Hey there 👋
This is not a newsletter that you just read and then forget about.
With Mental Garden, I want to help you make regular reflection a habit. To help you take a few minutes every month to think about what is important to you and why.
I'm sending you the first issue of the Monthly Introspection, which goes out on the last Sunday each month. Every issue provides a theme to reflect on and three thought-provoking questions to get you started.
But before we begin, first let me introduce myself.
The Mind behind Mental Garden
My name is Marc and I'm the creator of Mental Garden. I am originally from Berlin, Germany, where I studied music and computer science and developed a strong passion for reflection and personal growth.
I started Mental Garden because I was fed up with all those "inspirational" newsletters out there. Each week, you get a few short quotes and insights that are supposed to improve your life.
Fundamentally, this idea is great. But those newsletters NEVER had any lasting impact on my life; they don't work. In a way, they're just another form of entertainment. The ideas are inspiring the moment you read them, but two minutes later they are forgotten.
I found much more value in taking the time to think deliberately about questions that bother me. To basically come up with my own insights. However, I'm convinced that I wasn't giving this practice enough space.
Mental Garden was born out of the desire to make regular introspection a greater part of my life. I want to give my reflections more structure, and I want to do them regularly. And if I'm already doing this, why not invite others like you to do the same?
I'm extremely delighted that you are joining me on this journey, and I want to give you a very warm welcome 😊
The Monthly Introspection
Before we dive into the introspection, I want to offer a few ideas on how you can get the most out of this.
First, commit to do the Monthly Introspection right now. You need between 15 and 60 minutes. If for whatever reason you don't have the time now, schedule it in your calendar for tomorrow morning. This step isn't optional. Reflection only works if you actually do it.
Second, It's great to take notes to think more systematically. You can use pen and paper for this, or use the Notion template I've provided below. Thinking is different when you write your thoughts down – your thoughts become less ephemeral and you can come back to them later, e.g. at the end of the year.
Each month, we will focus on a new theme. Use the questions as a starting point, and then reflect on the aspects of the theme that are most important to you.
I sincerely hope that Mental Garden and the Monthly Introspection become a regular part of your life. Reflecting frequently has helped me to be more self-aware and empathetic towards myself and others, and I believe it can do the same for you.
Feel free to reach out to me if you've got any ideas or questions. Just reply to this email. I'd love to make the Monthly Introspection better, and I highly appreciate every message.
Let's get started with today's reflection!