6 Months in Obsidian: Building a Second Brain That Works

What is Obsidian? A Beginner-Friendly Introduction to the Note-Taking App

If you’re like me and constantly juggling scattered ideas, to-do lists, random thoughts, and half-finished notes in different apps, Obsidian might be exactly what you’ve been missing.

Obsidian is a markdown-based note-taking app that runs locally on your device. It turns your plain text notes into something way more powerful. It becomes a system of connected thoughts, ideas, and knowledge that actually makes sense when you look back. A lot of people call it their second brain, and I get why.

So what makes it different from other tools like Notion or Evernote?

• It’s local-first and built for privacy. Your notes are saved on your own machine, not in the cloud.
• Everything is markdown. That means clean, fast, and future-proof. Your notes are just text files you can take anywhere.
• You can link notes together. There’s even a graph view to help you see how everything connects.
• The plugin system is crazy. You can customize almost every part of your workflow with community-built tools.
• It’s super flexible. Whether you’re journaling, building a knowledge base, or planning a project, you can shape Obsidian to work your way.

Before Obsidian, I had a ton of notes scattered across Notepad++ tabs. It worked, but I constantly had to search through filenames or remember what I named things. My code snippets, error logs, server configs, everything lived in its own little tab. But nothing talked to each other. Obsidian changed that. Now, my notes are linked, organized, and searchable in a way that feels natural.

It’s not just another note app. Obsidian became my thinking space. It’s my journal, my planner, and my creative workspace, all in one.

In the rest of this post, I’ll share what six months of using it has looked like. What worked, what didn’t, and how it helped me stay more focused, creative, and mentally clear.

Why I Chose Obsidian

Before Obsidian, my notes were a mess. At work, I had important info scattered across Notepad++ tabs, commands and training notes in OneNote, and all my personal stuff jammed into Apple Notes. I’d write things down with the best intentions, but when I actually needed something later, it was like searching for a needle in a haystack.

As someone with ADHD, that kind of mental load adds up fast. I’d often forget where I saved a specific note, or worse, I’d avoid even trying to find it. I’d open a new tab, and Google the answer again. Digging through mismatched notes across apps became was a huge mental block, especially when switching between work and personal contexts.

That’s what made Obsidian stand out. One app to rule them all!

I came across a few productivity YouTubers who were showing off their Obsidian setups, and I was hooked. The idea of creating a personal knowledge base, with linked notes, custom folder structures, and a system that actually evolves with you, clicked hard. It wasn’t just about taking notes, it was about building something for me that could grow and support the way I think and feel.

A few things really caught my attention:

• The ability to link notes together so ideas can connect naturally
• Flexible folder organization that matches how my brain works
• The daily notes feature, perfect for journaling, logging wins, or just unloading thoughts
• And that graph view! A visual map of your second brain that shows how everything is connected and grows over time.

It felt like a tool that could finally keep up with how I think, work, and learn. Not just another note-taking app, but something that could help me actually use what I write down.

How I Use Obsidian

My Daily Notes and Digital Journal

One of the ways I use Obsidian daily is through its daily notes feature, which has become my digital journal. Every day, I jot down quick highlights, moments that stood out, challenges I faced, thoughts I’m working through, and accomplishments I’m proud of. It’s also where I log episodes from shows that really moved me (with screenshots), and epic gaming moments I want to remember.

I also track key metrics like my workouts, running distance, and even habits. Obsidian gives me the space to reflect, process, and document my day. If I ever need to look back on a specific moment, whether for nostalgia, growth, or if my memory starts to fade, it’s all there. Clearly written. Easy to search.

My Second Brain

For work, my second brain in Obsidian is now my go-to system. I keep all my Linux troubleshooting notes, terminal commands, and config examples neatly organized in a way that makes sense to me. No more digging through old Notepad++ tabs or random folders to find that one command I know I’ve used before.

Obsidian also powers my personal knowledge base. I track my entire IMDb movie and TV watchlist, and with the Dataview and Base plugins, I can filter them like a real database. I can easily pull up shows I’m waiting on, or my list of “next to watch” titles. I’m also planning to bring in my game library, complete with screenshots, personal reviews, and metadata filtering. The possibilities are endless!

What Changed After 6 Months

Six months in, Obsidian is no longer just a notes app for me. It became a creative project, something I look forward to improving and customizing. My notes are organized, easy to find, and I’ve built workflows that actually support the way I think and work.

What surprised me the most? The massive library of community plugins. Obsidian’s plugin system gives you the tools to transform your vault into exactly what you need. There’s everything from Pomodoro timers, calendar views, folder icons, theme customization, and smart templates for automations.

You can turn your vault into a personalized workspace that’s beautiful, functional, and fully adapted to your brain.

It’s like having a digital command center for your life.

Challenges and What I’m Still Tweaking

Now, let’s be real. Obsidian isn’t always plug and play. I’ve spent plenty of time tweaking my setup, testing plugins, breaking things, and figuring out how to make my ideas work. Compared to other note-taking apps, Obsidian does have a steeper learning curve, especially when you want to customize everything. But that’s part of the fun for me at least 🤩

I’ve been experimenting with ways to automate my workout and run tracking. I’m also in the middle of building a gaming library inside Obsidian, complete with screenshots, personal ratings, and filters for genres and completion status.

If you’re someone who enjoys building systems or you love tinkering, Obsidian is a dream. But if you just want to take notes and move on, there are simpler apps out there.

Final Thoughts and Advice

I won’t pretend it’s always smooth. I’ve had moments of frustration when a plugin didn’t do what I expected, or when syncing between mobile and desktop gave me issues. But once I got through those learning curves, the payoff has been more than worth it for me.

I have only scratched the surface of what you can do with Obsidian, but if you:

• Struggle with scattered thoughts or ADHD
• Love organizing and being productive
• Want full control over your notes
• Enjoy systems, workflows, and customization

Then Obsidian might be exactly what you need!

You don’t need to be technical to get started with Obsidian. It's free and available on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. You can download it here: Download Obsidian. They have various paid features like Sync were you can have your Vault synced between your desktop and Mobile. I have my Vault synched between my Iphone, Ipad and Mac Studio.

I’d love to hear how you use Obsidian, what you’re building, or what you’re still figuring out. Let’s share ideas, solve problems together, and grow alongside this amazing tool.

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