Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “Let It Out: A Journey Through Journaling” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

Let It Out: A Journey Through Journaling

Katie Dalebout

3.62 · Rating details · 445 ratings · 78 reviews

You want change. Maybe your career isn’t what you thought it would be . . . or your relationships aren’t what you had hoped. Perhaps you have a grand vision for your life but not the smallest clue on the steps to get there. Whether you’ve read the entire self-help section of the bookstore in vain or feel completely stuck on where to begin, you wish you had someone to hold ...more

Get A Copy

Paperback, 288 pages

Published April 5th 2016 by Hay House, Inc.

More Details... Edit Details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about Let It Out, please sign up.

Be the first to ask a question about Let It Out

Lists with This Book

This book is not yet featured on Listopia. Add this book to your favorite list »

Community Reviews

Showing 1-30

Average rating 3.62 ·

Rating details

· 445 ratings · 78 reviews

Sort order

Start your review of Let It Out: A Journey Through Journaling

Apr 02, 2016 Marie rated it it was ok

Shelves: netgalley, self-help, journaling

This self-help book written by 22 year old blogger & yoga instructor, Katie Dalebout did not strike me as original or provide as much insight as I would have hoped. The first 20% of the book is about the author and how she won a contest with her book idea that she flippantly submitted after attending a conference made up of several of her favorite self-help authors. Then, it goes into tips about journaling to improve your life: organization, outlook, body image, finances. It emphasizes forgivene ...more

flag 22 likes · Like · see review

May 25, 2016 ScrappyMags rated it it was amazing

Shelves: non-fiction, reviewed-by-me, teacher-resources, self-help

Before I read this book: Why on EARTH would I listen to advice about journaling from a 22 yr. old?

After I read this book: Wow, she’s write, err… right.

Let It Out by Katie Dalebout focuses on journaling, and not your Dear Diary, pre-teen “I have a crush on this boy” journaling, but the journaling of life. Most importantly, your life. As a high school English teacher, there’s nothing more joyful, more heart-warming than the orchestral groans of thirty teenagers when I utter the words, “Let’s WRIT Before I read this book: Why on EARTH would I listen to advice about journaling from a 22 yr. old?

After I read this book: Wow, she’s write, err… right.

Let It Out by Katie Dalebout focuses on journaling, and not your Dear Diary, pre-teen “I have a crush on this boy” journaling, but the journaling of life. Most importantly, your life. As a high school English teacher, there’s nothing more joyful, more heart-warming than the orchestral groans of thirty teenagers when I utter the words, “Let’s WRITE today!” When asking teens why they hate to write, the answers are usually 1: It takes too long. 2. I have nothing to say. 3. My hand hurts. While I can’t help the inevitable carpal tunnel that is the demon of English, I can alleviate the first two. Dalebout’s book delivers the same, on a unique, easy to follow, spiritual level. For adults, for teens, men, women, old young.

The beginning reads as a get-to-know-you of Katie (I feel I can call her Katie after this journaling journey. We’re on a friend level now, yo) and what drew her to writing. This is the portion where I wanted to draw a skeptical eye to discover why this young person with half my life’s experience is qualified to dish ME advice. There’s always something about reading how others flourish that angers the self-help reader. The fact is – the author has figured it out. You’re reading the book because you haven’t. Sit tight, hot mess. This young ‘un has something to say that might pique your brain taters.

What’s magical about this section was that I found myself nodding. I’ve experienced “aha” moments in life. I’ve faced adversity. Instead of critiquing her 1990 birthdate, I accepted that she was lucky to discover herself at an early age. Katie’s struggles include bullying and (poignantly) an eating disorder, as well as universal, been-there-done-that angst of the early 20’s “finding yourself” period after college and the stress of finding a job and feeling confident and secure in that position.

