- Journal Prompts
Journal Writing Prompts
What are journal prompts.
Have you ever had a feeling that you want to write something in a journal but don’t know where to start? Journal prompts, also known as writing prompts, are journaling ideas that help you to focus on what to write. Using journal prompts give you a clearer direction before you start writing!
Finding your Perfect Journal Prompts
Choose whatever works for you: word, phrase, quote, photo. You can find prompts in the Coach section of the Journey app. But if you’re stuck, we'll provide a list of journal prompts you need below! The following journal prompts are designed to help you clarify your thoughts, perspective, and desires. You’re sure to find a writing prompt here that will spark your imagination and get your words flowing.
Journal Prompts Examples
Some suggestions below are a series of examples to start off your first entry!
Write about yourself
- What brings you joy?
- Describe a place where you felt happiest.
- What was your greatest fear, and how did you conquer it?
- Write a letter to someone that you always want to thank but have never had the chance to do so.
- What is something that you would like to change about yourself? How can you change it?
Write about the daydream that you had
- Describe your dream job/partner/house.
- Where’s one place that you’d like to visit, and how do you imagine your time there?
- If you are granted a wish, what would you wish for and why?
- If you are a superhero, what superpower would you like to have and how would you use it?
Write about the present
- Write a letter to someone that you care about to tell them how you feel.
- Reflect and write letters to yourself with constructive feedback to improve yourself.
- Write about the people around you to describe what they are like, and what are your views about their actions etc.
- You can also record voice memos if you feel more comfortable to say those feelings out before writing them down!
Write about the future
- List down a bucket list with the things that you have always wanted to do.
- Where do you see yourself in the next 1, 3, 5, 10 years from now?
- What is something that you would like to achieve? How do you plan on reaching your goal(s)?
- How could you make someone you care about feel better if he/she just lost something important to them?
With Journey , all journals written are kept private and secure, so you can write about anything that concerns you, and you would like to reflect on.
Over 100,000 5-star reviews
Get access to your diary wherever you are – download the free Journey app for your all of your iOS and Android devices today!
- What is a Journal?
- Journal Entries
- Journaling Benefits
- Journal Types
- How to Start and Write a Journal
- What is Diary?
- What are Diary Entries?
- How to Start and Write a Diary
- Diary Types
- Diary Software
- Digital Diary Guide
- Diary Templates
Focus on the positive things in your live.
Write one line a day for the next five years.
A bible journal is one that holds your thoughts and reflections after a religion class and feelings that concerns life.
Record your dreams on a regular basis and keep track of the dream's themes and patterns.
Document your adventures, road trips, places that you have visited, and discoveries that you made along the way.
A self-reflective journal helps you to create your life with intention.
Write a personalized experience of your pregnancy journey.
Equip yourself with on a journey towards improving your sleep
Keep a log of all your daily meals to ensure a balanced nature diet.
Streams of consciousness writing done first thing in the morning.
A way to organize your time and your life
Create your own faithful digital planning companion
Find the planner for you
Make every week your best week
Start your digital journal - download Journey app today!
- Free courses
- How to write a story
- How to write a novel
- How to write poetry
- How to write a script
- How to write a memoir
- How to write a mystery
- Creative journaling
- Publishing advice
- Story starters
- Poetry prompts
- For teachers
- Writer's shop
Journal Prompts: You, Your Life, Your Dreams
On this page, you'll find journal prompts for writing about yourself and your unique perspective. At the bottom of this page are links to more journal writing prompts on different subjects.
Journal prompts - all about you
- What kind of day are you having, and why?
- What's your favorite color, place, food, book, song, or movie, and why?
- What do you like to do? How does it make you feel?
- Where are you happiest? Describe that place.
- What's something you're good at? What makes you good at it?
- What do you consider to be your culture, and how do you feel about it?
- What would you change about yourself or your life? Is there a way for you to change it?
- What is your relationship like with various members of your family?
- If you have brothers or sisters, how are you similar to them or different from them? What about with your friends?
- What are your views on religion?
- What keeps you up at night worrying? Are your worries realistic? Is there anything you can do about them?
- Do you have a philosophy of life? If so, what is it? If not, what is your method for making important decisions?
- In what areas are you optimistic, and in what areas are you pessimistic?
- What are your most prized possessions?
- Who is someone you miss?
- What is something someone else has that you envy? Describe it and your feelings about it.
- What is a book, movie, song, or television program that has influenced you, and how?
- What is a mistake people often make about you?
- What's something you disagree with about the way you were raised?
- What's your favorite: season, color, place, or food? Describe it.
Journal prompts - daydreams
- Describe your dream: job, man/woman, house.
- How would you like your life to be when you're older?
- What would be the guest list at your dream party? What would the various guests talk about?
- What magic power would you like to have? How would you use it? What would it feel like?
- If you won the lottery, what would you do?
- What's a country you'd like to visit? How do you imagine your time there?
Get journal ideas for writing about your memories .
Get descriptive writing prompts and tips on writing powerful descriptions .
Find out how to keep a writing journal for your poetry and fiction writing .
See a list of all Creative Writing Now pages on how to keep a journal .
