Personal Relationships

Start your reflection by looking at the people closest to you.

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!

Reflecting on Personal Relationships

(Like always, you can download the Notion template of this Monthly Introspection to take structured notes.)

Personal relationships are at the heart of our lives, shaping who we are and how we experience the world. Whether with a partner, friend, or family member, these connections can bring us joy, support, and fulfillment. But they can also be challenging and require work to maintain and improve. In today's issue, let's explore our relationship with the most important people in our lives.

Who are the truly important people in your life and why?

Make a list of all the important people in your life and then group them into important and truly important. Why are they important in the first place, and why is someone in one group over the other? What does that tell you about your relationship with them, and is this the way you want it to be?

What can do to be a better friend, partner, or family member to them?

In this context, why do you want to be “better” in the first place? What does “better” even mean and why? Think about three specific things you will do next week to implement this.

How can you support and encourage the important people in your life to be their best selves?

What exactly is their "best self”, and how do you know that this is their best? Would their answer be different? How could they support you to be your best self? Again, think about three specific things you will do next week.

Thanks!

Thank you very much for being part of Mental Garden. I hope you found this Monthly Introspective useful!

Before signing off, I have a tiny request for you. Could you tell me about your biggest frustration you had during the Monthly Introspection? It helps me make them better. Just reply – I read every email.

With gratitude,
Marc

PS: Also check out the Mental Garden Yearly Review​, an in-depth end-of-year reflection tool. This guided reflection helps you learn from the past year and start the new one with a clear vision of your values and goals. I've been doing this for the last three years and have seen incredible benefits.​