I would recommend this book to anyone going through a difficult time – one of change or adversity, or even upon something exciting like receiving a promotion. The psychology of adjustment exists for a reason, change is problematic. Through journaling, Katie illustrates ways to cope. I also recommend this to teachers of English looking for interesting prompts for classes in order to answer the “I have nothing to say” students. As I tell my students – you are the only you. I can’t write you. Write like you have something you want to tell the world about you. These prompts, with some small adaptation for some would work extremely well.

Perhaps my only constructive critique is that I thought some parts overflowed into the realm of flaky, such as suggesting that one can cure acne either holistically or through Western medicine by simply believing in a method. The likelihood is that by relaxing and letting go of anxiety, stress is decreased, and thus the body reduces acne-causing chemicals. The suggestion would be insulting to someone with a serious disease such as cancer, that by mere belief, a cure is imminent. Certainly the medical community would provide proof that mere belief isn’t always enough.

However, if the reader can overcome some metaphysical slant, the journaling itself can proof vastly therapeutic and the exercises are enjoyable, revealing, and often at times, revelation-provoking.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hay House for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Professional Reader

...more

flag 9 likes · Like · see review

Jul 06, 2018 Miri rated it liked it

Shelves: self-help, writing

Yikes, okay. It's going to be difficult to unpack my exact opinion on this book, but here goes.

For starters, here's something I didn't realize going in: this book is written from an explicitly religious perspective, and is published by a company that specializes in books with this particular perspective. That religion is New Age (or "New Thought," as they appear to call it), and therefore this book is chock full of terms like "manifest," "the Universe" and other things that would normally have m Yikes, okay. It's going to be difficult to unpack my exact opinion on this book, but here goes.

For starters, here's something I didn't realize going in: this book is written from an explicitly religious perspective, and is published by a company that specializes in books with this particular perspective. That religion is New Age (or "New Thought," as they appear to call it), and therefore this book is chock full of terms like "manifest," "the Universe" and other things that would normally have me chucking a book straight out a window, except most of the journaling exercises were pretty good (more on that in a moment).

The author would probably object to my characterization of this book as a religious book, but these types of folks always do. Here's the thing: you can't just write shit like "Manifestation is strongest within the first eight hours immediately following the new moon" and just, like, leave that there like that with no evidence. I mean, of course there's no evidence. Because it's bullshit. "The Secret" and "The Law of Attraction" are superstitious, hackneyed bullshit. If that's all it were, I wouldn't really care enough to write a review about it, but unfortunately this shit is actually harmful. For starters, it exploits people--mostly low-income people--without much hope or prospects into spending money on all of this woo-woo healing crystals magical energy tapping bullshit. Furthermore, it's straight-up victim-blaming. If you're poor, it's because you were too sad about being poor and didn't "manifest" a random $1,000 check into your life (it's always random checks/internet deposits with these people). If you're single and unhappy about that, it's because you haven't "called in" or "attracted" The One, because you were too sad.

So, fine, these are the author's religious beliefs. Plenty of people have religious beliefs, such as "Jesus died for our sins and was resurrected" or "the one true god is Allah" or whatever. But see, those books get shelved, appropriately, in the religion/spirituality section. Books like Let It Out, with their own underlying religious ideology that's just as toxic (if not more so) than traditional religions, somehow end up in "Self-Help," making unsubstantiated claims about "tapping," "manifesting" and "positive energy" that not only have no basis in fact, but can't even defend themselves as coming from an ancient text.

And unfortunately, that's not entirely irrelevant to the actual meat of the book, which is the journaling exercises. I noticed midway through that even the exercises that have you noticing and reflecting on negative/painful thoughts and feelings usually end on some sort of positive note, and any exercise that focuses on what's keeping you from doing something you want to do inevitably ends with finding a way to do it anyway. (No, for the last time, I'm not going to just quit my day job and start my own business and "manifest" the money and clients I'd need.)