Join our online course on memoir writing. << BACK from Journal Prompts to Creative Writing Now Home
"Both courses I have taken have with Creative Writing Now have been amazing. Each time I have learned something new. The one thing I love, you take everything apart and give examples." - Katlen Skye
"There is so much to learn, and had I not done this course my writing would still be at the starting gate." - Josephine Webster
"I really have learned many things that have changed the way I think about writing. I've taken many college, even Masters level writing courses, and must tell you that I have learned much more from your courses than I have from any of those classroom courses." - Prue Prentice
"This course is amazing – definitely the most beneficial class that I have taken." - Kimberly Daroogar
"Thank you for all the material in this course. I have learnt so much." - Jacqueline Tasik
"I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the lessons and feel they were very helpful in introducing new ideas and perspectives to my writing. I am sure I will go back frequently to review them for reference during many of my future writing projects. Thanks again!" - Jenny Jacks
"Thanks very much for this course. It's been really helpful and well-explained. I look forward to any more courses you run." - Robin Gott
"I'm learning so much. This course is amazing." - Karl Tobar
"Thank you so much!! You're always there... The course is great. You are always looking forward to the next lesson like a good novel!!!" - Nuria Alberti
"Thank you for a course that builds writing skills with direction to excellence. Everything was included, possibly more than college courses can offer." - Janett Lee Wawrzyniak
"Must say I'm SOO glad I opted into this class, it's been eye-opening on many levels." - Courtenay Schurman
"I will add the comment that I love this course, I have taken it several times. The first time I took it was after a time I had stopped writing for several years, and the course really re-ignited my writing spirit!" - Mary Ellen Hancock
"This was the best course I’ve taken. It allowed me to enjoy the experience of writing." - Jeff Killian
© 2009-2023 William Victor, S.L., All Rights Reserved.
Terms - Privacy - Returns & Cancellations - Affiliate Disclosure
- Anxiety Disorder
- Bipolar Disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Adjustment Disorder
- Agoraphobia
- Antisocial Personality Disorder
- Borderline Personality Disorder
- Childhood ADHD
- Dissociative Identity Disorder
- Narcissistic Personality Disorder
- Oppositional Defiant Disorder
- Panic Attack
- Postpartum Depression
- Schizoaffective Disorder
- Seasonal Affective Disorder
- Sex Addiction
- Social Anxiety
- Specific Phobias
- Teenage Depression
- Black Mental Health
- Emotional Health
- Sex & Relationships
- Understanding Therapy
- Workplace Mental Health
- My Life with OCD
- Caregivers Chronicles
- Empathy at Work
- Sex, Love & All of the Above
- Parent Central
- Mindful Moment
- Mental Health News
- Live Town Hall: Mental Health in Focus
- Inside Mental Health
- Inside Schizophrenia
- Inside Bipolar
- ADHD Symptoms Quiz
- Anxiety Symptoms Quiz
- Autism Quiz: Family & Friends
- Autism Symptoms Quiz
- Bipolar Disorder Quiz
- Borderline Personality Test
- Childhood ADHD Quiz
- Depression Symptoms Quiz
- Eating Disorder Quiz
- Narcissim Symptoms Test
- OCD Symptoms Quiz
- Psychopathy Test
- PTSD Symptoms Quiz
- Schizophrenia Quiz
- Attachment Style Quiz
- Career Test
- Do I Need Therapy Quiz?
- Domestic Violence Screening Quiz
- Emotional Type Quiz
- Loneliness Quiz
- Parenting Style Quiz
- Personality Test
- Relationship Quiz
- Stress Test
- What's Your Sleep Like?
- Find Support
- Suicide Prevention
- Drugs & Medications
- Find a Therapist
Ready, Set, Journal! 64 Journaling Prompts for Self-Discovery
Your journal creates an opportunity to reconnect with yourself and explore difficult emotions.
Many people keep a journal in their teenage years, either by choice or due to a school assignment. Perhaps it’s been years since you’ve considered putting pen to paper and expressing your thoughts and dreams. But journaling can have benefits for anyone at any stage of life.
For centuries, people around the world have turned to journals as trusted friends.
Reflecting on daily experiences, relationships, and personal values can help you get in better touch with your thoughts and feelings. It can lead to greater peace of mind .
“I can shake off everything if I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn,” wrote Anne Frank, who kept a now-famous account of her daily life and dreams for the future while in hiding during the Holocaust.
A journal also offers a safe space to express difficult emotions, making it easier to work through distressing thoughts that you might struggle to share out loud.
Are you interested in giving journaling a try? Do you feel a bit stuck when it comes to getting started? Try the 64 prompts below to kick-start your creativity and write your way toward well-being.
How to use journal prompts
You can certainly learn more about yourself by reviewing what you do each day, but journaling often goes beyond keeping a log of daily events.
Journal prompts offer specific themes and topics to reflect on, which can be helpful when you:
- want to make writing a habit but never know what to write about
- have a lot of conflicting thoughts to sort through
- feel as if you could write all day and want help narrowing your focus
Some prompts can even help you collect your thoughts on a recent conflict with a friend or partner. For example, writing about specific relationship challenges can help you get more clarity on your emotional needs and how to make sure they’re met.
Journaling generally proves most helpful when you do it regularly, though you don’t necessarily need to write every single day. If you’re short on time, you might aim for 3 days each week and pick one prompt to write about each day.
Evidence-backed benefits of journaling
In a small 2020 study , mothers of children with emotional or behavioral concerns wrote in a journal three times a week for 6 weeks. The results suggest that keeping a journal led to more optimism and gratitude , both of which can boost well-being.
A 2018 study suggests that writing about positive experiences for just 15 minutes a day three times a week may help ease feelings of anxiety and stress and boost resilience.
Research from 2002 suggests that when your writing focuses on exploring and making sense of what happened, writing about a traumatic or stressful experience can help you heal and recover. Although expressing your emotions also has value, writing only about distressing emotions may not offer the same benefits.
Journal prompts for self-discovery and self-reflection
We’ve organized these prompts into categories that focus on relationships, emotions, how you feel about work, and more.
Love and relationships
Having strong, supportive relationships can help improve overall well-being, protect against mental health concerns like depression , and boost resilience , which refers to your ability to weather life’s many challenges.
Writing about relationships with loved ones provides the opportunity to:
- explore the ways these bonds strengthen you
- express your gratitude for loved ones
- recognize when relationships no longer serve you
- explore what you want out of future relationships
Consider giving these prompts a try:
- Who do you trust most? Why?
- What are your strengths in relationships (kindness, empathy, etc.)?
- How do you draw strength from loved ones?
- What do you value most in relationships (trust, respect, sense of humor, etc.)?
- What three important things have you learned from previous relationships?
