How do I use this prompt to map where nervousness first shows up in my body before a big meeting?

Start with a 60–90 second body scan. Note the very first cue you detect: location (throat, chest, stomach, hands), sensation (tight, fluttering, heat, buzzing), and intensity (0–10). Then trace the timeline: What happened 30 minutes before? 5 minutes before? The moment it spiked? Write one sentence for each moment. Add context: place, posture, people, and thoughts present. Close by listing one thing within your control (posture, breath, prep step) and one outside your control (others’ reactions). In Stoic, title the entry with the body location (e.g., “Nervousness starts in chest”) so you can notice patterns over time.

I overthink all the possible outcomes. How can I journal that uncertainty without spiraling?

Contain it with a simple structure: 1) Name the trigger (“Presentation Q&A”). 2) List three outcomes: worst, best, most likely—one line each. 3) For each, write the first body cue you feel and the judgment you made (“tight jaw → ‘I’ll freeze’”). 4) Circle of control: two columns—controllable vs. uncontrollable. Move any ruminations into the right column. 5) One sentence of a chosen stance: “I can bring a calm pace and clarify one point at a time.” Keep it brief and factual. In the Stoic app, start a new entry with this template to practice stopping when the structure is complete.

What’s a quick Stoic-inspired way to trace the first spark of nervousness back to its cause in my journal?

Use the Stoic chain: Impression → Judgment → Impulse → Action. Write one line for each: 1) Impression: the raw event or cue (“calendar alert,” “heartbeat quick”). 2) Judgment: the story you added (“If I pause, they’ll think I’m incompetent”). 3) Impulse: what that story pushed you toward (avoid, over-prepare, talk fast). 4) Action: what you choose now, aligned with values (slow breath, speak one sentence, accept uncertainty). This separates what happens from what you add. In Stoic, open the prompt and label each line I, J, Im, A to keep it lightweight and repeatable.

Journaling Idea - On Embodied Emotions.

Where does nervousness start?

You know it’s going to happen, but you’re not entirely sure about all the outcomes, so you feel nervous, apprehensive, and it starts with…

Journal in Stoic

Written by

Zach Beauvais

Published on

Feb 22, 2022

Journal in Stoic

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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.

Where does nervousness start?

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