The Lost Arts Series

Part 1: Rediscovering the Lost Arts of Observing and Writing  
Read here → Rediscovering the Lost Arts of Observing and Writing 

Part 2: Lost Art of Writing—and Learning: Sitting with Uncertainty  
Read here → Lost Art of Writing—and Learning 

Part 3: The Lost Art of Daily Writing: Journaling for Energy and Resilience  
Read here → The Benefit of Daily Writing—aka Journaling 

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PART 1:

Rediscovering the Lost Arts of Observing and Writing

Remembering the Benefits of Observing and Putting the Pen to Paper to Record, Reflect, and Reframe  

Observation is how an outer challenge meets an inner process. By pausing to notice—your  body, your context, your relationships—you lower reactivity and create room for choice. For  leaders, that pause builds trust and clarity in a world that moves too fast. 

Handwriting supports that same pause. Unlike typing, it recruits more synchronized brain  networks, deepens encoding, and forces synthesis. It’s not nostalgia—it’s neuroscience. 

To be fair, digital writing has value. Sometimes it’s the only practical choice—recording a  keynote, dictating notes during a packed day, or capturing insights to share instantly. For  doctors and professionals using dictation, digital is essential. But even then, the brain still  

benefits from slowing down—rest and digest—rather than living in constant high-alert.  Handwriting provides that reset. 

The Triple Benefit 

• Record: capture what matters.
• Reflect: notice patterns and meaning.
• Reframe: turn challenge into action. 

Leadership Payoff 

• Presence under pressure 
• Clarity in complexity 
• Resilience and reframing 

This isn’t about rejecting digital—it’s about reclaiming balance. Writing gives depth. Digital gives reach. Together, they’re complementary modes of reflection. 

CoreSelf Mapping (CSM) uses pen and paper because handwriting: 

1. Slows and deepens encoding.
2. Engages perception and meaning. 
3. Supports reframing and planning. 

Put simply, pen-on-paper makes the Record → Reflect → Reframe loop neurologically sticky. 

Additional Resources: 

• Frontiers in Psychology, 2020 — brain networks activated by handwriting.    
• James & Engelhardt, 2012 — handwriting improves letter recognition. 
• Mueller & Oppenheimer, 2014 — longhand vs. laptop note-taking. 
• EdSource, 2023
• NY Senate Bill S.2584

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PART 2:

Lost Art of Writing—and Learning: Sitting with Uncertainty

Before we can walk or talk, we learn by observing. Survival of the Friendliest notes: 

“We develop this superpower before we can walk or talk, and it is the gateway to a  sophisticated social and cultural world.” 

Observation remains fundamental—but today, we often skip it. Faced with discomfort, we grab  our phones or ask AI for answers. Quick solutions can help, but they rob us of the growth that  comes from sitting with uncertainty. 

A Simple Pause: The Emotion–Energy Scale  

Instead of “count to ten,” try asking: 

1. Where am I right now?
2. Where do I want to be? 

On a 1–10 scale, that pause creates a space gap to move energy from reactivity toward  direction. 

Use Your Words—Differently  

As kids, we heard: “Use your words.” Back then, it meant speaking. Today, it means writing. Instead of relying on someone else to interpret your frustration, you give yourself the  opportunity to slow down, reflect, and guide your next step. And yes—give yourself a small  high five for the effort itself. 

Technology’s Temptation  

Anna Branten warns in We’re Teaching AI to Replace What Makes Us Human (2025): 

“Right now, we risk letting AI reinforce a civilization already afraid of slowness, complexity,  and vulnerability—the very qualities we need for real transformation.” 

AI isn’t the enemy. Used wisely, it can expand our thinking, sharpen our questions, and  challenge our assumptions. But growth begins with our own pause. 

Examples

• Test anxiety: “I’m at a 4. I want to be at a 7.” → review one problem at a time. 
• Friendship conflict: “Part of me is angry, part of me is hurt.” → prevents reactive texting. 
• Homework overwhelm: “I get the first step, not the second.” → ask the right question.

An Invitation to Pause

The forgotten art of writing reminds us it’s okay to say: 

• “I don’t know.” 
• “That’s interesting—tell me more.” 

Asking instead of answering keeps the door open to growth. Writing gives us the pause to  discover what questions really matter. 

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PART 3:

The Lost Art of Daily Writing: Journaling for Energy and Resilience  

From cave etchings to notebooks, humans have always recorded life. These markings allowed  communities to record, reflect, and reframe. Journaling continues that practice today— capturing energy in the moment and transforming it into resilience. 

Sharpening the Saw  

Stephen Covey’s Habit 7 tells the story of a worker too busy to sharpen his saw. Journaling is  that sharpening: a pause that restores energy and prevents burnout. 

Why Journaling Works 

• Improves clarity, reduces stress, strengthens memory (Pennebaker). 
• Acts like a checklist (Gawande)—because memory fades. Journaling tracks where energy goes and creates a map for growth. 

Examples  

• Student: “Overwhelmed before practice, but had more energy after.” → notice patterns. 
• Professional: “Part of me confident, part nervous.” → redirect scattered energy into prep. 
• Parent: “Chaotic day, but stayed calm.” → preserves energy for tomorrow.

CoreSelf Journaling (CSJ)

A shorthand tool for record → reflect → reframe. The 4S’s: 

1. Situation — What’s happening? 
2. Strengths — What resources do I have? 
3. Struggles — What efforts can I give myself credit for investing in? 
4. Strategies — What next step aligns with my values? 

Add a 5th S: Station-point → Where am I? Where do I want to be? (1–10 scale). Example: 4 > 7. 

Journaling + AI 

AI can help analyze patterns and offer perspectives. But the human pause comes first.  Recording in your own words is what makes reflection honest—and what delivers the  energy boost. 

Invitation  

Journaling doesn’t need to be long. A few sentences daily sharpen the saw, recharge  emotional energy, and build resilience. 

Additional Resources

• Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (1989). 
• Covey, The 8th Habit (2004). 
• Pennebaker, Expressive Writing (2016). 
• Gawande, The Checklist Manifesto (2009). 
• Klein & Boals (2001). 
• Smyth (1998).