- What five traits do you value most in potential partners?
- How do you show compassion to others? How can you extend that same compassion to yourself?
- What are three things working well in your current relationship? What are three things that could be better?
- What boundaries could you set in your relationships to safeguard your own well-being?
- What do you most want your children (or future children) to learn from you?
- How can you better support and appreciate your loved ones?
- What does love mean to you? How do you recognize it in a relationship?
- List three things you’d like to tell a friend, family member, or partner.
Work and career
If you work full-time, you spend the majority of your waking hours on the job. That makes your career a pretty significant part of your life.
Having a fulfilling job can promote a sense of purpose and satisfaction with life. On the other hand, having a job that demands too much of you or fails to utilize your unique talents can wear you down and lead to burnout.
Taking some time to explore your current career can help highlight what you enjoy about your job and when it might be time to pursue a change.
Here are some prompts to consider:
- How do you use your personal strengths and abilities at work?
- How do your co-workers and supervisors recognize your strengths?
- How does work fulfill you? Does it leave you wanting more?
- What part of your workday do you most enjoy?
- What about your work feels real, necessary, or important to you?
- Do you see yourself in the same job in 10 years?
- What are your career ambitions?
- What three things can help you begin working to accomplish those goals?
- What can you do to improve your work performance?
- What does your work teach you? Does it offer continued opportunities for learning and growth?
- Does your work drain or overwhelm you? Why? Is this something you can change?
Self-reflection
Exploring your values, opinions, and personality traits in writing can teach you more about who you are as a person.
This in-depth reflection can strengthen not just the relationship you have with yourself, but also the connections you build with others.
Some ideas to explore include:
- What values do you consider most important in life (honesty, justice, altruism, loyalty, etc.)? How do your actions align with those values?
- What three changes can you make to live according to your personal values?
- Describe yourself using the first 10 words that come to mind. Then, list 10 words that you’d like to use to describe yourself. List a few ways to transform those descriptions into reality.
- What do you appreciate most about your personality? What aspects do you find harder to accept?
- Explore an opinion or two that you held in the past but have since questioned or changed. What led you to change that opinion?
- List three personal beliefs that you’re willing to reconsider or further explore.
- Finish this sentence: “My life would be incomplete without …”
- Describe one or two significant life events that helped shape you into who you are today.
- When do you trust yourself most? When do you find it harder to have faith in your instincts?
- What three things would you most like others (loved ones, potential friends and partners, professional acquaintances, etc.) to know about you?
Uncomfortable emotions
Journaling can help you express and begin to navigate difficult and painful emotions. That’s part of what makes it such a valuable exercise.
Burying unwanted emotions and thoughts can seem helpful at first. Pushing those feelings away means you avoid the pain and discomfort they cause, right?
Not always. In reality, avoiding emotional distress can intensify it . That pain lies dormant below the surface of your everyday thoughts until you can’t keep it back any longer. When it finally comes bubbling up, it may feel more overwhelming than it did originally.
These prompts can help you explore and process challenging emotions productively:
- What difficult thoughts or emotions come up most frequently for you?
- Which emotions do you find hardest to accept (guilt, anger, disappointment, etc.)? How do you handle these emotions?
- Describe a choice you regret. What did you learn from it?
- What parts of daily life cause stress, frustration, or sadness? What can you do to change those experiences?
- What are three things that can instantly disrupt a good mood and bring you down? What strategies do you use to counter these effects?
- What are three self-defeating thoughts that show up in your self-talk? How can you reframe them to encourage yourself instead?
- What go-to coping strategies help you get through moments of emotional or physical pain?
- Who do you trust with your most painful and upsetting feelings? How can you connect with them when feeling low?
- What do you fear most? Have your fears changed throughout life?
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.
Living your best life
Writing about the little things that add meaning to daily life makes it easier to notice just how much they boost your mood and overall well-being.
Recognizing what you enjoy most about life reminds you to keep making time for those things. It can also promote feelings of gratitude and contentment, as exploring what you love about life can help you realize that you may already have much of what you desire.
Here are some prompts to try:
- Describe your favorite thing to do when feeling low.
- What three ordinary things bring you the most joy?
- List three strategies that help you stay present in your daily routines. Then, list three strategies to help boost mindfulness in your life.
- How do you prioritize self-care?
- Describe two or three things you do to relax.
- What aspects of your life are you most grateful for?
- How do you show yourself kindness and compassion each day?
- Write a short love letter to some object or place that makes you happy.
- What place makes you feel most peaceful? Describe that place using all five senses.
- List 10 things that inspire or motivate you.
- What are your favorite hobbies? Why?
Personal growth and life goals
Getting in touch with who you are now doesn’t just help you recognize key strengths and values. It can also help unlock a deeper understanding of who you want to become and what you want from life.
As long as you live, you can continue to pursue change and growth.
Try these prompts to explore your dreams and outline potential paths toward change:
- What parts of life surprised you most? What turned out the way you expected it would?
- What three things would you share with your teenage self? What three questions would you want to ask an older version of yourself?
- List three important goals. How do they match up to your goals from 5 years ago?
- Do your goals truly reflect your desires? Or do they reflect what someone else (a parent, partner, friend, etc.) wants for you?
- What helps you stay focused and motivated when you feel discouraged?
- What do you look forward to most in the future?
- Identify one area where you’d like to improve. Then, list three specific actions you can take to create that change.
- How do you make time for yourself each day?
- What do you most want to accomplish in life?
- List three obstacles lying in the way of your contentment or happiness. Then, list two potential solutions to begin overcoming each obstacle.
Feeling stuck?
If you’ve never kept a journal before, writing on a regular basis might feel a bit challenging. Even with prompts to help prime your thoughts, you might find it tough to get started.
The best way to start is to pick up your pen and start scribbling away. Your journal is just for you, so there’s no need to worry about your handwriting, grammar, or spelling. The important part of journaling is getting your thoughts onto the page.
