Two kinds of writing. Two different jobs.
Private reflection
Write for yourself.
- What happened inside me?
- What emotion or body cue is present?
- What story am I telling myself?
- What do I need?
- What response would align with my values?
Factual chronology
Write for the record.
- Date, time, location, and people present.
- Exact words or actions you remember.
- What happened immediately before and after.
- Witnesses and related records.
- What is memory versus what a document confirms.
The four-column tool.
Use one row for one moment. Do not force a legal conclusion. The point is to see where fact ends and interpretation begins.
| Facts | Interpretations | Emotions / body cues | Desired outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| What could another person or document verify? | What am I concluding about motive or meaning? | What am I noticing in my mind and body? | What do I want to happen next? |
A seven-day trigger tracker.
Look for patterns without turning the tracker into a verdict. What situations reliably activate you? What helps you return?
| Situation | Body cue | Emotion | Reaction | What helped | Try next |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Be curious, not critical. Clarity grows when you stop making yourself the enemy of your own attention.