I will keep constant watch over myself and — most usefully — will put each day up for review. For this is what makes us evil — that none of us looks back upon our own lives. We reflect upon only that which we are about to do. And yet our plans for the future descend from the past. – Seneca, Moral Letters, 83.2

While ‘evil’ isn’t the word I’d use for not reviewing the day, this quote is a bit of a personal reminder that “those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.” I’m very forward looking and constantly forget to look back, leaving me ‘rediscovering’ the same things many times.

This week’s challenge: Journal every day

This can be a quick snapshot of what you did for the day or a detailed analysis of your thoughts. Some ways to get started:

• Pen and paper (Moleskins are a classic for journaling)
• The Five Minute Journal – Offers a little structure with a template of reflection for the morning and evening
• The Daily Stoic Journal – Each week focuses on one topic of stoicism followed by morning and evening prompts
• Day One – If you’re a faster typer than writer, Day One is a great journaling app. The iOS apps will connect to your social feeds (Twitter, Photos, locations), making it easy to add an entry from an event in your day where you can add some ancillary thoughts.

I personally use Day One, both for its ease of creating a new post based on media I already created (taking a photo) and because I can type faster than I write and still read it.

How do you feel about this week’s challenge?