Some people find that it helps to start with a “stream of consciousness” approach. This means writing down whatever comes to mind on a topic, exactly as it pops into your thoughts, without stopping to worry about punctuation or complete sentences.
A few more tips to help you find your flow include:
- Find a quiet place to write. Outside noise and other distractions can disrupt your thoughts, especially if you’re new to journaling. If you can’t find a quiet space, try listening to instrumental music (anything without vocals) as you write.
- Don’t worry about getting it “right.” When it comes to journaling, you can’t really go wrong. If your writing helps you process emotions and learn more about yourself, that’s what matters.
- Write regularly. You might set aside 15 or 20 minutes to write several days a week. It’s OK if you can’t find time to write every day. Writing at a specific time each day, such as after dinner or just before bed, can help the habit stick.
Journaling can help ease stress and uncertainty and teach you more about yourself and what you want from life.
That said, writing may not always feel fun or easy. It’s normal to experience a little discomfort when writing about painful emotions and frustrating experiences. But venting this distress can often lead to healing and growth.
When your writing continues to bring up distressing feelings or memories, a therapist can offer guidance with exploring these emotions and experiences in more depth.
Last medically reviewed on April 19, 2021
5 sources collapsed
- Kim-Godwin YS, et al. (2020). Journaling for self-care and coping in mothers of troubled children in the community. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32248934
- Newman KM. (2020). How journaling can help you in hard times. greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_journaling_can_help_you_in_hard_times
- Patel J, et al. (2019). Consequences of repression of emotion: Physical health, mental health and general well being. openaccesspub.org/ijpr/article/999
- Smyth JM, et al. (2018). Online positive affect journaling in the improvement of mental distress and well-being in general medical patients with elevated anxiety symptoms: A preliminary randomized controlled trial. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6305886
- Ullrich PM, et al. (2002). Journaling about stressful events: Effects of cognitive processing and emotional expression. researchgate.net/profile/Philip-Ullrich/publication/11212874_Journaling_about_stressful_events_Effects_of_cognitive_processing_and_emotional_expression/links/0fcfd5090027dd0d0a000000/Journaling-about-stressful-events-Effects-of-cognitive-processing-and-emotional-expression.pdf
Read this next
Learn more about how to use positive affirmations, why they work, some examples, and how to build your own.
What does it mean to be stuck in life? How can you get mentally unstuck? Feeling your life is stuck doesn't have to be permanent. Here's how to cope.
You want it, and yet, you can’t seem to get there. Is it possible that you’re holding yourself back? Here’s what self-sabotage means, and how to work…
Using journal prompts can help you explore and understand your feelings and emotions. It can also help you heal.
Being impatient may hurt your mental health and relationships. These 5 tips can help you become more patient.
Peace of mind is possible, even in a frantic world and despite challenges. If you're experiencing emotional turmoil or anxiety, these tips can help…
What causes impostor syndrome and what does it feel like? Here are the definition and the most common signs.
What if you could empower yourself and others by changing the way you communicate, verbally and nonverbally? Here’s what NLP is about.
Core beliefs can impact how you see yourself and the world. Sometimes, they can cause distress. Here are examples of core beliefs and how to change…
It's natural to feel off some days, but if you think you have for a long time now, here's what it could mean and how to cope.
JournalBuddies.com
Journal Buddies Jill | January 6, 2023 January 6, 2023 | Journal Prompts & Writing Ideas
35 Inspiring Topics for Journal Writing
Journal Keeping Ideas and Topics to Spark Your Creative Juices and to Write About— This excellent set of 35 topics for journal writing is designed to serve anyone from age 12 and up into adulthood—which means it’s suitable for use in your middle school, high-school, or post-secondary classroom, or simply for your own personal use. Take a look now and enjoy!
Make Journal Writing a Fun Habit & New Skill for a Better Life
Journaling is a powerful and effective tool for people of all ages. It’s the new diary keeping and is loaded with benefits.
This is why…
Whether you’re using it to therapeutically uncover your deepest, true feelings about a given topic or simply as a way to practice and become a better writer, its value and benefits cannot be overstated. (Here you will discover 6 Benefits of Journal writing and 35 more prompts .)
And our list of new ideas can help you. (This is especially true if you find blank pages a challenge to overcome.)
You see…
Positive Affirmations or Addressing a Difficult Situation, Our Prompts Will Guide and Support You
Touching on serious topics like heroes, friendship, and fears, and lighter fare like meaningful gifts, alter egos, and celebrity crushes, there’s truly something here for everyone—and truly limitless lessons to be learned.
Use these topics for journal writing to prompt your own reflection or to help your class uncover new truths about themselves—and enjoy the rich gifts and secrets you unlock as you discover the great joy of journaling.
Ok, without further ado, grab your notebook or writing device because here are those topics for journal writing prompts for writers of all ages!
Topics for Journal Writing: 35 Absolutely Fabulous Ideas for You!
- What is the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen?
- Have you ever been in love? How do you know?
- What is the hardest truth you’ve ever learned?
- What is your greatest dream in life?
- Does history repeat itself? Why or why not?
- If someone were to guess what kind of person you are based on your handwriting, what do you think they would predict?
- Make up an alter ego for yourself. Give him or her a name, and then describe his or her qualities, looks, etc.
- If you could invent one thing to make your life easier, what would it be?
- Who is your hero? What do you admire about him or her?
- What is the greatest lesson you’ve ever learned?
- How would you feel if your best friend got something that you’ve really wanted? How would you respond?
- Do you prefer to donate time or money to those in need? Why?
- Do you find it difficult to make new friends? Why or why not?
- What is the best day of the year? Why is it so special to you?
- Do you remember much of your past? Why do you think that is?
- What is the greatest gift you could ever receive? What would make it so special?
- How would you describe yourself to someone who had never met you? Write your description as though you were a character in a book or a movie.
- Do you regularly remember your dreams? Write about your most vividly remembered dream.
