Write in the journal like nobody will read it. That includes the version of you who wants to look good.

Private writing still gets performed. You catch yourself phrasing things well, leaving out the part that makes you look small, arranging the day so it reads better than it went. That imaginary reader is you, and the version you write for them is the one you will remember later. An edited record is not much use for working out what is going on.

Try one entry where you write the sentence you would not want read aloud. No shaping, no explaining yourself. If that feels impossible, start with the plainest facts of the day and let the honest part show up on its own.