Not everyone likes to journal. Writing has always been a fun, creative outlet for me, which explains how I made a career out of it. But I’ve never consciously penned down my personal thoughts or considered it as a means to organise my mind and understand my emotions.
This year was extremely challenging for me, riddled with mental turmoil and several panic-induced breakdowns sprinkled throughout the year — thank God for therapy! However, there are some really deep, ugly, dark, and painful thoughts that you cannot voice out, even to an unbiased therapist who literally gets paid to help you navigate your mind non-judgmentally. Google’s Journal app, also known as Pixel Journal, helped me process those feelings, get them out of my system, and understand them better.
Why did I wait until reaching 28 years of age to start journaling as an emotional outlet? Well, it’s not the first time I’ve had a “diary” of sorts. At the very vulnerable age of seven, I had a precious fruit-scented diary with a lock and key. I remember excitedly scribbling in there, confessing my feelings and logging my emotions diligently for weeks. That was until my siblings got their hands on it and decided to read it out loud together, leaving me deeply humiliated. In retrospect, I placed way too much confidence in a cheap little locked diary from the dollar store. Then again, I was seven.
A phone is such a personal possession. We already keep so many of our most hidden thoughts and facets of our persona in there, whether it’s texts between besties or secretly locked folders of photos you want no one to have access to. It might even be something as silly as your internet search history, seriously lame music, or questionable e-books. A smartphone is already like a diary or a journal. It’s a trustworthy companion in life that won’t blab or snitch. And it’s password-protected!
So when I was setting up my Pixel 10 Pro and came across the Journal app, I finally felt comfortable enough to let go of some heavy burdens. Things that keep me up at night, old hurts that drive me insane at times, all of the things that my anxiety likes to mull over again and again, and the voices in my head that are too loud at times.
I was not expecting it to help us much as it did, but I am so glad I had the courage to start. It’s not like Pixel Journal is some magical app that made my problems disappear. I recognize that it’s not dramatically different from any mental health app I could have downloaded from the Play Store that lets you log specific dates, add pictures, or create lists. But the fact that it came pre-loaded in my phone and felt so seamlessly integrated with my phone’s UI really helped. Undeniably, though, the AI features did wonders for me.
What’s unique about the Google Pixel Journal app is the AI-powered prompts and summaries. They validate you, prompt you to think, and help you learn from your experiences. I’ve gotten very valuable feedback from the midnight rantings of my deranged, anxious mind. The Journal learns from your past logs and even gives you prompts based on past topics, helping you grow.
You can go back in time by looking at the built-in calendar and getting a sense of how you were feeling during a specific week or month. You can tag journal entries with emotions and topics. Things like the font type and color can be customized. The app is connected to your Google Photos and lets you add pictures, videos, locations, and even Health Connect info!
Apart from all these amazing features, I also love that the app is password-protected, which helps protect your privacy. All entries are backed up to your Google account, but all AI processing is done locally on the device. If you want to understand why on-device processing is important, I highly recommend this fantastic article written by my senior colleague, Jerry Hildenbrand. The gist is that none of the data you record is used to train AI models or for ads.
With 2026 inching forward, the dawn of a new year looms before us. As a chronic overthinker, overachiever, and over-planner, my anxiety peaks around this time of the year. Maybe because I’m so much more in tune with my thoughts, I don’t feel as scared this year.
I’m going to enter the new year with a handy mental wellness tool that helped me so much over the last two to three months of 2025. And as crazy or silly as it sounds, I’m really glad I treated myself to the Pixel 10 Pro, because it gave me the gift of Journal (and insanely good cameras that my friends envy). No, life has not gotten easier, nor have the decisions that I have to make. But having this emotional aide present with me at all times is a great source of comfort.
Thank you, Google, and a happy new year to all of you reading. I hope 2026 brings you peace, solace, self-actualization, and a ton of emotional wellness.
Journaling made easy
The Pixel Journal app is an excellent way to stay on top of your emotions and manage your mental wellness. Initially launched on the Pixel 10 series, Journal is just one of the numerous features that make the Google Pixel 10 Pro the best Android phone of 2025.