Journal
A practice of regular reflection—capturing thoughts, processing experiences, and maintaining self-awareness over time.
Why Journal?
- Mental clarity: Writing externalizes thoughts for examination
- Pattern recognition: Seeing trends in mood, energy, and focus over time
- Memory aid: Future you forgets; written records persist
- Processing tool: Working through problems and decisions
Journaling Approaches
Daily Notes Brief captures of the day—what happened, what stood out, what's on your mind.
Reflection Prompts Structured questions to guide deeper thinking (weekly reviews, gratitude practice).
Free Writing Stream of consciousness when you need to process something complex.
Project Journals Dedicated logs for specific projects or learning efforts.
Best Practices
- Consistency over length: A sentence every day beats a novel once a month
- Privacy enables honesty: This is for you, not an audience
- Review periodically: Journaling's value compounds when you revisit entries
- Don't force it: Skip days without guilt