How 2 Wee—Discover daily joy with the Quick Wee Journal

Little Hunterman's Quick Wee Journal lying on a desk next to pens

How to Use Your Quick Wee Journal: A Complete Guide

The Idea Behind the Journal

The Quick Wee Journal is based on the concept of the Five Minute Journal and was originally developed for personal use. It maintains the core idea: brief, daily moments of reflection help focus on what's essential. The key difference lies in the tone, structure, and approach.

In this journal, you'll be accompanied by Little Hunterman, a half-fictional terrier who represents a more down-to-earth and lighter approach to self-reflection. The journal offers an alternative for times when inspirational quotes and lofty goals might create more pressure than help.

From the Five Minute Journal to the Quick Wee Journal

The Five Minute Journal has developed a well-thought-out concept that has served many people well. Its structured approach to gratitude and self-reflection is proven.

The Quick Wee Journal is not intended as a replacement or improvement on the original, but rather as an alternative for certain life phases or personality types. It differs in several ways, including:

Instead of quotes from successful personalities: reflections and daily prompts from Little Hunterman's perspective, written in his "voice"
Humorous approach: While the original maintains a more serious, instructive tone, the Quick Wee Journal deliberately uses lightness and humorous observations from a naive dog's perspective to lower barriers and make self-reflection more accessible
Slight expansion: While the original poses 3 questions in the morning and 2 in the evening, the Quick Wee Journal offers 4 morning questions and 3 evening questions
Tracker: One of the evening questions functions as a special tracker with which you can follow a self-defined awareness focus
Index: The Quick Wee Journal includes a short index that can be filled in during a later review – this helps identify positive and negative behavior patterns as well as external influencing factors
Weekday indicators: The daily entries contain date and weekday information to identify possible patterns that might be connected to certain days of the week

use case image with Hunterman's journals while on the road: comparing covers

A Journalling buddy

The Special Role of Little Hunterman: Relatability, Lovability, Kindness, and Humor

What fundamentally distinguishes the Quick Wee Journal from the original is the perspective from which support is offered. While the Five Minute Journal works with quotes from recognized personalities – which can feel like help "from above" – Little Hunterman takes a completely different position.

He's "just" a small terrier trying to make sense of the human world. Intellectually, the reader is always several steps ahead of Hunterman. Yet this little dog, with his limited horizon, often accidentally hits the mark – similar to how children can intuitively recognize what's essential without being distracted by complexity.

This dynamic is deliberately chosen: Hunterman offers help "from below" rather than from above. He doesn't talk down to you. He looks up to you. In his presence, you feel neither threatened nor small. On the contrary – we meet a small, naive terrier who manages to overcome dark inner situations. If he can do it, then we too (even on bad days) possess the necessary potential to at least keep our head above water. A comforting and helpful realization.

Hunterman conveys an unpretentious form of hope and motivation. Like a small dog who knows the way home and confidently pulls his hesitant humans along on the leash, he playfully leads us forward. This support from the position of the smaller one feels inviting rather than instructive and is therefore often more readily accepted than well-intentioned advice from a position of authority.

More About Little Hunterman

A wise doggie quote inside Hunterman's Quick Wee Journal

THE TONE

Humor as a Key Element

A key feature of the Quick Wee Journal is its humorous undertone. While many self-reflection tools approach existential questions with great seriousness, this journal deliberately chooses a lighter path.

Little Hunterman's perspective, through his naive, sometimes exuberant "terrier language," repeatedly creates moments that make you smile. His view of the human world – characterized by partial understanding and accidental wisdom – resembles the way children often inadvertently speak profound truths through their innocent observations.

This humorous layer serves several important functions: it lowers the threshold for self-reflection, defuses emotionally challenging topics, and creates a space where imperfection is not just allowed but welcome. If even a small dog with his limited abilities can master life, it takes away the pressure to be perfect.

Even the designation of the daily entries as "Wees" – a playful allusion to brief, natural moments of canine focus – underscores the light-hearted approach of the journal. This wording is also reflected in the accompanying illustrations and reinforces the consistent, tongue-in-cheek character of the entire concept.

Humor here isn't just for entertainment but is a central tool to strengthen the supportive position "from the smaller one's perspective." It breaks down barriers that often arise when we're asked to confront our thoughts and feelings. Research shows that humorous approaches in self-help reduce stress and increase willingness to open up to more difficult topics.

How Your Quick Wee Journal Works

The Two Daily Check-ins

The journal is based on two short daily reflection units, each taking only a few minutes.

Little Hunterman's Quick Wee Jounral - Morning Entry

3 prompts

In the Morning

The morning check-in helps you start the day with intention. Here you take a brief moment to:

Notice what already feels good. These can be very simple things: the warmth of your blanket, the smell of freshly brewed coffee, or the silence before the hustle of the day. This awareness creates a positive starting point.
Recognize potential bright spots in the coming day. Perhaps you're looking forward to a particular lunch, a brief conversation with a colleague, or the afternoon walk with your dog. This anticipation gives the day structure and positive expectation.
Choose what deserves special attention today. This isn't about your to-do list, but rather about what truly matters to you today. Perhaps you want to be especially present during dinner with family or take time for a quiet moment by the window.
Set easily achievable goals. Unlike classic productivity methods, this isn't about peak performance, but about small steps that are doable and bring joy. "Today I will sit in the sun for five minutes" can be a completely sufficient goal.

