

Maybe the iOS 17 developers anticipated this and taught the on-device machine-learning model how to interpret complex context clues. The Journal app isn’t out of beta yet, and it’s entirely possible that the final version will include tools that grant users a bigger say in how this app can best work for them. Right now, my concerns are solely based on my previous experiences with Memories and other “On This Day” features from social media and journaling apps. In my experience, it comes from sitting with your worst moments and practicing how to reframe that ugliness into a lesson you can learn from. But even if it wasn’t great, at least Sarah was with me.” The thing about cultivating gratitude is it doesn’t only come from commemorating or reliving happy times. I wish the conditions had been better, but thems the breaks. Things mellowed out around 7AM, though, and hey, I got one or two good waves in. When Sarah picked me up around 5AM, the waves were choppy, and I just kept wiping out. Usually when that happens I have a great day on the water, but today wasn’t my day. It’d be surprising (though, in my opinion, comforting) if the example above said, “I dreamed about surfing last night.

The problem is it gives the app a phony air - and inauthenticity is poison to any kind of journaling.

No one wants to dwell on sad or unpleasant things. It doesn’t help that all the Journal app screenshots Apple provided only feature Pollyanna-ish entries.
