Who are you and what do you do? My name is Zach Weismann and I’m a Partner at Connective Impact. Additionally, I am the Co-Founder of a healthcare startup called CancerQ.
When and why did you start journaling? I started journaling in September of 2014 after losing my mom to only a 4 month battle with pancreatic cancer. It was an extremely difficult and challenging time for my family and me, and Day One provided an immediate outlet.
Zach Weismann and mom
What is your journaling routine? One of the things I’ve found most helpful is using the Day One iPhone app to capture thoughts while on the go. I’ll open the app when a thought or memory pops into my head and jot down the thought, perhaps add a picture if relevant, and remind myself to go back and write out the full post when I am back at a computer and can use the Mac desktop Day One app. I love being able to use it this way because its like a safe place for cherished memories and thoughts that I don’t want to forget. It’s eased a ton of tension / grief for me. Do you focus on longform writing, or in capturing small memories of life? A little of both to be honest. The ability to post photos, and add short or longform writing is great. Not to mention the syncing so that I can pick it up at any time and not lose a step.
Do you have a favorite spot where you like to journal? No I don’t but that’s the beauty of Day One. I travel quite a bit and I can take my journal with me everywhere I go! I have the app on my iPad, iPhone, and desktop.
What was your first entry in Day One? It was actually a pretty emotional post, only 2 weeks after my mom passed away. Looking back on that time now, nearly 3 years ago, you can really see how raw and open that wound was. While it is still tough and emotional, it does help me continue to build confidence to see how far I’ve come and the journal does a great job of showcasing that.
How many entries do you have in your journal? I have 203 entries thus far and over 26,000 words.
What is your favorite or most-used feature in Day One? Hmm, tough question! I would say the geo tagging, the custom tagging as well as the photo uploads.
Do you write mostly on the iPhone, iPad, or the Mac? I definitely tend to capture ideas on my iPhone and iPad, and do more of the long form writing when I am at a computer.
Do you follow any journal organization rules? Yes. Rule: write often and freely. Don’t judge yourself too hard. Just put fingers to screen!
Have you ever relied on Day One for something unexpected, or used it to recall details about a specific event or date? Absolutely. One of the craziest thing about grief is the journey it takes you on. It is a rollercoaster of emotion, anger, sadness, reflection, appreciation, and more. Therefore it leads to all sorts of thoughts, memories, and realizations that pop up unexpectedly. Having a place to put those emotions and thoughts has helped me so much not only in the grief process, but in the emotional and physical rebuilding after losing a foundational piece to our family. The Day One app has been a serious tool in my grief journey. For that, I sincerely thank you guys.
Zach is an amazing person, we are thankful for his time to share his story and how he uses Day One. Check out his work on http://www.zachweismann.com.
