50 Prompts for Journaling

50 Prompts to help with Journaling:

If you are having trouble getting started journaling, journaling prompts can be useful.  The list of below prompts are grouped into several categories (Self-reflection, Best version of yourself, Work and Career, personal growth, etc).  These prompts help you get clarity and explore your dreams and develop actions to be the best version of yourself.

Also, check out the blog post on getting started journaling.

If you have journaling prompts that are helpful please share with others in the comments below.

Self-reflection

Some ideas to explore include:

1. What three things would you most like others (loved ones, potential friends and partners, professional acquaintances, etc.) to know about you?
2. Describe yourself using the first 10 words that come to mind. List 10 words that you’d like to use to describe yourself. What ways can you transform those descriptions into reality?
3. Finish the sentence: “My life would be incomplete without …”
4. Describe one or two life events that helped shape you into who you are today.
5. What five (5) changes can you make to live according to your values?
6. What values do you consider most important in life (honesty, justice, altruism, loyalty, etc.)? Do your actions align with those values, if so, how?
7. List three beliefs you’re willing to reconsider or further explore.
8. What do you most appreciate about your personality? What aspects do you find hard to accept about your personality?
9. What opinion or few opinions have you held in the past but now question or have changed. What was the reason for the change in opinion?
10. When do you trust yourself most? When do you find it harder to have faith in your instincts?

Best version of yourself:

Here are some prompts to try:

1. How do you prioritize self-care?
2. List 10 things that inspire or motivate you.
3. What aspects of your life are you most grateful for?
4. What are your favorite hobbies? Why?
5. What ways do you show yourself kindness and compassion each day?
6. Describe two or three ways you relax.
7. List three things that help you stay present in your daily routines. Then, list three ways to help boost mindfulness in your life.
8. What three things bring you the most joy daily?
9. Describe your favorite thing to do when feeling low.
10. What place makes you feel most peaceful? Describe that place using all five senses.

Personal growth:

Try these prompts to explore your dreams and outline potential paths toward change:

1. How do you make time for yourself each day?
2. Do your goals truly reflect your desires? Or do they reflect what someone else (a parent, partner, friend, etc.) wants for you?
3. What do you most want to accomplish in life?
4. Identify one area you’d like to improve. List three specific actions you can take to create that change.
5. List three important goals. How do they match up to your goals from 5 years ago?
6. List three issues lying in the way of your contentment or happiness. Then, list two potential solutions to begin overcoming each obstacle.
7. What three things would you share with your teenage self? What three questions would you want to ask an older version of yourself?
8. What helps you stay focused and motivated when you feel discouraged?
9. What do you look forward to most in the future?
10. What parts of life surprised you most? What turned out the way you expected it would?

Unwelcomed emotions

These prompts can help you explore challenging emotions productively:

1. What three self-defeating thoughts show up in your self-talk? How can you reframe them to encourage yourself instead?
2. What go-to coping strategies help you get through moments of emotional or physical pain?
3. What difficult thoughts or emotions come up most frequently for you?
4. Who do you trust with your most painful and upsetting feelings? How can you connect with them when feeling low?
5. What parts of daily life cause stress, frustration, or sadness? What can you do to change those experiences?
6. What do you fear most? Have your fears changed throughout life?
7. Describe a choice you regret. What did you learn from it?
8. Which emotions do you find hardest to accept (guilt, anger, disappointment, etc.)? How do you handle these emotions?
9. What are three things that can instantly disrupt a good mood and bring you down? What strategies do you use to counter these effects?

Note: If writing about painful emotions makes you feel even worse, there’s no need to push yourself. It may help to establish a regular journaling habit before you turn to more challenging topics.

Work and career

Here are some prompts to consider:

1. Does your work drain or overwhelm you? Why? Is this something you can change?
2. How do you use your personal strengths and abilities at work?
3. What are your career ambitions?
4. What three things can help you begin working to accomplish those goals?
5. Do you see yourself in the same job in 10 years?
6. How does work fulfill you? Does it leave you wanting more?
7. What can you do to improve your work performance?
8. What about your work feels real, necessary, or important to you?
9. How do your co-workers and supervisors recognize your strengths?
10. What part of your workday do you most enjoy?
11. What does your work teach you? Does it offer continued opportunities for learning and growth?