- Write about your most cherished memory of all time.
- What does it mean to be a good friend? What type of friend are you?
- Do you think of yourself as a cool person or a warm person? Why?
- What is the most interesting thing about you? Why? Is it a trait you share with other people, or is it something that is unique to you?
- What is the greatest mistake you’ve ever made?
- If you could visit one destination in space, what would it be? Why?
- How old were you when you first knew what you wanted to do with your life? How did that feeling evolve over time?
- What is your greatest fear? Do you think it is realistic or not? Why?
- Write about a time when you learned something new about yourself.
- What is your most deeply held belief?
- If you could have any one question answered, what would it be? Who could answer it for you?
- Do you think you would like to be a parent? Why or why not?
- Who is your celebrity crush? What do you find appealing about him or her?
- Write about a time when you felt pure joy.
- Write about a time when you made something up as you went along.
- If you were to have a mantra, what would it be? When would you use it?
I hope you enjoyed this awesome list of journal prompts and found some inspiration from this list of journal writing prompt ideas.
List of 15 MORE Journal Questions
Just in case you need more inspiration, here are more ideas from our Journal Question of the Day list). Enjoy!
- If you had wings, where would you fly?
- What do you like best about your family?
- If you had a school, what would you teach? Would you assign homework to your students?
- What is the best book you’ve ever read?
- What is the best way to have a perfect day?
- What is your favorite family tradition?
- If you could name the colors in a box of crayons, what would they be?
- What do you think the hardest job in the world is?
- If you could decorate your room any way you wanted, what would it look like?
- What is the scariest thing you’ve ever done? Or the hardest thing?
- What is your favorite kind of music?
- What would it be like to be eight feet tall?
- Why is journaling important?
- Write a story about the toys or belongings in your room coming to life. What do they do?
- If you were a professional athlete, what sport would you like to play?
BONUS List of Favorites
Now, if you need even more inspiration, check out these time-tested favorite journal questions and list of things to write about. They are simple ideas that nearly every writer can answer without much effort. Plus, they are an excellent way to get those creative juices flowing for writers of all skill levels.
- What is your favorite thing?
- Favorite foods or fav new food
- Favorite movies
- Favorite character
- Favorite novel or favorite books
- Favorite memory or first memory or favorite childhood memory
- Favorite hobbies
- Favorite poem
- Favorite season
- Favorite movie
- Favorite holiday
- Favorite pet
- Favorite place
- Outfit
Turn this list on its head and write about your least favorite instead.
Whether you have written one journal entry or 100 journal entries, creating a journaling habit through the practice of daily writing can have a positive impact on your life. Make regular journaling a part of your morning routine (or evening). We know you’ll be glad you did!
More Journaling Resources
- Journal Themes and Bonus Prompts
- Personal Journal Ideas
- Gratitude Journal Prompts
- Expressive writing prompts and tips
- Learn about The Artist’s Way and Morning Pages (from the blog of Julia Cameron)
Writing about Thoughts, Emotions, and More Throughout the Whole Year
Journal writing as part of a daily routine is a wonderful way for writers of all ages to explore their creativity, improve their mental health, gain new insights, encourage personal growth and self-discovery, document accomplishments, or just have fun.
So… Make an important promise to yourself right now that you will find a way to journal on a regular basis in a way that thrills you. I assure you, your life will change for the better by doing so.
That means setting no boundaries and letting your inner creativity bloom.
From describing your perfect day or the worst thing that ever happened to you to your biggest challenges or your favorite vacation, your journal is a safe place for self-reflection and can help banish negative thoughts and bad habits.
A new journal and a pen or pencil are all you need and now is the best time to get started!
Until next time, write on…
If you enjoyed these Topics for Journal Writing, please share them on social media via Facebook , Twitter, Instagram, and/or Pinterest. I appreciate it!
Sincerely, Jill journalbuddies.com creator and curator
Tap to See Prompts Topics to Write About 9 Journaling Themes with Bonus Prompts Personal Journal Ideas + Bonus Printable (kids) Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7-8 Grade 9-12 All Ages ------------End of Om Added --------- Tags Adult Writing Prompts , journal , journal prompt , journal prompts , journal topics , journaling , journaling ideas , joy of journaling , prompt , teen , Teen Journal , topics , topics for journal writing , Topics for Writing , tween , tween journal , write , writer , writing div#postbottom { margin-top: 12px; } Featured Posts
Writing Exercises and Prompts for Journaling, Prose, Poetry and Memoirs
These Writing Exercises are a collection of prompts originally published in The Journal Newsletter . The prompts include journaling prompts, prose prompts, poetry prompts, free writing prompts, and memoir prompts.
Or jump to the complete list of exercises you would like to see:
- Journaling Prompts
- Free Writing Prompts
- Poetry Prompts
- Prose Prompts
- Memoir Prompts
- Opinion Prompts
The exercises are updated each month, after the newsletter is published.
Unless otherwise specified, all prompts Copyright © by Susan Michael and David Michael.
- Skip to primary navigation
- Skip to main content
- Skip to footer
Your Visual Journal
Journaling + Sketchnotes + Bullet Journal Ideas
301+ Journal Prompts for Freedom and Insight
Last updated on April 24th, 2022 • Journal Prompts
Journal prompts are like a “cheat code” for shifting your perspective and sparking your imagination. Spend some time with your notebook engaging with a journal prompt, and you’ll find yourself breaking out of tired patterns, inspired by new points of view.
And the best part?
Using a prompt produces way better journaling than just sitting in front of a blank page, trying to figure out what to write.
Do you love questions that bring your ideas to life, expand your emotional intelligence, uncover hidden dreams, and reignite your passion?
Then you’re going to love this post.
