How do I journal about feeling rushed tomorrow without just listing my to-dos?

Shift from tasks to feelings. In Stoic, start with: 1) Body scan: Where do I feel the rush (chest tightness, jaw, stomach)? 2) Emotion words: Name 2–3 feelings (e.g., anxious, impatient, pressured). 3) Metaphor: “Tomorrow feels like…” (a race, a crowded hallway). 4) Intensity: Rate 0–10. 5) Kind response: One sentence you’d say to a friend feeling this way. This keeps the focus on your internal state, not your schedule, and reveals what the urgency is trying to tell you.

What’s a Stoic way to handle the urgency I’m feeling about tomorrow when I journal?

Use the dichotomy of control. Write two short lists: • Within my control: attitude, first action, breathing pace, how I speak to myself. • Outside my control: other people’s timing, outcomes, surprises. Then choose one controllable to practice tomorrow (e.g., “I’ll start slowly and speak calmly for the first 5 minutes”). End with a brief intention: “I will keep my pace, not borrow pace from urgency.” Stoic helps you capture this intention so you can revisit it later.

I overthink worst-case scenarios for the morning—how can I use this prompt to plan a calmer start without spiraling?

Keep it simple: 1) Name the trigger of rush (alarm tone, commute, first meeting). 2) Write a 1-line “if–then” plan: “If I feel the rush at [trigger], then I will [specific action]” (e.g., slow exhale for 10 seconds, sip water mindfully, read my intention). 3) Decide one thing you’ll deliberately do slower tomorrow (walking to the door, first email, making coffee). 4) Close with a reassuring sentence to yourself. Capture these in Stoic so your morning has a clear, calming script.

Journaling Idea - On Urgency.

What might make you feel rushed tomorrow?

Without thinking about what you need to do, how does it make you feel?

Journal in Stoic

Written by

Zach Beauvais

Published on

Dec 7, 2022

Journal in Stoic

HowTo=target

Frequently Asked Questions

Looking to learn moreabout emotions?

Find hundreds of quotes, affirmations, lessons, guided journals, and so much more in stoic.

Zach Beauvais

Writing & User Experience

Zach helps stoic design experiences for mental and emotional wellness, creating guided meditations, mindful walks, and journaling prompts rooted in Stoic philosophy. He also serves as Marketing Director at Cornell’s ILR School, where he helps leaders clarify their purpose and turn ideas into content that engages students, faculty, and collaborators. With over 15 years of experience in storytelling, community building, and content strategy, Zach brings both creativity and clarity to his work. Outside of writing and strategy, he enjoys photography, making coffee, and carving spoons, bowls, and cups from green wood.

What might make you feel rushed tomorrow?

Join the Minimal Newsletter

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you think about this?

How do you think about this?

How do you think about this?

Looking to learn moreabout emotions?

More prompts on On Urgency