The Journaling Ritual That Changed How I Show Up at Work

I don’t journal for productivity.
I journal so I can show up clearer — and a little more myself.

For years, I thought morning routines needed to be perfect. Lemon water, 5 a.m., gratitude lists, sun salutations.
It never stuck.

What did stick was this:

✍️ My 10-Minute Ritual

Every morning, before anyone else wakes up, I open my notebook and write down three things:

1. What I’m feeling right now — not what I wish I felt.
2. One thing I want to embody today — not a goal, a presence.
3. A reminder I need — usually a sentence I’d say to a friend.

Example from last week:

Feeling: Drained but still calm

Embody: Steadiness

Reminder: Just because it’s quiet doesn’t mean it’s not working

It takes less than ten minutes, but it sets the tone for everything — how I speak in meetings, how I parent, how I don’t spin out when plans change.

This isn’t about being “better.”
It’s about remembering who I already am.

Want to try it?

Tomorrow morning, open a blank page and ask:

• What’s here in me right now?
• What do I want to carry forward?
• What do I keep forgetting that I want to remember?

You don’t have to fix anything.
Just notice.

Sometimes noticing is enough to lead differently.

— Elena Morelli