Little Hunterman's Quick Wee Jounral - Evening Entry

4 Prompts

In the Evening

The evening check-in offers a moment of reflection and closure. Here you take a short time to:

Record what went well. Regardless of how the day went, there were certainly moments worth noting – be it a stranger's smile, a successful conversation, or simply the fact that you persevered.
Identify unexpected bright spots. Often it's the unplanned moments that especially enrich us – the chance encounter in the park, the surprisingly beautiful sunset, or the spontaneous call from a friend. Noting these sharpens your eye for the unexpected.
Track your awareness focus. This special question functions as a tracker for a self-chosen focus area. Here you can record how you fared with your personal focus topic – be it more presence in conversation, more mindful eating, or attentive perception of nature.

The (Symbolical) Life Priority Focus Tracker: Aiming to Prolong What Matters

This little (symbolical) tracker is special. While the daily prompts help you notice moments of joy and gratitude, this tracker is about actively creating and expanding meaningful moments. It's not about looking back – it's about living forward.

You don't need to record precise numbers of hours. You do not need a stopwatch. This is more about focusing on something that matters to you and trying to stay attentive.

You can choose a daily focus – something where you want to be fully present and savor completely. It could be a specific focus over several days, like conscious time with someone important to you. Or it could be something different each day – the quiet morning today, the museum visit tomorrow. The choice is yours and can change depending on your life phase.

The hour notations in the tracker are not productivity measurements. They symbolize the conscious lingering in precious moments, the altered sense of time when we are truly present, and the space we give to what's essential in our lives.

Identification
Direct your attention to identify what truly matters to you right now. The tracker helps you become conscious of your current priorities - whether it's connecting with aging parents, witnessing your child's fleeting moments, or simply finding quiet time with a book. This awareness is the essential first step. (→ Identification)
Intention
Transform awareness into deliberate action. Once you've identified what matters, the tracker encourages you to consciously create space for these priorities in your schedule. It bridges the gap between recognizing importance and actually dedicating time to it - something that often gets lost in the hustle of everyday life. (→ Intention)
Agency
Put you in control of your focus, not just your reflection. Instead of merely being grateful afterward for whatever happened by chance, the tracker reminds you that you have control over how much time and attention you give to what matters most. It shifts you from passive observer to active architect of your meaningful moments. (→Agency)

Little Hunterman's QUICK WEE Journal quick index page

The Review Index

A special feature of the Quick Wee Journal is the short index intended for later review. After completing the journal, you can make notes here about:

Positive behavior patterns you've noticed
Challenges or negative patterns you've been able to recognize
External and internal factors that have influenced your well-being
Weekdays on which certain patterns occurred more frequently

This review allows you to learn from your collected entries and more consciously perceive what's good for you and what isn't. It's like a gentle guide for future decisions.

use case image with Hunterman's journals while on sitting on a bench

Who This Journal Is Especially Helpful For

The Quick Wee Journal can be particularly valuable for:

People who sometimes feel overwhelmed by self-improvement methods. When classic approaches create too much pressure, this journal offers a gentler entry into daily reflection.
Dog owners and animal lovers who appreciate the carefree and present view their four-legged friends have of the world. Little Hunterman's perspective reminds us of this special way of perceiving.
People in particularly stressful life phases who need a moment to breathe. In times of overwhelming pressure, a lighter approach can sometimes be more accessible than profound reflections.
Individuals who want to start where they are, without the expectation of immediately changing everything. The journal accepts your current state as a starting point.
People for whom perception is more important than achievement. If you feel you've lost touch with the simple joys of life, this journal can help you rediscover them.

use case image with Hunterman's journals while on a ferry crossing the Channel

What Happens Over Time

With regular use of the journal, you'll likely notice some changes:

Your eye for the small joys of everyday life sharpens. What previously went unnoticed suddenly becomes a source of joy – the perfect foam on your cappuccino, the special light in the late afternoon, or the pleasant coolness of a rainy day.

Recognizing things that bring you joy becomes a habit. Your brain trains itself to perceive positive aspects more quickly – not out of compulsion toward positivity, but from practiced attention.

Your focus on what's essential becomes clearer. Over time, you'll recognize patterns in the things that really matter to you. This insight can help you make more conscious decisions about your time and energy.

Your appreciation for simple things deepens. What might initially seem superficial – the joy of a cup of tea or a comfortable chair – gains depth when you regularly acknowledge these moments and thereby experience them more intensely.

When leafing through old journals, you may be surprised at how many beautiful moments you would otherwise have forgotten. This collection becomes a treasure that can give you confidence even in difficult times.