And by the end of the book I realized why this is: because Dalebout literally believes that if you think too much about negative things, you "attract" those negative things into your life. So even if you create some space for feelings like sadness and fear, you still need to make sure to balance that out with the positivity you're trying to "attract." As a licensed therapist: bull-fucking-shit. You're allowed to feel your feelings. You're allowed to write a journal entry that's JUST sad or angry. You don't owe "the Universe" any kind of positive twist. "The Universe" isn't going to "manifest" a new medical crisis into your body just because you thought about your existing medical problems.

It would be easier if I could just give this book one star and have done with it, but the thing is, the majority of these journaling exercises are really good and are based (whether the author realizes it or not) in sound, evidence-based psychology. There are even some excellent practical prompts, such as a meal planning technique that helps those of us who prefer to practice intuitive eating as opposed to sticking to a rigid meal plan. So if you can get past the fact that the author is essentially (whether she'd see it that way or not) shoving her religion down your throat, I think you can genuinely get a lot out of this book.

By the way, here's an article about the history of "New Thought" and why it's so fucking toxic: http://theconversation.com/why-you-sh... ...more

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

May 20, 2016 Alexandra rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc

I'm glad I was able to read this book through NetGalley and give an unbiased review.
I enjoyed this book tremendously; it showed up in my life at exactly the right time. While this isn't a book that you just sit down and read, I did enjoy the anecdotes and pieces of Dalebout's life that she shared with the reader. This is one that I would love to have on my shelves to come back to later to remember a specific writing prompt or to even use it as inspiration in my classroom. While it is geared mos ...more

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Apr 09, 2016 0lly rated it did not like it

Shelves: netgalley

"When I was a teenager, I got bullied on Facebook" - a sentence like that just makes you wait for the trainwreck to come...

- try writing down your dreams
- try writing on real paper for once

This may have worked if given a title like "An Introduction to Journaling for School Girls", but trying to sell a 22 year old as a new self-help guru to an adult audience was a really bad idea. ...more

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Jun 12, 2016 Natalie rated it did not like it

1.5 start, really. I almost feel bad giving this book such negative review; it feels a little bit like kicking a puppy. The author seems genuinely sweet, but that is also somewhat the problem, at least for me. This book is like a cardboard cake covered with frosting, counting on the saccharine flavor of the topic to cover a lack of substance. Perhaps the problem is that I was looking for a more substantial and practical introduction to journaling, while this one is rooted in new-agey notions – " ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Jul 23, 2016 Franzi rated it really liked it

Shelves: non-fiction

I really liked it, very outcome focused journaling exercises and a lot of them. (I think 70+ if I remember correctly?!) Perfect for a beginner who is overwhelmed by the blank page but also great for people who want to work on for example overcoming procrastination, negative thoughts, trauma or all kinds of things that keep the head spinning and influence our lives in negative ways.
The exercises are categorized and this way easy to find again later. It's definitely a work book, you have to work ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Mar 28, 2016 Lauren rated it liked it

ok, honestly, I didn't "finish" this book...it's not really a book you sit down and read cover-to-cover. I skip around through it, picking and choosing exercises to use while journaling. I like the exercises and prompts a lot, but the author's perpetual perkiness sometimes grates on my nerves. ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

May 11, 2016 Krista (MoonDustBookLust) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2016, read-in-my-20s, nonfiction, netgalley, i-own, writing-and-journaling, ebooks

Let it Out is not a book of journal prompts, but a book full of ideas and techniques to may help a person get more in touch with their feelings, thoughts, hopes and desires.
Let’s be honest, I didn’t read this book cover to cover. It is the type of book that I like to flip through, skim and really read the parts that drawn me in. That being said, I really enjoyed this book on journaling. I highlighted the crap out of it and jotted down many notes in my own journal. Katie has some a really great t ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

May 18, 2016 Karen rated it really liked it

Shelves: personal-development

A book all about journaling exercises? Yes, please! I have long been a journaling enthusiast. I have even previously written about some of the journaling exercises I use on a regular basis. So when I heard about Katie Dalebout’s new book, Let It Out, I knew I had to check it out.

