As far back as I can remember, I’ve kept a journal, either as a digital file or as a physical notebook. I’ve found notebooks as far back as when I was 6, probably soon after I started to learn to write. Now, I still journal daily, more than twenty years later. It makes me wonder, though, how it affects a person to have journaled from childhood to adulthood.
Do you develop more introspective depth and reflective skills? Are you more aware of your feelings, emotions, and inner world? Or is it a sign of loneliness, of seeking conversation with oneself instead of discussing with others?
A notebook or text document can not judge you. It can feel safer since it cannot tell your secrets, feelings, or emotions to other people. It allows you to process your emotions and experiences without the risk of being judged or laughed at.
But writing is also a solitary thing. You don’t get to be seen, heard, or understood by other people. You don’t get the external validation, nor build the intimate bonds that arise when you share vulnerabilities with others.
When journaling, there’s, of course, also the risk of ruminating on negative experiences, emotions, or getting stuck in patterns of thinking. When discussing with others, they might tell you that you’re being ridiculous or that you need to stop thinking about something. But when you write a journal for yourself, you might not be able to stop yourself from harmful patterns of thinking or reasoning.
Here’s where AI might be useful. I’m examining the idea that we could use LLMs (Large Language Models, like ChatGPT) to help us self-reflect. AI could help to set the limits and directions for our reflections. It could act as a conversational partner, guide our reflections, stop us when stuck in thought-loops or ruminations, and help us frame things in a more positive light.
It would be interesting to see and explore if AI models, such as large language models, could help us reflect and journal more positively and helpfully.