How I Ponderare: Co-founder Lana

I’ll admit it. When I was introduced to the app I was blown away, but it took me months to use it. See, I have this thing where I always want to have “clean slate” starts. It has led to my collection of journaling notebooks and pens. My need to start fresh when I have a new idea or it’s time to “really get organized, for real this time”.

 It is something that I have had to work on. 

So, I waited. I was going on a trip as well in the coming months and I thought, wouldn’t it be cool for my first entry to be there? 

“There were so many instances when I would have benefited from being able to vent or work through my thoughts.”

That was the wrong way to look at it.

I don’t need to start on a Monday or wait until the first of the month to begin tracking. I don’t always need other things to be settled or perfect before I start, because that may never happen.

In fact, there were so many instances when I would have benefited from being able to vent or work through the thoughts I was having. During the time between getting access to test the app and actually starting to use it, I needed it more than once.

Now it is something I open and use almost every day. At the very least, four times a week.  

I have always liked the concept of journaling. Expressing myself felt easier when I wrote. However, I could never stay consistent. I even downloaded apps in the past, thinking that would make it easier. I would journal consistently for a week or two, or sporadically over the course of some months, but I never kept the habit up

Either I didn’t have the time or energy to type it all out, or I only used it when I needed a release. So, I never got the full picture of what was going on.

I recall the last app I downloaded was during a rough time after I had lost my brother. It had a voice record feature that I let my grief into and soon after never opened the app again. There was no way to reflect on my entries in an in-depth way. The setup did not make journaling easy or convenient. Especially if you had a million things going on. 

“It’s easy to sit and just talk where I am, not needing a set up.” 

Now, on most days, Ponderare is part of my routine. At the beginning of my day, I reflect on my feelings and the day ahead. It helps me mentally organize my day and puts me in a better mindset. 

Sometimes I start an entry unsure, and by the time I finish, I have made a decision simply by talking it out. It gets my brain going. If the morning starts off chaotic, I am able to clear the air and reset by giving myself verbal affirmations like, “Okay, I am still going to have a good day.”

Some days, I use it in the evening when I can finally take a breath. It is easy to sit and talk where I am, without needing a setup.

“I use Ponderare sort of as a rough draft.”

There have been instances where something was bothering me, and I knew I was going to have a conversation about it with my partner. I use Ponderare as a sort of rough draft. I am able to gather my thoughts, and when the conversation happens, I am more clear-headed.

I am still grieving. Ponderare is a place where I can vent and see how things are affecting me without having to go through the painful post again. Because I can voice my thoughts and ideas almost anytime, I have been consistently journaling for almost a year. 

By making it a habit, not only did things become clearer to me internally, but I also gained a companion that felt completely in sync and gave me deeper insight into myself.

One time, I mentioned that I needed to focus on self-care. Later, I looked at my previous insights from past entries, and self-care had already been noted as a possible blind spot and something to make a focus. Like, wow. Something I was just starting to become aware of had already been picked up by my Ponderare.

Had I been using the app as intended I would have already known and began making it more of a priority along with all the other things on my plate. That was when I became consistent in checking my insights. 

“A place for me to clear my mind and come back when I’m ready.”

Ponderare has truly become my companion and the first app in this vein that I have used consistently. I still haven’t explored all the benefits to be gained from using the app.

In one of our early conversations about the app, my partner introduced me to the concept of a second brain. Much like AI before I began interacting with it consistently, it seemed like an abstract sci-fi concept. Now, I can’t think of it any other way.

My Ponderare holds my thoughts and processes. It is a place for me to clear my mind and come back when I’m ready. A place to organize all the things whizzing around in my mind, so I don’t have to hold everything in my head alone.

I am so happy he created this tool because it has become so useful to me in my daily life and in finding my focus.