I Could Never Stick With Journaling — So I Built An App That Makes It Easier

I used to be the person who bought a new journal every time I needed to “get my life together.” Think sleek leather covers, crisp white pages, and maybe a cute matching pen. I’d start writing with a burst of motivation, filling a few pages with deep thoughts, a list of goals, or perhaps even a poem. I told myself that this would be the journal I finally stuck with, where I’d finally get consistent about checking in with myself. Inevitably though, life got busy. The journal remained half-finished and forgotten, gathering dust on my desk, until the next booklet caught my eye. At some point, my collection of unfinished journals turned into a running joke — proof that even with the best intentions, sticking to a habit of self-reflection can be harder than it looks.

As relatable as my abandoned journals may be, the reality is that self-reflection can sometimes feel inaccessible and rigid. Therapists have long recommended journaling as a way to process emotions, track personal growth, and untangle mental clutter. When I did manage to sit down and write, it felt like I was releasing a weight I hadn’t even realized I was carrying. Still, I know from my own experiences and from watching those around me that traditional journaling isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. 

Some people struggle to put their thoughts into words, while others prefer having multiple ways to express themselves. Some days, I wanted to pour out all of my thoughts through my pen, driven by a stroke of poetic inspiration; other days, I simply wished I could vent verbally, capturing all the small details as if I was speaking to a friend.  And then there were moments when words didn’t feel right at all. I’d reach for my colored pencils or watercolors, letting the shades speak instead: calming greens on peaceful days, chaotic reds when I felt overwhelmed, and bright yellows when something made me smile. Through those different forms of expression, I realized that there was no single way to journal.

That’s when the idea of Reflexion was born. 

I created an app that makes journaling more accessible and flexible, adapting to people’s unique and everchanging ways of expressing themselves. Reflexion, which will soon be available in the Apple App Store, offers seven different input methods so you can journal in a way that best suits your needs on any given day. If you prefer writing, there’s of course text journaling. On days when speaking feels easier, you can voice record to express what’s on your mind or choose a video diary entry. For visual thinkers, you can draw freely on a built-in canvas using adjustable brush sizes and a variety of color palettes, including warm tones, pastels, neons, and more to match your mood. You can also upload handwritten notes; the app automatically scans the image and recognizes any text, to save it in the database. That way, even if you prefer to journal by hand on some days, you still have all your reflections in one centralized place. You can also upload photos and images that capture a reflection of your mood or moment, like in the early days of Instagram. And when your time or energy is low, there are mood sliders so you can quickly log how you’re feeling with just a few taps.

All of these reflections, no matter the format, are stored in the "Entries" page, creating a centralized place where reflections are kept together. This flexibility means you don’t have to choose one format over another; you can switch from a voice note one day to a drawing the next, and Reflexion will keep everything organized. Each entry is tagged with one of five moods: joyful, calm, energetic, stressed, or sad. These moods are either selected by the user or suggested by the app’s AI-powered mood detection, with the flexibility to override the AI’s choice.

Accessibility is woven throughout Reflexion’s design. The app supports various input methods to accommodate different abilities, offers adjustable font sizes, light and dark modes, and a clean interface that makes it simple and intuitive for users to navigate. There’s also an insights feature that allows you to look back, identify patterns, and track progress.

Looking ahead, I hope Reflexion continues to grow alongside the cultural shift we’re seeing in how we talk about mental health, which has grown to be more open, less stigmatized, and built on small everyday moments of awareness rather than crisis response. Mental health tools need to feel personal, intuitive, and grounded in the way we actually live, especially for younger generations, like me, who spend so much of their lives online.

One-size-fits-all solutions rarely work, especially when it comes to the nuances of our individual mental health needs, and tools like Reflexion reflect the complexity and fluidity of how we experience our emotions, whether that’s through words, voice, visuals, or other moments of quiet self-awareness. That’s the vision behind Reflexion, and it’s one I’m excited to keep building toward. I’m currently working on improving the app’s AI-powered mood detection, creating more personalized prompts, and refining accessibility so that everyone, regardless of background or ability, feels seen and supported.

What began as a solution to my graveyard of half-finished journals became the foundation of what I believe technology should be: not something that demands consistency or perfection, but something that honors the imperfect, nonlinear yet beautiful ways we experience our emotions. Reflexion is just the beginning — and it’s taught me that creating something meaningful starts with keeping at heart the people it’s meant to serve.