Important Note

Self-reflection through journaling can be a valuable tool for personal well-being, but it also has its limits. A journal is not a substitute for professional support. With persistent feelings of overwhelm, deep dejection, or psychological distress, it's important to reach out to qualified professionals. Just as dogs sometimes need to see the vet, our souls occasionally need professional help too. This isn't a sign of weakness, but an act of self-care. Your well-being deserves the best possible support. And sometimes we repeatedly stumble over blind spots in our lives that are best and most quickly recognized from the outside.

Common Challenges: Quick Wee Journal

Little Hunterman's QUICK WEE Journal wee resniff information page

"Nothing special happened today."

This journal is made exactly for such days! It helps you discover the special in the seemingly ordinary. The morning coffee, the sunlight through the curtains, the softness of your sweater – all deserve attention. Often it's precisely these everyday things that, in retrospect, form the fabric of a fulfilled life.

"I keep writing the same things."

That's completely fine and even insightful. If your morning coffee makes you happy day after day, that's a valuable insight into your personal sources of joy. The fact that certain things consistently bring us joy is quite remarkable and shows what we should cultivate in our lives.

These repetitions can also be an indication of what really counts in your life – the reliable anchors in everyday life that give you stability. They're like the familiar paths your dog explores with enthusiasm on every walk.

"I missed my morning/evening check-in."

No problem! One of the basic principles of this journal is the absence of perfectionism pressure. Don't try to catch up or feel bad about it. Simply start again at the next regular time.

The journal is an offering to yourself, not another item on your to-do list that causes stress. Similar to how your dog isn't resentful when you don't have time to play once, the journal also forgives a missed session.

"I can't find anything to be grateful for right now."

That's completely okay and human. There are days when life simply feels heavy. In such moments, it can help to start with the smallest, most basic things: that the sun rose, that your pen works, that dogs exist.

Sometimes "I made it through today" is the most legitimate reason for gratitude. Acknowledging this isn't a defeat but an act of self-care and honesty.

"My priorities tracker remains empty."

This too is valuable information. Perhaps your priority today is simply to survive the day – and that's completely sufficient. Or it's a sign that you need a break to reconnect with what's important to you.

An empty tracker can be a gentle indication that you might be stuck in a mode of functioning rather than living. Recognizing this is the first step to bringing more meaning back into your everyday life.

"I feel pressured to write profound things."

This pressure is exactly what the Quick Wee Journal aims to avoid. "My coffee was hot" is a completely sufficient reason for gratitude. Not every entry needs to be life-changing or philosophically profound.

True depth doesn't come from great individual entries, but through the continuity of aware practice – through regularly pausing and perceiving, no matter how small or everyday the observation may seem.

"I Need to Write On-The-Go / My Dog's Morning Schedule Comes First"

I get it, you need flexibility in your everyday life.

One of the strengths of the Quick Wee Journal is its adaptability to different life circumstances and rhythms. It adapts to your life, not the other way around.

This could mean:

A morning session in your favorite café after walking your dog. While your furry friend rests under the table, you take five minutes for your morning check-in.
An evening reflection on a park bench at sunset. After a long workday, you can use the last rays of sunshine to pause briefly and review the day.
Quick notes during your commute or lunch break. The journal is small enough to take everywhere, and the entries are short enough to complete in small windows of time.
Check-ins wherever life takes you – from riverbanks to train journeys, from waiting rooms to hotel rooms while traveling.

The compact size makes the journal an ideal companion – whether at home, traveling, or in the hectic everyday.

how to archive your Little Hunterman Journals (the easy way)

What to Do with Completed Journals?

If you use the journal regularly, you'll eventually have a collection of filled volumes. This collection is a treasure worth preserving – a chronicle of the small and large moments that make up your life.

You could:

Keep them together with a rubber band and label them with the date range. This simple archiving method helps you easily find specific life phases later.
Add notes about special events. A small note as a bookmark for special days or extraordinary moments can make them easier to find later.
Add simple markers for favorite moments. Small colored sticky notes or corners can help you quickly find particularly valuable entries.
Keep them within reach, not stored away in boxes in the attic. Unlike some mementos, these journals gain value when you regularly flip through them and relive the captured moments.

use case image with Hunterman's journals while on the road

Your collected journals help you:

Recognize what reliably makes you happy. Over time, patterns become visible – the recurring sources of joy that you might want to integrate more consciously into your life.
Discover patterns and consciously build on them. You might find that certain people, places, or activities appear particularly often in your positive entries.
Find encouragement when you need it. On difficult days, looking back at earlier journals can be a powerful reminder that good moments will return.
Reconnect with what matters to you. Sometimes we lose sight of our actual priorities in everyday life. The journals can be like a compass that helps you find your way back.

In Conclusion

The Quick Wee Journal isn't meant to create additional pressure. It simply invites you to pause briefly twice daily – like the punctual breathers during a long hike: brief, beneficial, and making the rest of the journey all the more pleasant.

It's about:

Noticing the good things (even the seemingly insignificant ones)
Maintaining perspective on what's essential, in a relaxed and humorous way
Ending the day on a positive note

The Quick Wee Journal, with Little Hunterman as a companion, offers a somewhat different path to daily reflection – a more humorous path that is sometimes easier to walk, especially when life seems challenging.