'this is it!', and other times I think 'something is off...'
But, in fact, that 'sense of discomfort' is exactly what becomes an important catalyst.

This is because it becomes a process of re-reading my own notes and digging deeper, asking, 'What did I really want to say?' 'What kind of expression would get me closer to it?''.

Writing is about facing your own heart.
Through my interactions with note magic, I have acquired the habit of carefully observing my own words.

The Benefits of Output: Cementing Memories and the Heart

Since I started writing on note, I have come to think about the benefits of 'writing.' Not only does what I write remain as a record, but it also stays in my memory. This is my own experience, and it is also supported by psychology.

Psychiatrist Dr. Shion Kabasawa states the following in his book:

People quickly forget things just by receiving information.
However, by writing or speaking in your own words, that content takes deep root.

This applies not only to knowledge but also to emotions.
By outputting them, they are organized and remain in your memory.

By writing, experiences are no longer just 'events that pass by.'
You become able to express your emotions in words, and you can savor your life more deeply.

Writing on note is the accumulation of that process.

Conclusion

Since I started posting on note, I have come to think, 'Let's start by writing.'

You don't have to try to write well.
You don't have to be overly conscious of the reader.

You just need to write what you think, as you think it.

Even if it's a half-finished feeling or a piece of writing that stopped halfway, what you wrote for yourself might reach someone else's heart before you know it.

Rather than a polished piece of writing, write your 'current feelings' just as they are.
That is the beginning of output.

Why don't you give it a try with a light heart, too?