Aha moment - Writing down my aha moments each week helps me be on the lookout and helps me pay attention to when they happen.

Every week I ask myself five questions. I have a document where I write my answers to the questions week after week. I’ve found that this document really helps me have some good perspective on my week to week experience. The questions help me pay attention to my aha moments. They also help me let go of negative experiences more easily. 


The questions I ask are the following: 

  1. What is a new idea or aha I had this week? 

  2. What were the best parts of my week?

  3. What were my biggest challenges of the week? 

  4. What did I do that was new (or that I haven’t done for a really long time)? 

  5. What are my top priorities for the week ahead? 


Every Saturday I get up before my family because I take a Mandarin class. After my class, I open up my document and I start by copying what I wrote from the week before. I read what I wrote the previous week and take a moment to think about it. 


Then I delete the details in the copy and write my new answers. 


Here is a sample week: 

(I used X for any name in the writing. It is a different person most times.)


What I realized this week or new ideas 

  • Asking x about eye contact. She said that when she looks at the animals she feels love. Not so much people. 

The best things that happened this week.

  • X made an amazing lemon cake stuffed with chocolate covered marshmallows. Really fabulous and wild. She is quite the creative cook and did almost everything by herself. 

  • I enjoyed watching the Matrix with X. 

  • X and I made a new spreadsheet to track our finances. I’m hoping that will be helpful for us in the long run. 

  • I did a great job doing my workout most days this week! 

The biggest challenges this week.

  • Feeling really snappy and cranky with the kids while X is gone.

  • Bubbles keeps on peeing in the house. 

  • Worrying about spending money and not wanting to think about it or just having a hard time knowing what to do - like should we do the AC? 

Things I did for the first time.

  • I’m growing some new seeds that I’ve never done before. 

  • First time in a long time - cousin park! 

Top priorities for the week ahead. 

  • I think it would be fun to go out to eat in one of the outside restaurants. We haven’t gone out to eat in a year and a half now. 


Here is how each question helps me. 


  1. What is a new idea or aha I had this week? 

    • I’ve noticed that by writing these down I am more aware of my ahas from week to week. I know that my growth happens in those moments of realization, but it is easy to not realize how I change from week to week. Knowing that I’ll write it down on Saturday helps me pay more attention to to new ideas that occur to me throughout the week. 

    • I am able to see my growth over time. 

    • By acknowledging my growth, I’m more likely to keep going. 

  2. What were the best parts of my week?

    • It is so nice to have a record of the highlights of my week. When I copy them over I get to remember those high moments and keep them present in my heart. I think this makes me happier. Sometimes I like to look back at other highs I had during different weeks. 

    • It makes me smile and not take the great things I experience for granted! 

  3. What were my biggest challenges of the week? 

    • I can see patterns of what is consistently difficult. 

    • Mostly, though, I can see that what is really challenging one week and takes up a lot of mental energy is something I’ll forget in a week or two. Sometime that helps me hold those thoughts a little bit more lightly! 

    • Often times a challenge for one week will lead to an aha a few weeks down the line. Not always, but sometimes.

  4. What did I do that was new (or that I haven’t done for a really long time)? 

    • I try to keep growing and try something new every week. Life is to be experienced - this question helps me to keep stretching myself. 

  5. What are my top priorities for the week ahead? 

    • Just a good question to ask. I try to write one or two short ideas that are my intention for the next week. I don’t always do them, but that’s ok. 


This activity just takes 10-15 minutes a week and makes me a happier person overall. 

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