An Examined Life | Jamey Ice

One of the lessons I teach the girls on the way to school is about having an “examined life.”

I think it was Socrates who said, “An unexamined life is not worth living.”

What that means is we want to be the type of people who look critically at our days.

Did I show up the way I wanted to?

Did I act the way I wanted to act?

What did I learn?

How can I improve?

Most people don’t do this. Life just happens to them. They rarely stop to ask those questions.

Before they get out of the car, I make them say little mantras.

Yes, I’m that dad.

The mantras have all stemmed from lessons over the years.

One of those is, “I’m going to have an examined life.”

Admittedly funny watching a 7 and 10 year old say that every morning.

At night we circle back to it. How was your day? How do you feel like you showed up?

Back in 2014, Melissa and I started our own version of this.

Every year around New Year’s, we pull out this leather journal and reflect. Favorite memories. Hard moments. Hopes and prayers for the year ahead.

We’ve done it every year since.

That journal is one of my most prized possessions. If there was a fire, I’d grab it.

Twelve years of our life in one place.

Last year we brought the girls into it for the first time. They got bored halfway through.

This year was different.

Last day of Christmas break. Perfect weather. Packed a picnic and went to the lawn at the Kimbell.

The dog came because Rosie insisted.

We brought a Frisbee, which in the Ice family means throwing it in the general direction of people and hoping someone catches it.

Spoiler… it’s rarely caught.

We’re not very coordinated. But they thought it was fun.

We talked through 2025. Some great times. Some hard times.

Then they started dreaming about 2026.

Watching them reflect and dream was my favorite part.

We did a lot over Christmas break, but this was probably my favorite day.

Slow. Reflective. And a little all over the place (a 7 year old’s reflections and goals can be pretty funny).

Next step is what we always do—take their hopes and goals from the journal and make a poster for their playroom.

Sharing a few photos here because I don’t want to forget this one.