Six Questions for a Better Tomorrow

If you recall, about two years ago, I shared that I had started a five-year journal in 2023. There are five squares on one page to write daily each year. There is not a lot of space for each day, as it is meant to be used for the entire five years, but I’ve grown to like that there is only a tiny space that makes my thoughts more compact and simple.

The first year was the hardest, as it wasn’t one of my habits to write a daily journal entry, even though it was just several sentences. I sometimes had to play catch-up for dates I couldn’t get to. At times, I thought I was back in elementary school, where writing a daily journal was part of my homework for summer vacation. I questioned myself: Is this worth the effort? Then, the second year came along, and I started to see the beauty of this journal. Whenever I opened it to write a new entry, I could meet myself exactly a year ago on the same date. Some memories in the past made me smile or reminded me of how I felt at that moment, vividly, like a movie. I see! This is how this journal works!

Having spent the first week in 2025 with this five-year journal, I proudly report that meeting myself in three versions has been joyous. At this point, writing a short entry each day has become a daily ritual that I look forward to. Each day, I thank myself in the past for writing that entry so that I can enjoy it today.

You might not write a journal regularly, but I find capturing a moment in some shape or form to be one of the greatest ways to capture memories for savoring in the future.

Recently, having lived the first week of the new year, I reflected on the six questions. that I list below. I found it helpful—and, I hope, effective—to give myself some feedback on how I was doing and what I could improve.

These questions are as follows:

1. What is working?

2. What is NOT working?

3. What is my ideal day (five years from today)? What can I do today to take one step closer to that ideal day?

4. What would this look like if it were easy?

5. What can wait? (For another week or a month or two.)

6. What can’t wait?

I had to pause and think about each question and consciously try to identify and find solutions. Interestingly, the last question, “What can’t wait?” gave me a reality check on an item in my workload that I didn’t know I had been delaying unconsciously but shouldn’t. Luckily, I caught myself in time, which resulted in me taking prompt action this week. The third question of my ideal day, five years from today, is the one that will take me the longest to come up with the answer, yet it is a fun one to imagine.

Now, it is your turn. Try to pause from what you are doing, and answer one of the questions from above.

Do more of what you love.

Reframe it if you can’t change it.

Find the solutions to make it easier or more fun.

Please feel free to share some of your answers with me!

Sometimes, you need to bring music to people as they cannot. I am starting a new year by sharing what I can to lighten their day.