The book contains 55 different journaling exercises that you can use in various life circumstances. The tools span everything from increasing focus to overcoming key limiting beliefs that are holding you back from accomp ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Mar 07, 2017 Anne D. rated it it was amazing

THE self-help book I would recommend. It is short, to-the-point and prompts to action (because let's be honest, just reading a book won't make a big difference in your life if you do not apply anything in real life). I keep coming back to it. Katie is a real inspiration and has the genuine intention for the reader to get the most out of their lives. ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Dec 26, 2020 Ruby rated it it was ok

Two stars, but only because the writer is essentially a nice person with good intentions. This book is VERY woo-woo. Lots of talk about The Universe and “YOU GOT THIS!” and the book finishes with the word, Namaste. It was like a parody of itself, with so many cliches! I do not recommend. YOU GOT THIS! Namaste.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Feb 22, 2020 Tedra rated it liked it

Shelves: self-help-personal-growth, read-in-2020

3.5 stars. Very early on, it is obvious that the author is super young and is speaking from a place of massive privilege (albeit not intentionally). She is fortunate to have had access to a lot of resources, tools, and coaching/mentoring in order to come out of her personal struggles, especially given her age. Not to discount her own healing journey and good intentions, but I found her story to be highly unrelatable, which brought good faith challenges to reading this book and taking it seriousl ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Apr 14, 2016 Jimena rated it liked it

Shelves: non-fiction

OK, I didn't read the whole book. Just skipped to whichever exercise grapped my attention. I'm not new to journaling, and I found exercises that helped me deepen my thoughts through writing. This might not be a book if your new to journaling, it's not a "getting started with journaling" kind of book, which I expected it to be. If you want to deepen or refresh your journaling time, this is definitely a book for you! I'll keep using some of the exercises.

Thanks to Netgalley and Hay House for prov ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Mar 08, 2016 Irene rated it really liked it

In LET IT OUT the author has written helpful book that provides insights and powerful usable exercises to to better understand yourself and your fears and desires. The author also includes exercises to work with when trying to make a decision or commitment or when you are just plain "stuck". The author has an easy to read, reliable style which is both empowering and encouraging.

Thank you to the publisher, author and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.
...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Mar 31, 2016 Ashley rated it really liked it

An easy, practical guide to starting journalling. The introduction was very helpful with setting the reader up for success when beginning a journal. I enjoyed the tips and techniques provided and am looking forward to rereading this guidebook and trying out the different techniques for letting out thoughts, emotions, and clearing my head. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy!

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Dec 18, 2017 Rebecca J rated it did not like it

Shelves: ditched

Couldn't finish it. It's like reading a very chummy college essay.

It just feels like she has 50 pages solid of, I must admit, useful journalling/life advice. BUT 238 extra pages of filler - where to buy a nice journal, how to write things down, how to ask the universe for what you want. Hey, she asked the universe to win a contest in order to publish her first book, so I guess I can't knock it...

1.5 stars ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

May 27, 2016 Kristi rated it it was amazing

Loved this book and the sweet heart of the writer. I love journaling and how found it so helpful for therapeutic uses. This book gives wonderful prompts and ideas on how to work stuff out through the art of journaling.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Apr 20, 2016 Jacqueline rated it it was ok

I'm a social worker and I'd hoped that I'd find something to bring into my work with clients, if not for myself. I learned nothing. This might be better for a teenage audience ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Sep 11, 2016 Tameeka rated it it was ok

Nothing new hear for those of us who have read quite a few self help books. A good compilation of all of the journaling exercises from other books incorporated into "Let it Out".
...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Dec 12, 2017 Rev. Linda rated it it was amazing

A resource for a series of Spiritual Journaling workshops I am creating for my church's Women's Conference - From the publisher: You want change. Maybe your career isn’t what you thought it would be . . . or your relationships aren’t what you had hoped. Perhaps you have a grand vision for your life but not the smallest clue on the steps to get there. Whether you’ve read the entire self-help section of the bookstore in vain or feel completely stuck on where to begin, you wish you had someone to ...more

flag Like · see review

Jan 07, 2018 Kerstin rated it liked it

Not really a book you finish in one go as there’s little narrative and it’s a collection of writing prompts. I found lots of good ideas but the instructions were often a little lacking where examples might have been better. Great one to take notes on what I found frustrating so I can improve my own writing.