We’ll provide a huge list of journaling prompts for use in different contexts. Specifically, we’ll cover:
- How journal prompts can take you off autopilot to get what you REALLY want
- 6 Fear-dispelling journal prompts proven to ease anxiety
- Over 50 prompts to help you build optimism through gratitude
- 12 journal prompts to give clarity when making a tough decision
- 30 questions to ask kids for great journal stories
- And a huge list of other journal prompts—sorted by category—that you can use now, or bookmark and reference, again and again
** Free Bonus: Click here to download all 301+ journal prompts in one handy PDF. **
- What are journal prompts?
Journal prompts are questions or first lines that serve as a guide for what to write on a blank page. Of course, you can always pick up a pen and start writing on your own, but a journaling prompt can help you think in new ways.
By giving you a path to follow as you write, journal prompts encourage you to examine parts of your experience that you may not have looked at before. They help to clarify how you think and feel about things, allowing you to find a fresh perspective.
Clear as dishwater?
Let’s look at an example. Consider this journal prompt, and some potential scenarios it might speak to:
Who helped you this week that you would like to thank and why?
- Maybe someone said something encouraging to you when you felt like your week was a colossal shitshow
- Or someone gave you a hand to finish a complex task that was weighing you down
- Or maybe someone just made your week better by their very presence with you
Taking time to write out the who and the what will change your emotional space. You’ll begin to feel grateful—which, in positive psychology research, is consistently proven to produce greater happiness.
Inspiring, right?
Here’s why:
We spend a lot of our life on autopilot.
It’s actually a helpful feature of the human mind. Your brain focuses on actions that are new, but automates the “known,” to be more efficient with its resources. This is the reason we can wash dishes and plan a presentation at the same time. It’s the reason why we decide where we are going to sit the first time we walk into a class, and continue to choose that same seat for the rest of the semester. It’s the reason we can get in a car and drive—without going through the driver’s ed checklist of fastening the seat belt, adjusting the mirror, and putting our hands “at 10 and 2,” the way we did when we first learned to drive.
But while autopilot is a helpful feature in terms of resource conservation, it can keep us in a reactive mode, rather than a proactive mode.
Our automated actions are based on decisions and circumstances of the past—which aren’t necessarily aligned with what we want in our future.
But we won’t know unless we take the time to think it through.
Enter the magic of journaling with a prompt: a prompt can push us to examine things we don’t usually consider.
Which takes us off autopilot.
The benefit?
We bring more intention to our decisions. We stop reacting, and start choosing.
Are you looking for a way to live more intentionally?
Do you want to stop feeling like you are living your life on a hamster wheel, and take back some control?
Then ask yourself better questions—and record your answers to them—so you can find clarity on what you want, what you think, and how you feel. Using a journal prompt could be the key to doing just that.
Categories for our 301+ journal prompts
We’ve organized our journaling prompts into 11 different categories. Each section begins with a bit of explanation about how each type of prompt works.
This is a really long list, so feel free to use these handy jump links to take you where you want to go.
Prompts for gratitude and optimism
Prompts for self-discovery, journal prompts for anxiety, journal prompts for depression, journal prompts for therapy, journal prompts for self-love, journal prompts for clarity of action, mindfulness journal prompts, writing your personal history , bullet journal collection ideas, prompts just for kids, how to use a journal jar, go ahead and tell me. what did i miss.
Or, you can click the link below and just download all the journal prompts in PDF format.
Let’s do a little experiment.
Suppose you’ve had a really crappy day. Truly, truly terrible.
It can start to feel like nothing is good in your life. The weight of your day will color every thought you have for the rest of the evening.
But let’s say that, as a discipline, you sit down at your desk, pull out your notebook, and answer some journaling prompts on gratitude.
Soon, you will have pages of evidence of the good in your life that will counter the terrible stuff, and begin to bring balance—and maybe, just maybe, tip the scales in favor of a bit of optimism.
Here is a list of journaling prompts for gratitude:
- Write about a person who always makes you laugh.
- What was the best gift you received as a child?
- Write about an event in your life that changed it for the better.
- Who has loved you unconditionally?
- What guilty pleasure are you secretly grateful for?
- Write about a person you are grateful for, but sometimes take for granted.
- What about today made you smile?
- What did you eat this week that was delicious?
- What is something great about your community?
- Write about something that always makes you smile, no matter what.
- What about your living space are you especially thankful for?
- Write down one good thing that happened to you today.
- What in your childhood are you grateful for?
- Who served as a mentor to you (whether they knew it or not)?
- Write about three skills or talents you have that serve you well.
- What do you really appreciate about your life?
- What has surprised you, in a good way?
- Describe your favorite mundane moment of the day.
- What gift have you given that has made a difference in someone’s life?
- Write about a positive interaction you had with a stranger.
- Who or what in your life are you happy to have let go?
- List 5 positive qualities of the first person you usually talk to each day.
- What was your best day ever?
- List 5 things that spark your curiosity and inspire your interest.
- What friend are you most grateful for? What makes them special?
- What makes you laugh so hard you get tears in your eyes?
- Where is your “happy place”? Describe it.
- What positive impact did you have this week?
- What could you do this week to express gratitude to others?
- What one thing do you own that makes every day a little bit easier?
- What character trait are you most grateful for?
- What adversity are you grateful for?
- What are your favorite things in the natural world?
- What about your daily routine are you grateful for?
- What do you deeply enjoy doing alone?
- Did a stranger ever do a favor for you?
- Write about something you think is adorable.
- What 5 songs are you grateful for? Why?
- Write about what makes your pet so special.
- What freedoms are you grateful for?
- How have you grown in the past year?
- What book or movie are you grateful for? How did it impact you?
- Write about a favorite memory.
- Which day was more special than any other?
- What’s the most memorable conversation you’ve had in the past year?
- Who helps you achieve your goals?
- List 10 frivolous things that bring you joy.
- What could you not live without?
- Write about a random act of kindness.
- Who taught you about unconditional love?
- What about your upbringing are you most grateful for?
- Who made you feel good this week?
Want to find a new internal spark?
There is something about asking yourself about what you want and how you feel that can renew your motivation in the most surprising of ways.
