How can I use today’s prompt to tell what in me is truly mine versus what I’ve copied from others?

Try a two-column write: Left—“Borrowed Influences,” list people/ideas that shaped you (family, teachers, culture, trends). Right—“My Choices,” list moments you acted from your own judgment: a decision you stood by, a boundary you kept, a value you lived. Then circle any patterns in the right column (e.g., “I value candor,” “I choose kindness under stress”). That pattern is a clue to your originality. Finish with 3 sentences that start, “When I am most me, I….” Keep it specific and observable.

I feel like nothing about me is original—how do I journal about this without getting stuck in self-criticism?

Shift the goal from proving originality to noticing agency. Ask: 1) What do I consistently return to when no one’s watching? 2) What trade-offs do I willingly accept for what matters to me? 3) What am I learning to do in my own way? Write short, concrete examples (one paragraph each). From a Stoic angle, you don’t control the raw materials you inherit, but you do control how you arrange and use them. End with one choice you’ll make today that reflects your values, even in a small way.

How do I feel my originality in my body while I journal in the Stoic app?

Before writing, take 3 slow breaths. Scan head-to-toe and name what you notice (tight jaw, warm chest, steady hands). Recall a recent moment you felt unmistakably “you.” Revisit it for 60 seconds and track sensations: Where in the body does that feeling sit? What’s its texture—open, rooted, bright, calm? Now write for 5 minutes describing that scene with sensory detail. Close by naming a phrase that captures it (e.g., “quiet courage”). In Stoic, save the entry and revisit the phrase this week to see if the sensation returns.

Journaling Idea - On Copy and Paste.

How much of who you are is genuinely original? How do you feel it?

We are all, to some extent, a mix of everyone who came before us. Somewhere in that, there's something that's uniquely you. Where do you feel that most clearly?

Journal in Stoic

Written by

Natalia Łobodzińska

Published on

May 31, 2026

Journal in Stoic

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Natalia Łobodzińska

Head of Content at stoic.

Natalia oversees all content inside the Stoic app — from guided journals to daily prompts. She works closely with therapists and writers to make sure every word helps users reflect and grow. She also manages translations to keep the experience thoughtful and consistent across languages.

How much of who you are is genuinely original? How do you feel it?

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