A dear friend sends a link to "Optimism Apps", little programs that help track one's subjective-emotional state in various dimensions over time and correlate that with sleep, diet, exercise, meditation, therapy, medication, and diverse other parameters. Fascinating — and even more so when the words "self improvement" pop up in the FAQs:

The Optimism apps were originally developed as electronic mood charts. Mood charts have long been recommended by psychiatrists and therapists, for their clients to use in monitoring their mental health. Traditionally they have been used by people with a mood disorder, like depression and bipolar disorder.

Our experience is that Optimism is used much more widely. The second most common use is for self-help or self improvement. They are also commonly used for PTSD and other anxiety disorders, ADHD, and a range of physical illnesses.

... and as a self-improvement junkie I must start experimenting! The idea of self-monitoring also brings to mind elements of a couple of classic science-fiction stories that have rattled around inside the old noggin for decades now:

• emo-monitors - Howard L. Myers, writing as "Verge Foray", in science-fiction stories published ~1970 in Analog described devices called "emo-monitors" that sensed and displayed characters' emotional states
• scanners - Paul Linebarger, writing as "Cordwainer Smith", in his 1950 sf story "Scanners Live in Vain" described neurally modified characters who had to constantly, deliberately monitor their vital body functions to stay alive

... different spins on the notion of making self-awareness explicit.

(cf. Rereading Cordwainer Smith (2012-06-16), ...) - ^z - 2013-07-25