Reflect - guided daily journal

This is the first journaling/self-reflection app that I have actually consistently used, and I recommend it to everyone! I feel like many of these types of apps are overly complicated, have tons of locked features, or are riddled with ads, so this app's sleek, polished design was a pleasant surprise. Once you open the app, you are all set to start reflecting. You can put in as much or as little effort as you want into this--it has a main reflection function as well as individual targeted reflections. Also, a huge plus in my book, it comes with the notifications turned off by default, so it's up to you if you want to opt in! There are a few things that you do need to buy the subscription to use, but I personally think their free version is excellent. Honestly, I am considering getting the premium version just to support the developers and keep this app ad-free. 10/10 would recommend, definitely a staple for me!

This app features an AI chat that is supposed to act as a chat with your bestie. Crisis counselors and other mental health hotlines have a certain way of interacting with people so that they are not offering personal options, not making the other person clam up, not seeming judgmental, and not providing “answers” to their problems. You should validating how a person is feeling and ask open ended questions. Keeping responses on the shorter side. Reflectly’s app did exactly that. Perfectly. When I first began I was fully expecting to just have everything I said basically just repeated back to me in different words or some other “this is obviously a machine” kind of experience. That was not at all the case. Reflectly AI friendly chat added to the conversation by making general statements related to our conversation and the situation I was describing. It also provided actionable suggestions for taking care of myself in times that I feel stressed. I am probably not describing as well I should, but trust me when I say you have to check out that feature! The best part is you can use that particular feature for free and without signing for a subscription with reflectly. I was highly impressed and felt compelled to let the company know that, in my opinion, they had a golden goose with AI Friendly.

I used to think I wasn’t good at journaling. But this app finally focuses my entries on my day when I’m feeling unsettled or stressed. It only takes a few minutes to fill out on the app, but feel notebooks are more private, so I still write responses on paper, and just type random letters on the app to get to the next prompt. This app is not a substitute for cognitive behavioral therapy for social or generalized anxiety with a professional, but this app is helpful as another tool to get grounded in the moment during the overwhelm. When I know what I’m specifically feeling, I can take the next step whether it’s simply a prayer, a phone call, or finally ahowing up at that social event I have been avoiding. By answering the usual 4-5 question prompts for the daily entry, I can get to the heart of what feelings are unsettled or hard to express in me. The prompts depend on what topic you think fits the feelings and situation you’re experiencing. I went ahead and subscribed. This daily practice is very valuable to me, especially coming out of my pandemic seclusion with a resurgence of my childhood levels of social anxiety.