The Stoics were big on writing, mainly as a way to collect and reflect on their thoughts. Marcus Aurelius’ famous book, Meditations, is actually just a collection of his personal notes—it was never meant for anyone else to read.
Epictetus and Seneca also encouraged their students to journal regularly as a way to practice Stoicism. Seneca, in particular, would reflect on his day each evening, reviewing what happened and how he responded to it. This kind of self-examination was a key part of Stoic philosophy.
Personally, I’ve found journaling to be incredibly helpful. At the very least, it’s a great way to get nagging worries out of my head—once I see them on paper, they often seem far less overwhelming. And it doesn’t have to take long. Even just a few lines or five minutes can make a big difference. The key is finding a style that works for you.
Here are four ways I’ve made journaling a regular habit—I hope they help you too!
1. Morning Journaling
This is all about starting the day with a positive mindset. I keep it short and simple, writing down three things under each of these two headings:
I am grateful for…
Practicing gratitude helps me appreciate what I have. I don’t overthink it—if I’m stuck, I’ll just note a relationship I value or something small that makes me happy, like a great cup of coffee.
Daily Affirmations
These start with “I am…” and help set the tone for the day. I try to keep them positive because what you write influences your mindset—writing “I am motivated” can actually make you feel more motivated
Nighttime Journaling
Admit not sleep into your tender eyelids
Epictetus, Discourses 3.10
Till you have reckoned up each deed of the day—
How have I erred, what done or left undone?
So start, and so review your acts, and then
For vile deeds chide yourself, for good be glad.
Following the advice of Epictetus, I take a few minutes before bed to reflect on my day.
For each key event, I ask myself:
- What happened?
- Was my response Stoic? If not, how could Stoicism have helped?
- Am I happy with my response? If not, what did I learn?
The Dichotomy of Control Journal
While my morning and nighttime journaling are part of my routine, I also jot things down during the day when needed.
Whenever I’m stressed or facing a tough situation, I apply the Stoic principle of focusing only on what I can control. I list my worries and write one of two things next to each:
- “This is within my control. My next step is…”
- “This is not within my control. I should let this go.”
This helps me stay focused on what I can do while letting go of what I can’t.
Freewriting / Stream-of-Consciousness Journaling
This is the least structured method—it’s just about getting thoughts out of my head and onto paper.
I write down whatever comes to mind, without editing or filtering, until I feel like I’ve cleared my head. I don’t do this on a schedule, just whenever I feel overwhelmed.
That’s my four-step approach to journaling—I hope it helps!
PS. A lot of this practice is inspired by Tim Ferriss, check out this video for a look at how he uses journaling!