It’s ideal to schedule self-discovery prompts around milestones, like birthdays or the beginning of a year. It’s also powerful to create a plan to engage with them on a recurring schedule (monthly or quarterly works well).
Here’s a list of journal prompts for self-discovery, so when you pull out your journal to write, you’ll have inspiring things to explore about yourself.
- Describe yourself in 10 words or less.
- What’s your passion, and how did you discover it?
- What in your life has given you the greatest fulfillment?
- If you knew you wouldn’t fail, what would you do?
- What’s your biggest dream? Is there a smaller version of your dream that you could accomplish in two weeks?
- What have you learned that has changed your values?
- Write about a “hell no” moment—a time when you were so outraged, you couldn’t help but take action.
- Fast forward to your 90th birthday. What would you want your favorite future relative (who doesn’t exist yet) to say about your life?
- Where do you show leadership?
- What are your plans for going after what your heart wants?
- What do you wish you were doing more of?
- Who do you want to spend more time with? Why?
- Who do you want to be in three years? How do you want people to see you?
- What’s the most important thing to focus on this week?
- Where are you giving something that you don’t actually want to give?
- When people complain about you, what do they say?
- What expectation do others have of you that you wish they didn’t?
- What demand(s) on your time do you need to get out of?
- What is the one thing you need to focus on now, that will make everything else better in the future?
- What one discipline sparks your personal growth the most?
- What three keystone habits do you need to perform daily?
- If you had $150,000 to spend in 24 hours or less, how would you spend it?
- What do you happily spend a lot of money on (without feeling guilty about it), but suspect others might judge you for?
- What do you need to stop doing?
- If you only had two years to live, what would you most want to accomplish?
- Create a schedule for your dream life.
- What are you most excited about right now?
- What is your favorite way to start the day?
- What do you need to say to someone that you are afraid to say?
- What would you like to be remembered for?
- List 3 of the best compliments you’ve received.
- Write about a mistake that turned out to be a blessing.
- What’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever purchased? Did it turn out okay?
- What rule do you most want to break? (Or what rule have you broken that you wish you hadn’t?)
- Where does your future self live? What does that look like?
- If you could go back 10 years and spend 5 minutes with your former self, what advice would you share?
- When you are working in an optimal job, what do you enjoy the most?
- If you could spend twelve hours doing anything you want, anywhere you want, how would you spend them?
- How do you feel about current events? What worries you, and what gives you hope?
- Are you an Eeyore or a Tigger?
- What kinds of activities take up most of your time? Are you happy about that? If not, what could you give up to gain back 30 minutes?
- What’s important to you right now?
- List 10 of your favorite things.
- What task are you putting off that you just need to get done? How could you finish it within the next week?
- Has there ever been a time you were on a path and something happened to completely shift your trajectory?
- What are you thinking of doing that you are afraid to tell anyone about?
- What are you holding onto too tightly?
- How could you play more?
- What question are you grappling with?
- What makes you feel overwhelmed or paralyzed? Who could you ask for help?
- What is something you have always wanted to try, but never have?
- What time of day are you most creative? How do you want to use that time?
- What is your time frame for achieving your dream?
- What do you value most?
- What are you not saying that needs to be said?
- What decision(s) are you procrastinating on making?
- What’s your biggest priority this month?
- What gets you excited about the future?
- What are your core values?
- What is your take on love?
- Why do you live where you do?
- What is your favorite thing about your current living space? What drives you crazy?
- Write down the steps you need to take to get from who you are to who you want to be.
- How are you contributing to the situation in your life that frustrates you the most?
- What is your personal definition of success, stripped of others’ expectations?
- What would you write, if you felt it wouldn’t be judged?
- What short-term losses are you willing to accept now, for longer-term gains in the future?
- If people become the amalgamation of the 5 people they spend the most time with, who are you going to be?
- When everything else is stripped away, and no one else’s opinion is influencing you, what is your truth?
- Write your future self a letter that begins: “Dear future me, this is what I want for you…”
- When did you last boldly take action?
- What is your relationship with technology?
- What skill do you need to learn to advance to the next level?
- What place do you want to visit, but haven’t been to yet?
- What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever done?
Like it or not, fear is a core human emotion.
And the media knows it! Every day we are bombarded with a steady stream of reasons to be afraid.
Our brains are wired to pay attention when something feels frightening. Even when we are perfectly safe, the threat of “what might happen” makes it hard to shut that anxious response off. (The “fight or flight or freeze” response is hard-wired into us.)
Journaling about your anxiety can give your mind a place to pour out that mental chatter so that it feels heard . Once you acknowledge that an anxious thought or feeling exists, your mind feels safe enough to stop screaming at you to pay attention.
Sitting with a notebook and honoring what you are worried about by writing it down can be oddly calming.
These 6 powerful journaling prompts can help calm your mind by addressing different types of anxiety. Find the one that resonates most with your experience, and try it now:
- What do you feel anxious about? Write your stream-of-consciousness, and let it feel as if all the random fears (or that one big fear) are draining out of you onto the paper.
- How are you experiencing anxiety in your body? What does it feel like? Write words or use doodles to get this onto the page. What kind of self-care might calm you, allowing those feelings to pass?
For example: breathing deeply, going for a run, sitting on the couch to snuggle a pet.
- Write down the worst thing that could happen if what you fear comes to pass— and make it as extreme as possible.
For example: “…and then I’ll be laid off, and then I won’t be able to find a job, and then I’ll be homeless and have to dig in the trash for food… ”
Then, write what would probably really happen.
For example: “…and then I would reach out to people I know for ideas on what my opportunities are, and, if needed, I would move back in with my family for a short time while I look for a new job.”
- Write the serenity prayer at the top of the page: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. Courage to change the things I can. And the wisdom to know the difference.”
Below it, draw a line down the center of the page.
On one side, write the heading: “cannot change.” On the other side, write: “can change.”
