Five Point Check-In

Do this journal exercise anytime to practice awareness of how you’re really doing. Answer honestly and do not judge what you notice.

a.     How is your mood? This means, how is your overall “vibe” for the day, not just a passing emotion. (For example, low mood, high mood, numb, high emotions, low emotions, low motivation, optimistic, etc.)

b.     What have your thoughts been focused on today (or the past few days)? (For example, “my life is pointless. I’m not doing enough. I’m proud of myself. I’m enjoying my work today. I really said some awkward things to my partner today. Does my partner want to be with me? Etc.”

c.      What have your emotions been like today (or the past few days)? (For example, sad, happy, angry, worried, etc.)

d.     What have your behaviors/actions been like today (or the past few days)? (For example, impulsive spending, binge-watching TV, taking a walk, practicing self-care, eating comfort food, sleeping a lot, etc.)

e.     What body sensations do you notice currently (for example, tightness in chest or shoulders, heaviness, restlessness, cold, hot, etc.)

After you finish these five questions, you can ask yourself a couple of different things depending on what you noticed. If you realize that you’re having a really hard day, ask yourself, “what’s one thing I could do for myself right now to help make me feel better.” If you realize that you’re having a pretty good day, ask yourself, “how could I keep having good days like today?”