The Journaling System that changed my life

UPDATE: Making this into a workbook as we speak !! Thanks for the suggestion ALSO THIS - someone suggested a journaling card deck typa thing... any interest? Could be cool to have like 100 techniques, drawn + written properly etc... ☝️✨️let me know✨️👆 Just coz someone asked: this collection of techniques is very much a pick-and-choose situation, definitely not a "do all 30 every day" typa thing. It's more like "here’s 30 options (grouped into 5 reasons), if one makes sense for ya give it a shot" Some of these i do twice a week, others twice a year. Different situations/days/problems call for different ways to talk to your brain, if ya get me. Take what works, leave what doesn't, chop and change, go bananas, really. And also someone asked about format... notebooks, voice recorder, word doc, etc. To each their own, but I'm pretty format agnostic, personally. My rule: whatever's closest = the right format

Long time therapist here: Much of this is amazing and a great guide. One caveat: Please don't take deeply troubling or traumatic things and try to re-frame them into something positive. Not only will that not work because it's too much cognitive dissonance, but it's a bit dangerous of a paradigm to create for yourself. It's probably why it felt inappropriate when you did it. I would suggest acknowledging how terrible the thing is, allowing yourself to have that real human emotion, and then asking the question: "How can I grow from this?" I'm sure nobody will read this but just a suggestion from someone who has been working with traumatized people for a very long time.

I love how you drew all the things just on paper, and I really like this video format, it makes it feel very sincere, honest and organic. Just like a friend that is explaining some techniques to you.

Man, I just gotta say, that in a sea of male role models that promote toxicity and anti social behavior. Your idea of simply being venerable about your own struggles against yourself, and explaining how you have been able to make changes for the better is so powerful. The amount of care you exhibit towards yourself and others is really inspirational, and I hope that more men will start to think this way.

In case anyone else wants a helpful summary to keep as a reminder Vent: Example: Writing about what makes you angry or frustrated. This can be a way to start a journaling session and help clear your mind. Obligations: Obligation Dump: Writing down all obligations, big or small. Organize: Categorizing these obligations into broader categories like family, finance, health, work. Prioritize: Using guiding questions to identify the most important tasks. For example, "Does this make the boat go faster?" or Tim Ferris's question, "Which of these, if done, would make the rest easier or irrelevant?" To-Do List Form: Creating a list with a 'bare minimum' and 'killing it' section to set realistic daily goals. Mindset: Reframing: Asking, "How is this the best thing that ever happened to me?" to change your perspective on challenging situations. Possibility (Because Statements): Writing statements like "I am healthy because..." and then listing reasons that support this belief. Inversion: Looking at problems from the opposite angle to find solutions. Perspective: Writing advice you would give to a friend in your situation. Discipline: Building discipline through the act of regular journaling. Gratitude: Listing things you are grateful for, focusing on different aspects like mundane things, chance happenings, and things you made happen. Ideate: Rapid Ideation: Setting a timer for 5 minutes and trying to come up with 30 ideas or solutions. How Would X Solve This?: Thinking about how someone else (like a famous brand or person) would solve your problem. Open the Loop: Writing down a question before bed and letting your subconscious work on it. Trajectory: Direction: Regularly assessing whether your daily actions are moving you towards or away from your goals. Day-to-Day Hidden Metrics: Asking yourself at the end of each day: "What excited me today? What drained me of energy? What did I learn?"

My favourite prompt is "What surprised you today?" You'll end up noticing the coolest stuff (internally and externally) when you start expecting a surprise from life 💫

Cam you gotta check out a book called 'A life discarded' by Alex Masters. A non fiction tale written by a guy who finds 50 years worth of a single persons journals thrown out into a garbage can, takes them home, and tries to construct a biography of the mystery person from only their diaries. Deeply moving, painfully relatable, and truly impactful.

I had a bad attitude coming into this video, like “you don’t need rules for journaling.” And…I walked away completely blown away. I feel excited to VOMIT now, lol! And…I am grateful for you and this helpful video. 🎉 Thank you, you lovely human.

I honestly thought "the vomit system" was going to be about "just dump it all out, it doesn't have to make sense" because that's kinda what I've been needing to do for myself. But this was a very pleasant surprise. As someone who's been journaling for 26 years for life-documentation and for help navigating internal struggles - this system is very much for deep psyche expansion. I love it. Thank you so much for putting this together, and for your humor sprinkled in. Days later and I'm still laughing at your giggles over the word "vomit" 😆😆 Congrats on your sobriety and fatherhood!

"There is a lot of hype, but there isn't that much instruction." Struthless, I can't tell you how much that quote applies to a LOT of life!!!

I used to keep a "fantasy self" journal. I had all sorts of adventures and traveled the world. It was really fun, I should start that up again. It helped give perspective on what I really wanted out of life and what makes me happy.

Good stuff man. Hit my 4 years sober last week and today is my 45th birthday. I think this will help , thanks.

I'm 52 years old, this is the first time I've actually heard REAL, HELPFUL advice about journaling and list making! Thank you so much!!!! Going to listen again and maybe a third time if I need it!

Another promt: writing letters to something or someone more or less random. Like Dear 2024, Dear wedding ring, Dear 10yo me, Dear cellphone, Dear Spiderman, Dear joy, Dear Struthless. And of course Dear diary and Dear God, but expanding on this prompt can be so interesting, it often surprises me what comes out when I do this!

I've never taken more notes while watching a youtube video in my life - I am not super young. I've never taken a single note while watching a youtube video - I watch A LOT of videos. And now, a WORKBOOK! Yay. Tada. Closing the loop. How satisfying =) ... Tripped over you yesterday. Wildly happy I did. Thank you youtube algorithm; you finally did something right. <3

Ideation is a skill that you can learn. I’m in school for Industrial Design/product design and it’s basically one of the most important part of our job. If I was asked to come up with ideas as fast as I do now in freshman year I wouldn’t have been able to. They teach you ways to ideate in the first major specific class you take. Idea generation is not just being creative, it is a learnable skill, and I hope more people feel comfortable to start getting better at it.

I have used the "how is this the best thing that ever happened to me" THIS MONTH. I was knocked out by an unexpected health problem. Asked myself the question. Rest without guilt! Audiobooks! Snuggle time with dogs! I asked friends to come up with wacky reasons, too, that amused me. I ended up grinning more than suffering. THANK YOU so much!

Yesterday I wrote down all my intrusive thoughts uncontrollably and with some real ugly handwriting. It looked like crying but on paper. After that I wrote all the feelings and ways of being that I want out of my life. Tore up the paper and tossed it in the trash. Let's just say I feel better and lighter already. It's more than just venting, it was a much needed release. The amount of junk that was in my head, junk that wasn't mine. It was insane.

Thank you for sharing this man. I've lately just discovered that the morning routine that makes me energized and fulfilled is a morning that involves drinking a glass of water, stretching my body, and journaling all of my thoughts in the morning. This is the most authentic and effective way of journaling that isn't pretentious. Love the pauses that help me take screenshots of the important parts of the video for note taking. Keep making videos man, these really help.

The visual presentation is EVERYTHING!! I found this video super helpful and very easy to understand!! Thank you so much for this!!