A reflective journal is a personal record of an individuals learning experiences. It is a place where one can write down daily reflections, both positive and negative, and learn from past experiences. Reflective journals are most often used to record detailed descriptions of certain aspects of an event or thought, such as who was there, what was the purpose of the event, what one thinks about it, how it makes one feel, etc. . Reflective journaling is a process of recording and analyzing personal experiences, thoughts, and feelings in a structured and intentional way.

Reflective journals can be used in various fields, including nursing, education, and personal development. The literature is not consistent in defining the differences between reflective journals and learning logs, but both are used to see progression over a period of time and to gain a sense of achievement.

There are a number of stages through which individuals progress when writing reflective journals. Each source outlines the stage or process somewhat differently yet with a similar approach. The essence of these models is presented below as the fundamental method of reflective journal entries:

• Description: What happened?
• Feelings: What were you thinking and feeling?
• Evaluation: What was good and bad about the experience?
• Analysis: What sense can you make of the situation?
• Conclusion: What else could you have done?
• Action Plan: If it arose again, what would you do?

Reflective journaling can help individuals to identify important learning events that have happened in their lives, understand the things that have happened, reflect on why it happened this way, align future actions with their values and lessons learned from past experiences, and share and get their thoughts and ideas out of their head. Reflective journaling can be a catalyst for personal growth and development, as individuals identify areas for improvement and take steps to make positive changes in their lives.