Self-awareness is one of the most important skills we can build, linked to varied outcomes like preventing burnout, improving psychological well-being, and supporting physical health. Yet no one ever teaches us exactly how to build it.

One of the biggest barriers to self-awareness: we lack a zoomed-out perspective on our lives. Without this, it's incredibly difficult to notice patterns and identify issues; and without that, it's incredibly difficult to make wise decisions to address them.

That's why we're sharing the New Happy Daily tracker: it's a blank version of this artwork, along with a comprehensive guide on how to use it, that you can use to track the patterns in your own life.

Here's how to use it. Decide what you'd like to track (I suggest either your emotions or your experiences, and there are templates for both!) and choose a color for each item. Every day, fill in the corresponding dot on the chart. Use it as a daily moment to pause and reflect, a ritual that helps you to be honest with yourself.

As the days pass, you'll start to identify trends. You'll be able to answer questions like:

"Which experiences tend to make me happiest? "Which experiences tend to make me sad or lonely or angry?" "What do I need more of in my life?" "How are my daily choices contributing to how I'm feeling?"

It's a simple but powerful way for you to check in with yourself — a choice that will, day by day, build your self-awareness.