Most people who journal never look back.
I was one of them.
But a few months ago, I tried something new: writing every Sunday morning. At the start of each session, I’d re-read what I’d written the week before.
I missed a few sessions and realised just how much this practice means to me, and what a profound effect it was having on my life. We’re always so busy that we often don’t realise just how fast life is moving. Writing helps me get clarity and reset. It’s also helping me get to know myself better.
Why reflection matters
Looking back on the previous weeks journals, became a really mind opening experience. More then I ever expected.
It made me realise how much I actually do, and how sometimes I take my personal development for granted.
Not every week was a breakthrough. But some of the key things I noticed:
Urgent things one week were sometimes irrelevant the next.
Recurring themes started to appear across entries.
Some weeks brought sudden clarity that kept evolving.
I could see how my thoughts shifted and built on each other.
The consistent act of reflection made my progress visible, and it feels like it has changed the way I think for the better.
But it was also time-consuming and I found myself craving better data and insights.
From reflection to an idea
I started wondering: what if I could solve this problem with technology?
I’ve always wanted to build a mobile app. It’s been on my bucket list since the App Store launched. My background is in web development, which is similar but not the same. Whenever I tried to build mobile apps, the learning curve was huge. What felt simple on the web was messy and inconsistent across devices. I’d spend more time debugging than building.
So my dream of building a mobile app went on hold.
But with the rise of AI coding tools like Claude Code, I started to wonder: maybe I can finally make this happen.
The problem with journaling apps
There is no shortage of journaling apps on the marketplaces. But finding a good one still seems harder than it needs to be. Many journaling apps are:
Cluttered or overbuilt, filled with features that distract from reflection.
Rigid, forcing a format or routine that doesn’t fit everyone.
Often missing basics (like night mode) or lacking care for design.
Lacking clear privacy and data retention policies
Focused on streaks and habit-tracking, which can make you feel worse when you skip.
Or just outright expensive.
My vision for this app
A joy to use → clean, uncluttered, a place you want to come back to.
Private → built with data security and trust at the core.
More than just blank pages:
AI that helps me see patterns in how my thoughts and moods shift.
Personalised prompts to nudge reflection in new directions.
Insights that make me actually use the things I’ve written, instead of letting them collect digital dust.
Why build when there are hundreds already?
Because none of them solve this problem for me.
Because I want something that closes the gap between writing and reflecting.
And because sometimes the best projects come from scratching your own itch. If I’m the only user that’s totally ok. But maybe if it’s helping solve a problem for me, others might like it as well?
Where this goes next
I don’t know yet if this app will ever be “finished.” Right now, it’s a side project that’s teaching me as much about myself as it is about coding.
But I do know this: journaling is too valuable to be left sitting in a file or stashed away in a drawer. I want reflection to feel natural, joyful, and insightful—not like another chore.
And if I can build something that does that for me, maybe it can do the same for others too.
Do you journal? And if so—how often do you actually look back at what you’ve written?
My favorite section was the Vision for the app. It’s so important to articulate exactly what FEELS like success. Specs for perfectly working apps will never capture exactly what you’re trying to make. Prompt guides could never.
I’ve never been into the idea of journaling, until now, and I can’t quite articulate why. Would love to hear more about your experience Why do your journal, “what” do you try and journal? How do you “use” your journal?