Hey Reader,

I had a long, honest chat this morning with an old friend.
We trained together back in 2019, both working for the same active travel company. He’s still there, I’ve since moved on. But we stay in touch. Every few months, we reconnect.
Today was one of those mornings.

We spoke for over an hour. And when it ended, I felt that deep, grounded calm you only get after a good conversation.

He asked me about journaling. Said he’s heard about it from Tim Ferriss and Andrew Huberman. But I’m the only person he knows who actually does it, day after day.
So he asked how I do it. Why I do it. What it looks like. What it’s helped me see.

And I thought maybe you’ve wondered too.

Maybe you’ve sat in front of a blank page and had no idea what to write.
Maybe you’ve heard journaling can help but haven’t made it stick.
Maybe, like me, you started once and gave up.

I started writing in a journal when I was 15, in military high school.
It felt natural. Like a way to make sense of everything happening around me.
Then one day, some classmates read my journal and made fun of me. I stopped.
Took me 10 years to come back. But I did.

And now I’ve been journaling daily for over 8 years.
Every night. One page.
My way of closing the day.

I write by hand, in a physical notebook. Never digital.
Not because digital is wrong, but because writing by hand connects my thoughts, my heart, and my body in a way a screen never could (the head-heart-head connection)
It’s part of my sleep ritual now. I keep my journal by my bed, with a pen on the side. Same time, same place, same rhythm.

Here’s the structure I used for years and still return to when I need grounding:

• Accomplishments: Focus on the positive.
• One idea: Something I read, learned, heard, or realized.
• One thing to improve: A moment I want to show up better next time.
• Gratitude: Five things I’m grateful for and who made them possible.
• Intentions: For tomorrow, or the near future.

That’s it. Simple. One page max.
If something big happens, I might write more.
But this structure has kept me consistent. It made journaling less about inspiration, and more like brushing my teeth. You don’t need to feel inspired. You just do it.

And now, my journals have become little time machines.
Sometimes I go back and read what I wrote on this same day, one year ago. Two years ago.
It reminds me who I was. What I cared about.
And how far I’ve come.

If you’re worried about privacy, I get that too.
What helped me was this: I trust the people around me. I trust they won’t read it.
And I write in Romanian, my native language, which adds a small layer of protection.
But if that’s a concern for you, find a way that works. Lock it up. Add a note asking others to respect your space.
Because that sense of safety lets you be honest on the page. And that’s where the power is.

I don’t always follow the structure perfectly anymore. Some nights I write freely.
But I know the structure is there when I need it. Like a home I can return to.

So if you’ve been wanting to start (or restart) journaling, maybe this is your nudge.
Buy a notebook you love. Keep it close. Start with one page. Write the date at the top and pour your thoughts out.

If you want to share your own journaling rhythm or ask more about mine, reply to this letter.
I’d love to hear from you.

​

Stay rooted,
​Mihai

Wake Up. Live Fully.

​Unsubscribe · Preferences Aristide Briand, Colmar, France 68000