On the outside, CEO confidence may look like speaking on stages, winning awards, and big brand collaborations. But if you genuinely want to feel more confident as a female founder, it’s important to understand that the voice inside your head is what shapes your success. 

Take it from Emma Grede, founding partner of Skims, plus CEO and co-founder of Good American. Recently, on The Mel Robbins Podcast, Emma shared:

“The most important relationship you’ll ever have is the relationship you have with yourself. And so you’ve got to be real careful that your biggest enemy isn’t living between your two ears, right? 

When you start a daily practice that says I am going to speak to myself [kindly], this is going to rewire you. It’s a beautiful way to think about talking to yourself in a kind and cheering and empathetic way, it’s a form of excellence with yourself.”

For entrepreneurs, journaling goes beyond self-care and well-being: it’s quite literally a business strategy.

The Most Important Conversation You’ll Ever Have

Your relationship with yourself sets the tone for every decision you make as a founder: how you price your offers, respond to challenges, or whether or not you’ll even put your idea out into the world in the first place.

Yet many women in business carry an invisible soundtrack of self-doubt: “I’m not ready yet… I’m behind… Someone else is better equipped.” Left unchecked, that inner critic can quietly slow your growth.

Journaling creates an opportunity for you to examine, reframe, and replace negative self-talk with a more supportive narrative. It’s like training your inner CEO to be your best ally.

Why Journaling Is a Strategic Tool for Founders

Journaling isn’t just for personal reflection. According to Dr. Manuel Astruc, entrepreneurs who journal report better clarity when addressing internal conflicts and external pressures, leading to more effective decision-making and planning — key to running a business.

Here’s why founders who journal often see tangible results:

• Declutters your mind: By writing down thoughts, you free up mental bandwidth for solving problems creatively.
  
• Reveals patterns: Over time, your entries show you the beliefs you have on repeat, and the underlying fears that may be affecting your choices.
  
• Supports better leadership: Pausing to reflect can make you more intentional with your team and clients.
  
• Strengthens confidence: Recording and revisiting your growth and progress over time help shift focus from what’s missing to what’s working.
  

When you invest just a few minutes a day, journaling becomes a quiet but powerful edge in business.

Imposter Syndrome Stories That Hold Founders Back

Many entrepreneurs have the same unhelpful track playing on repeat in their minds:

• “I’m not ready yet.”
• “I’m falling behind.”
• “Others are more qualified.”
• “It’s only a matter of time before they find out I’m not good enough.”

These seemingly fleeting thoughts can hold you back from feeling ready and worthy for opportunities or showing up fully. 

Despite 20 years as a publicist, I couldn’t help this negative track from flooding my mind while standing on stage at a conference, speaking to 150 female founders about getting visibility. Regardless of my past track record, and regardless of the applause I received while leaving the stage, on the inside I still didn’t feel good enough. 

It was the moment that I knew that I needed to create something to support other women leaders who felt similarly.

Interrupting these negative thought loops and then shifting them with a writing practice can help you spot these loops and reframe them — turning your inner critic into a coach who nudges you forward.

Five Journaling Practices to Rewire Your Inner CEO

To make this practical, here are practices from the Female Founders Journal, the only therapist-approved guided journal designed specifically for women entrepreneurs, that take just a few minutes a day.

1. Lock in on Your Vision

Too often we start our workday by automatically opening up our laptops and getting into work mode. Before even turning on your computer, begin the day by completing the prompt “My vision is…”. 

This starts your day with intention, fully focused on your ultimate goal, not just today’s to-dos.

2. Acknowledge What You’re Proud of Yourself for Daily

Personally, I could complete nine out of 10 tasks on my to-do list of the day, and all I see is the one thing that I didn’t do. 

Before wrapping up your workday, complete the prompt “Today I’m proud of myself for…” and acknowledge your wins, big or small.

3. Reflect on your Top Three Wins of the Week

At the end of a week, take a moment to reflect and document your top three wins of the week. How did each of them positively impact your life? And why do these wins feel meaningful to you?

4. Set Your Weekly Intention

At the beginning of a week, consider an area of growth that you want to prioritize and define the specific actions that will move you forward. By setting a clear focus at the start of the week, you create a roadmap for progress.

5. Read Through Past Pages

Your journaling pages aren’t intended to be filled and then forgotten. They’re living proof of your success and accomplishments, designed to help you push past imposter syndrome and build true inner confidence. 

Take a few moments to flip back through them and remind yourself of how awesome you are.

Making Journaling a Consistent Habit

The easiest way to make journaling a consistent habit is to stack it on top of existing rituals, as Atomic Habits illustrates. Personally, my journal lives on top of my laptop so that it’s an easy reminder to start and end my workday mindfully.

Some days I write a line or two, other days a page or two. Both count.

Think of your journaling practice as an ongoing conversation with yourself — one that keeps you grounded amid the highs and lows of entrepreneurship.

Want more journaling prompts specifically for female founders? Click here to download a 7-day preview of the Female Founders Journal.

Lisa Simone Richards is the co-founder and CEO of Pearl Spark Pages, a luxury stationery brand designed to help female founders push past imposter syndrome, increase self-confidence, and build thriving businesses through mindful self-reflection.

After two decades as a publicist helping women-led startups gain visibility, Lisa found herself grappling with the very challenge she had coached so many founders through—imposter syndrome. Even with years of experience, she recognized how deeply our inner dialogue shapes our reality, influencing how we show up in business and in life.

Determined to shift that narrative, she developed a journalling framework to help women entrepreneurs cultivate confidence, self-trust, and authenticity. This became the foundation of Pearl Spark Pages.

Through beautifully designed paper products, Lisa’s mission is to empower female founders to embrace their true potential—one page at a time.