Jessica Simpson Says the Pandemic Opened Her Up to Something She Hadn’t Done in Years

Celebrities often write books about their life experiences. Walk into any bookstore (or browse Amazon) and you’ll find a plethora of biographies and autobiographies about musicians, actors, and self-made millionaires. Earlier this year, pop star Jessica Simpson released her memoir, Open Book. 

The memoir was an eye-opener for the many fans who believed Simpson was nothing more than ditzy, blonde eye-candy for her previous husband, singer Nick Lachey. The book brings readers through the tough journey of an insecure rising star who was belittled and never quite good enough for her producers or the men in her life. Simpson reveals some of her more difficult battles with anxiety and alcoholism, and how she’s finally found her place in the world. 

What does Jessica Simpson write about in her memoir?

In a recent interview with SELF magazine, Simpson opened up about the sensitive subjects she wrote about in her memoir, Open Book. The 40-year-old singer reveals how her childhood abuse has led to insecurities and anxiety as an adult. She gets very candid about how she used alcohol to try to relieve some of the anxiety, and it eventually spiraled out of control. 

The pop star hopes that her book will help others struggling with similar problems and overwhelming feelings of fear. The book isn’t all about her darkest days, however–she also opens up about her music career, her feelings about her brand and billion-dollar company, and her time spent in reality television. 

Does Simpson use journal-writing as a stress-management technique?

Simpson has always loved journaling. She mentions that she has several hundred journals that she used when writing her memoir. Many of the journals are from her younger days, and there was a large gap of time when she quit journaling altogether. 

The pandemic inspired Simpson to begin the practice again, and she rediscovered the stress-relieving benefits of journaling. She writes in her journal every morning, focusing on what she needs in her life to foster positive experiences. 

Journaling allows Simpson to get out all of her negative thoughts or worries, and discover ways to solve these problems. She says putting it all down in the journal prevents her from projecting the negative emotions on her friends or family. Having that release also helps her focus better on daily tasks, work, and her family. 

If the singer is feeling anxious before bed, she’ll take the time to open up the journal again. She’ll write about whatever is stressing her, so she can sleep soundly. However, Simpson says she never journals in bed–otherwise she’d be up all night. She sits in another room and does her journaling, then moves on to bed. 

How has Simpson been coping with the pandemic?

In addition to journaling, Simpson has found several helpful ways to cope with the ongoing pandemic. As a mom of three, she strives to maintain a positive attitude to make things easier for the kids. She keeps the kids active–swimming, jumping on the trampoline, and taking walks as a family. She’s noticed a stronger bond developing between her older two children during the pandemic. 

Simpson believes that’s one of the hidden benefits of spending so much time together. Before the pandemic, they were so busy with separate activities that they were never together. She and her husband, Eric Johnson, make time for a date night once a week. Although they rarely go out, it relieves stress and strengthens their relationship. The two usually stay home, have dinner, and watch movies together. 

Simpson has also recently revealed a fantastic quarantine workout that helps her stay in shape during these stressful days.