Guided Journal Episode: Thanking Your Past Self for Joy
Welcome to today’s guided journal episode of Shrink Wrapped, where we’re doing a little time travel; not to fix the timeline or warn yourself about that haircut, but to find something gentler.
Today’s journal prompt is:
“Close your eyes and travel back to a memory you’ve forgotten — a moment of simple joy. What can you thank your past self for in that moment?”
In this episode, Michelle guides you through a reflective journaling practice focused on reconnecting with uncomplicated joy- the kind that existed before productivity, performance, or survival mode took over. We’re talking pre-tax joy. Popsicles on the curb. Riding your bike with no hands. Laughing so hard you snorted in public and didn’t even care.
This guided journaling session helps you access gratitude without forcing positivity or ignoring the hard stuff. Instead, it gently reminds you that joy has always existed in your story, even if it’s been buried under stress, responsibility, or adulthood logistics. By thanking your past self, you reconnect with resilience, presence, and the parts of you that knew how to enjoy a moment without earning it.
If you’ve been feeling disconnected, heavy, or like joy only exists as a future goal, this episode offers a softer entry point- one rooted in memory, compassion, and noticing what’s already been true about you.
Grab your journal, your notes app, or just a quiet moment. The timeline stays intact. The joy gets acknowledged.
Join us on the O'Neil Counseling app here: https://www.oneilcounseling.com/app-landing-page