What I liked:
The insight into who the author is during the introduction. She’s got that enthusiasm and excitement that lets you believe anything is possible. Or as other reviewers put it: she’ ...more

flag Like · see review

Nov 24, 2020 E rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, abandoned, ebook, self-improvement

Yikes. I was all set to love this book and it is just so full of garbage that I simply couldn't get through. There's a hell of a "perky, privileged white girl has just! the most! awesomest! things happen to her...all because she manifested them" intro to slog through before you even begin getting to more useful topics.

I wish this book had had a huge disclaimer on the cover, but it doesn't, so I'll provide it for you:
If you think "The Secret" and all of that crap is a bunch of crap, literally don ...more

flag Like · see review

Jul 20, 2018 Bianca rated it it was ok

I came to this book while googling for some “how to” life tips for making big decisions, and while it’s not something I would generally go for, I liked the idea of writing things out to prompts. Like a guided therapy. I found the guides pretty hit and miss, and mostly quite wishy washy and I hated the spiritual/religions undertones. However the book ultimately did get me thinking and I have put some of the guides into use. Like most of these self help style guides you can only really pick and ch ...more

flag Like · see review

Jan 12, 2019 Jessica rated it really liked it

It takes a lot of courage to share your back story as openly and honestly as Katie Dalebout did. Love that she took what she learned through journaling and shared it with us. I can see this book helping and impacting others’ lives, as well as my own. I’ve attempted journaling multiple times in my life but never knew where to start. With the help of this book, I think I can get myself started! I especially liked Part II. :)

flag Like · see review

Jun 07, 2017 Kimberlee rated it it was ok

I didn't finish this book; I just gave up on it. It wasn't bad. It just wasn't for me. It reads like the author is very young, and I think at 54, I'm just too damn old for it. A lot of the exercises were not anything new to me. Others were new but didn't appeal--too "woowoo" or just not my cup of tea. ...more

flag Like · see review

Nov 03, 2017 Elizabeth Robbins Sabourin rated it it was amazing

This book was exactly what I was looking for to help enhance my Miracle Morning practice. I didn’t know where or how to start journaling and this was a prescriptive guide on how to do it. I now have tons of exercises to add into my routine. This is a guidebook I will reference for many years to come.

flag Like · see review

Nov 03, 2017 Debbie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

I have always loved journaling and this book got me back into writing daily. I loved the ideas that Katie had for new and inventive prompts to get you motivated and let you crawl through your own mind. What a trip it was for me! I would highly recommend this book for anyone looking to start journaling or anyone that needs new and fun ideas to get your mind thinking.

flag Like · see review

Feb 08, 2018 Rebecca rated it liked it

I thought this book gave some good ideas for journaling. I thought it was an interesting read, but it's not something that I'd probably do myself. I'm not sure what I was expecting to get out of this book, but whatever it was I didn't get it. I'm keen to read more books about journaling techniques and topics in the future if I ever happen across them. ...more

flag Like · see review

Jul 18, 2018 Michele rated it it was amazing

I have enjoyed this book & all the journaling prompts, as well as the weekly podcast. Yes, the writer is 20-years my junior, but that doesn’t mean that her fears, hopes & life experiences aren’t real or relevant. Her millennial idea of self-care can appear indulgent, but it IS healthy & kind. I would especially recommend to younger women. Enjoyable & useful😊

flag Like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 next »