## Journaling Basics - To start journaling, three simple steps can be followed: getting a journal that you like, finding a pen that you prefer to write with, and making a habit of writing every day or whenever you feel like it [(00:00:14)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DqXHg52H1g&t=14s). - When struggling to write, a reliable structure can be followed, which includes writing a paragraph about a notable event that happened during the day or the previous day, focusing on a factual account without aiming for a comprehensive account of the entire day [(00:00:50)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DqXHg52H1g&t=50s). - After writing about the event, the next step is to write about something that was done well, such as an achievement, success, or a reliable habit that was utilized [(00:01:39)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DqXHg52H1g&t=99s). - Following that, a paragraph is written about what did not go well, identifying problem areas, besetting vices, or bad habits that need improvement [(00:02:17)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DqXHg52H1g&t=137s). ## Structured Reflection and Improvement - This structure allows for reflection on events, identifying areas for improvement, and developing strategies to overcome challenges, such as anxiety, by analyzing thought processes and conditions that contribute to it [(00:02:53)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DqXHg52H1g&t=173s). ## Journaling for Life Narrative - Journaling can be used to reflect on life events and fit them into a larger narrative, giving internal logic to one's life story [(00:03:22)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DqXHg52H1g&t=202s). - Many philosophers, including [[Charles Taylor (philosopher) | Charles Taylor]], Aleister McIntyre, Mario sheckman, and [[Martin Heidegger]], believe that persons are primarily storytelling beings, constructing and telling a narrative about themselves [(00:03:53)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DqXHg52H1g&t=233s). - This narrative is not a formal, written account, but rather a way of thinking about how events relate to each other and finding coherence in one's life [(00:04:34)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DqXHg52H1g&t=274s). - Most people construct this narrative out of habit and routine, but journaling can be used to take a more intentional and active role in telling one's life story [(00:05:03)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DqXHg52H1g&t=303s). - The goal of journaling is to go beyond a fragmented account of life and make sense of one's life as a whole, as discussed by ethicist and scholar [[Julia Annas]] [(00:05:39)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DqXHg52H1g&t=339s). ## Journaling and the Question of a Good Life - Ancient ethics, as discussed by philosophers like [[Aristotle]], begins with the question of whether one is satisfied with their life as a whole, and journaling can be used to reflect on this question [(00:05:54)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DqXHg52H1g&t=354s). - Achieving happiness, or human flourishing, is a central problem of ethics, and journaling can provide a regular practice of reflective work to help achieve this goal [(00:06:07)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DqXHg52H1g&t=367s). ## Suggested Journaling Format - A suggested format for journaling includes writing about something that happened in one's day, something to be proud of, something to improve on, and then trying to place it in the larger context of one's life [(00:06:30)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DqXHg52H1g&t=390s). ## Sources - [website](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DqXHg52H1g)