My daily note template

I use a daily note and try to write in it every day. Some days, the note ends up “blank” (containing only the template itself) and that’s fine. Many days, there are small comments. And there are other days when these small comments become full notes, usually by extracting them and embedding the contents back in the daily note. There’s no pressure on writing or following strict rules.

The daily note never contains contents that I need to refer back in some specific context. Meeting notes, work, and personal notes all go into their own notes, linked back to the daily note.

My daily note serves two main purposes:

It acts as a hub for all new notes created that day, since they are linked back to it.
It doubles as my meditation and journaling space, where I reflect on gratitude, thoughts, and reactions.

The template evolves over time. Currently, I use the Journals community plugin in Obsidian to streamline the process.

I’m sharing it here in case it helps others refine their own workflows or find inspiration for personal improvement.

The Template

<%*
let title = tp.file.title;
let tt = moment(title, "YYYY-MM-DD");
let today = tt.format("YYYY-MM-DD");
let thisweek = tt.format("gggg-[W]ww");
let thisquarter = tt.format("gggg-Q");
let thisYear = tt.format("YYYY");
-%>
<% "---" %>
aliases: []
categories:
  - diario
created: "<% tp.date.now('YYYY-MM-DD[T]HH:mm:ss[Z]ZZ') %>"
cssclasses: diario, img-grid, embed-strict, wide-page, max
tags:
  - diario
  - y<% thisYear %>
title: "Diário e meditação - <% today %>"
type: diario
parent: "[[<% thisweek %>]]"
previous: "[[<% moment(title, "YYYY-MM-DD").subtract(1, "d").format("YYYY-MM-DD") %>]]"
next:  "[[<% moment(title, "YYYY-MM-DD").add(1, "d").format("YYYY-MM-DD") %>]]"
<% tp.file.include("[[Template - Frontmatter - Dates]]") %>
journal: Diario
journal-date: <% today %>
<% "---" %>

```journal-nav
```

# <% today %>

Today it is <% tt.format("dddd") %>, <% tt.format("DD.MM") %>, the <% tt.format("DDDo") %> day of <% thisYear %>. We’re in quarter <% tt.format("Qo") %> (Q<% tt.format("Q") %>) and at week [[<% thisweek %>]].

(PROMPTS FROM BELOW LIST)

My Prompts

I rotate through different journaling prompts, so the practice doesn’t become mechanical. Here are some I use that might also inspire you on your notes:

# ⚡ 1-minute journaling for busy days

## One thing I'm grateful for.

## The one task that matters today.

## One thing I learned.

%% (Or pick some of the below questions / sections, not all need to be answered every day…) %%

---

# ☀️ Morning journaling

## 🌱 The discipline of desire (Amor Fati & Acceptance)

_Focusing on what I can control and accepting what I cannot._

### What is outside of my control today (that I must accept)?

### I'm grateful for…

### What is one thing I am choosing not to care about or do today?

## 🔥 The discipline of action (Virtue & Duty)

_Planning my contribution to the world and my own character._

### How can I be of service to someone today?

### If I could only accomplish one task today to feel satisfied, what would it be?

### How would the person I want to become handle the morning ahead of me?

## 👁️ The discipline of assent (Mindfulness & Judgment)

_Monitoring my reactions and perceptions of the world._

### Am I happy with how I’ve been reacting to circumstances?

### What I expect from today?

### What is a likely obstacle I'll face today, and how do I plan to handle it?

---

# 🌙 End of day journaling

## ⚖️ Phase 1: The Objective Audit (The Facts)

_Reviewing the day's events as a neutral observer._

### Did I follow my plans for the day?

### Was I prepared enough for what happened today?

### What did I do today that was not a good use of my time?

### What task or person drained my energy today? What energized me?

## 🛡️ Phase 2: The Moral Inventory (Virtue)

_Comparing actions against my internal compass._

### Was there any moment where my actions weren't aligned with my values?

### What could I have done better?

### Did I lose control of my emotions today? What triggered that? What would have been a better reaction?

### What did I say today that would have been better left unsaid (or said differently)?

### What 1% improvement did I make in a core habit today?

## 🕊️ Phase 3: Synthesis & Forgiveness (Peace)

_Closing the day with gratitude and a clear mind._

### What did I learn today that will make me a better person tomorrow?

### What was a small win today that I usually overlook?

### What would have stressed me out a year ago that I handled calmly today?

### What do I forgive myself for today?

### What did I do today that my future self will thank me for in six months?

### If I had to live today on an eternal loop, would I be happy with that prospect?

### What made me genuinely curious today?

### What is looping in my head right now that I need to "park" here so I can sleep?

---

# 📚 Reading

## 🧠 The Synthesis (Understanding)

_Breaking down the core of the text._

### What is the main concept of what I read today (explain as if to a child)?

### What is one question this reading left unanswered?

### What is the strongest possible argument against what I read today?

## ⚗️ The Alchemy (Integration)

_Linking the book to your life and your Obsidian vault._

### Which idea from today's readings can I put into practice tomorrow?

### How does what I read today connect to something I lived or learned in the past?

### What does this reading remind me of that isn't related to this topic?