She Gave Her Diary To AI

We've been quietly working on something for the past few months…

Version 2 of the Second Brain Notion Template is launching next week on Feb. 10.

This is the first major update since we released the template almost a year ago. And honestly, it's only possible because so many of you took the time to share your feedback with us.

Here are just a few of the changes we're making:

Built-in onboarding steps to guide you through setup
A decision tree to finally answer "where does this go?"
Mobile-optimized views for using your Second Brain on the go
An improved Weekly Review with better walkthroughs

There's a lot more coming that we'll share soon. Stay tuned!

And if you already own the template, you'll get Version 2 completely free.

She Gave Her Diary To AI

For the last four years, Olesya's been the YouTube project manager at Forte Labs - the person behind the scenes making sure every video you watch actually gets made.

In this video, she's stepping in front of the camera for the first time. This is the story of what happened when she gave her diary to AI.

Olesya shows you how she used Claude to analyze a year of handwritten journal entries, uncover patterns she couldn't see on her own, and why making this video was the most important part of the whole process.

Watch on YouTube

One List to Rule Your Overwhelm

"I have too much on my plate right now."

I hear this all the time. But here's what I've noticed: most people who say this have never taken inventory of what's actually on their plate.

So here's a 10-minute challenge: Make a list of every project you're actively working on right now.

What counts as a project? Anything with:

A concrete outcome you want to achieve
A deadline (even a rough one)
Multiple steps to complete (if it can be done in one sitting, it's just a to-do)

Writing this down produces an almost immediate sense of relief. Your project list becomes a dashboard of your current commitments. Instead of carrying an undefined cloud of "too much" in your head, you have a finite list you can work with.

You might discover you have fewer projects than you feared. Or more. Either way, you'll finally know.

Your action step: Set a timer for 10 minutes and write down every active project in your life. Reply to this email and tell me how many you found. Were you surprised?

If you want to go deeper with organizing your projects and your digital life, February's theme inside the Second Brain Membership is PARA Power-Up. Good time to join us.

The Annual Review I Did Between Life and Death

My wife Lauren wrote something deeply personal this week.

On Christmas Day 2020, with a newborn in her arms, she learned her dad was in the ICU with COVID.

In the weeks that followed, she realized an annual review doesn't have to take weeks. Sometimes, 90 minutes of journaling while your baby naps is enough.

If you've been putting off reflection because life feels too chaotic, her pen-and-paper approach might work for you.

She includes free prompts you can complete in one sitting.

Read on Substack