5/24/2026
I first learned of the concept of a Failure Journal from the Self-Help Catholic Guru Arthur C Brooks. The idea behind a Failure Journal is that when you make a mistake you write it down so you won’t make that mistake again. At first I thought the idea was clearly absurd and it would only lead to more negative self talk. I believe that if I focused on my failures my mental health would get worse. I decided to try it. I found it’s actually really helpful and it makes your mental health better.
For example if you get up in the morning and the first thing you do is turn on the news about a currently escalating war under the Trump administration. You are triggered and remain in a bad mood for the rest of the day. But it might not be as obvious as that. Because you were triggered in the morning, later on when you’re cut off in traffic you experience road rage or you get into an argument while picking up your coffee at Starbucks with another patron or the barista. You know that you don’t want to be that kind of angry reactive person. You want to change this is where the Failure Journal comes in and it’s extremely helpful. Your failure journal does not make you feel ashamed it makes you feel powerful and in control.
Upon noticing this mistake you would go to your Failure Journal and write it downwithout any judgement. This mentally reinforces you against doing this again. The next day you decide to start the day in a spiritual way with music and meditation instead of television.
Arthur C Brooks has many more self help ideas including how to detox from social media that may be hurting your mental health. Many people find Facebook extremely triggering especially because of the large number of intrusive ads targeted at you which hurt your mental health including ads claiming that they will help your mental health, paradoxically and ironically.
You can find Arthur C Brooks on YouTube and Spotify. He has also written a large number of Self Help books. His Self Help audiobooks are available for free on Spotify if you have a regular membership to Spotify. They are also available through the library system and the Libby app.
If you want even more help Arthur C Brooks provides seminars where you can actually get to know him personally and ask him questions. I have never done this and this is not a personal endorsement of Arthur C Brooks. I just want to share with you this great new insight and I hope it helps you as much as it has helped me.
Macy Makes Magic 