A short look at what surrounds you
The people, places and expectations around you can carry you toward what you want, or pull you away from it. Most do a little of both. This journal helps you see them clearly and decide how to meet them.
- Place the people and things around you on a simple map.
- Notice what each one gives you and what it takes from you.
- If you like, check them against a goal you have in mind.
- Choose one move for the people closest to you, and one for the wider world.
There are no right answers. You can leave anything blank and come back to it later.
A note of care. This journal is here to help you notice what surrounds you, not to judge anyone in it, whether people, places or culture. If something keeps pressing on you, or stays heavy for a long time, it may be a sign to seek support from a therapist or a specialist in inner work.
You, and what surrounds you
Picture yourself at the center, with two layers around you. The first holds the people closest to you. The second holds the wider world you live in. Each layer asks something different of you.
You are at the center of your own life.
You cannot control everything around you, but you always choose how you meet it. With the people closest to you, you choose how you show up. With the wider world, you choose how you respond.
The people around you
I choose how I show up.
You can reach out to the people closest to you: talk, set a limit, or come closer.
The wider world
I choose how I respond.
The wider world comes to you. You cannot change most of it, but you choose how you respond.
The people around you can soften the wider world you live in, but they don't cancel it.
Who and what surrounds you?
Add the people who shape your days, one by one, by name. A group is fine when they feel the same to you, like "my team". The ones who matter most are enough. Then add the wider conditions you live in. Think of your life in general for now.
The people around you
The wider world you live in
Your map
What does each one do for you?
For each one you placed, notice what it gives you and what it takes from you. Both can be true at once. Family and close relationships can give you a lot and take a lot at the same time. Answer for each one as it is for you.
Who and what helps you most?
Whatever you are working toward, three feelings matter: feeling backed, feeling able, and feeling settled. Notice who or what helps you most with each.
It is fine if a feeling has no clear source yet. Notice that too.
Do they carry you toward a goal?
Everything so far was about your life in general. If you have a goal in mind, check your map against it. You can return to this step for each goal you choose.
For example: launch my own practice
One thing to work on
Choose one person or part of your world to start with. You can add a second one afterwards.
Start with what weighs on you most, or with what matters most to your goal.
For example: she questions my decisions in front of others
For example: state my reason once, calmly, and move on
For example: I leave those meetings feeling lighter
Start with what weighs on you most, or with what matters most to your goal.
For example: I feel pressure to keep up with everyone
For example: keep my own pace and choose what I take on
For example: I leave those meetings feeling lighter
Your plan
Try your two moves, and notice what changes. You can come back and edit any answer.
If something resonated — or unsettled you — let's explore it together.
Book a free discovery call → or send Hanan a message.What backs this journal
The Climate Journal brings together well-tested research and long-standing practical wisdom.
Show the research and references
- Two ways of meeting what surrounds you. People seek control in two ways: changing the world to fit their wishes, and adjusting themselves to fit the world. This is the thinking behind choosing how you show up and how you respond. (Rothbaum, Weisz & Snyder, 1982)
- Close relationships. Close, caring relationships help people thrive in two ways: by getting through adversity and by pursuing opportunities for growth. (Feeney & Collins, 2015)
- Leaders who support your choices. A meta-analytic review of 72 studies found that leaders who support people's own choices are linked with stronger motivation, well-being, engagement and work performance in the people they lead. (Slemp, Kern, Patrick & Ryan, 2018)
- Planning ahead. A meta-analysis of 94 studies found that deciding in advance what you will do in a specific situation had a medium-to-large positive effect on reaching goals. (Gollwitzer & Sheeran, 2006)
- Practical wisdom. The Stoic idea, from Epictetus, that some things are up to us and some are not, and Stephen Covey's circle of influence. (Epictetus; Covey, 1989)
References. Rothbaum, F., Weisz, J. R., & Snyder, S. S. (1982). Changing the world and changing the self: A two-process model of perceived control. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 42(1), 5–37. · Feeney, B. C., & Collins, N. L. (2015). A new look at social support: A theoretical perspective on thriving through relationships. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 19(2), 113–147. · Slemp, G. R., Kern, M. L., Patrick, K. J., & Ryan, R. M. (2018). Leader autonomy support in the workplace: A meta-analytic review. Motivation and Emotion, 42(5), 706–724. · Gollwitzer, P. M., & Sheeran, P. (2006). Implementation intentions and goal achievement: A meta-analysis of effects and processes. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 38, 69–119. · Covey, S. R. (1989). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.