Take everything that is prompting anxiety for you in this moment, and put it into one of those categories. (Note: Most of the time the only thing you can change is yourself. Most of the “cannot change” list will be about others.)
- If your anxiety centers around your own performance, name your inner critic. Give it a voice and a personality. (Mine is Edith Prickley, based on the SCTV character.) Write out all the things your inner critic is saying to you.
For example: “ Edith says I’m going to fail at my presentation tomorrow. She says it is going to be boring and lame and no one will be interested in what I have to say.”
Writing your inner dialog out from a third-party perspective creates separation. It changes your vantage point, so you can see your thoughts more objectively.
Now write back to your inner critic.
For example: “ Oh Edith, I know you are afraid for me. Come here. Let me give you a hug. We are going to be okay.”
Giving your inner critic a persona allows you to question it. You don’t have to accept what it says as truth.
- If your anxiety is sparked by overwhelm, create “popcorn pages.” Your brain knows when it has committed to a task that remains unfinished. In fact, it will ping you endlessly with reminders. After all, part of the brain’s job is to keep track of things until they get done. But when there are too many open loops, you can start to feel overwhelmed.
Pull out a piece of paper and write down every open loop your brain keeps pinging you with. Scatter them popcorn-style across your page. If you are like most people, you will probably end up with a weird mix of the essential and the trivial—from all different areas of your life. Write fast, then pause to see what comes into your brain next. (Your brain is going to be so happy that you’re doing this, it will flood your thoughts with all the things.)
Now, use a highlighter to color-code similar things—items that can be addressed together. Block out time on your calendar to schedule when you are going to deal with each collection of color-coded items. Once a task’s completion is scheduled, your brain can start to relax. (You’ll find even more relief if you take care of at least one piece of “popcorn” on the page immediately.)
Depression is a serious mental state—characterized by feelings of sadness, withdrawal from connection, and a lack of interest in daily life.
If you are currently struggling with suicidal thoughts, please call the National Hopeline Network: 1-800-784-2433. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration also has a hotline to help you find resources to treat and manage depression: call 1-800-662-HELP.
Journaling is not a cure for depression, but it does have benefits for people who are depressed. Depression creates a fog around who we are, what we think, and how we feel. Journaling can empower you to regain clarity.
Here are some journal prompts that may help:
- Write morning pages. Artist Julia Cameron popularized this practice of unloading the mind first thing every morning. In her book, The Artist’s Way , Cameron writes: “In order to retrieve your creativity, you need to find it. I ask you to do this by an apparently pointless process I call the morning pages…the morning pages are three pages of longhand writing, strictly stream-of-consciousness.” Morning pages are not intended to be either writing or art. Rather, they are a kinesthetic exercise that helps your brain clear itself, so you can be more focused and creative for the rest of your day. (For more on this, watch Julia Cameron’s video about Morning Pages .)
- If some of your depression is being caused by anger you’ve felt helpless to act on, write an angry letter. (You don’t have to send it.)
- Write about a need you know someone has, and describe how you could help alleviate their suffering.
- What are you tolerating that you shouldn’t be?
- Write about something you know to be true.
- Write a letter of forgiveness to someone who hurt you.
- Write a letter of forgiveness to yourself.
- When did you start to lose interest in things? How far back can you trace these feelings?
- How are your current circumstances affecting your mental health?
- Can you see beyond where you are now to a better future?
- What is the thing you are afraid to say out loud?
- What would you write, if you didn’t feel like you would be judged for it?
- Write what you wish someone would say to you.
Great therapists ask great questions.
They draw out what you are really thinking and how you are feeling with their queries. And while there is no substitute for someone trained in this art, this process of querying and answering yourself can be a very therapeutic process.
Here are some prompts for using your journal as a complement to therapy:
- Who in my life can I be my full self with, unapologetically?
- What am I doing when I feel most free?
- Who am I, outside of the roles I play?
- What do I need to forgive myself for?
- Am I a victim or a hero in my own story?
- What do I need to do to change for the better?
- What am I feeling right now? How long have I had this feeling?
- Who triggers negative emotions in me? Why?
- Who triggers positive emotions in me? Why?
- When I get caught in a thinking loop, what am I thinking about?
- When have I cried happy tears? What made that happen?
- Who have I lied to? Why? What would have happened if I’d told the truth?
- What is my biggest regret? How can I make amends?
- What is something I am angry about, but haven’t dealt with?
- How do I feel about the statement: “I am enough”?
- What do I not get credit for?
- Would I parent your children in the same way I was parented? Why or why not?
- My past doesn’t define who I am because…
- I have trouble sleeping when…
- How would I tell the story of my life in three sentences?
- “Dear [name of a person I’ve lost], …”
- One area I need to improve on is…
- Right now, my thoughts are _____________. I wish they were _______________.
- I really wish others knew this about me: …
- What barrier(s) do I need to overcome?
No matter how amazing we are, our self-talk can be downright mean.
Phrases we would NEVER say to a friend spin around in our own minds like ninja throwing stars. What’s worse: we can become so immersed in these thought patterns that we never notice how they’re doing damage to our beautiful souls, over and over again.
Journaling for self-love is a fierce shield of defense against this roaring inner voice. It retrains our minds and heals our hearts.
Here are some journaling prompts that can foster self-love:
- What does my inner child most need me to say to him/her?
- Where have I shown kindness to others?
- How can I be kinder to myself?
- What am I wearing when I feel really beautiful?
- What about my personality do people compliment me on?
- How do I want to grow? What do I want to experience? What do I want to contribute?
- What barrier keeps me from loving myself?
- What do I need to feel at peace?
- How would I talk to myself if I were 3 years old?
- Some of the most wonderful words ever said to me were…
- What fulfills me?
- What change do I most want to see in my world?
- What kind of self-care would be most useful right now?
- When I feel loved, how do I show up?
- How does my inner voice sound when it is beautiful?
Sometimes we find ourselves in situations where we just don’t know what to do. We have to make a decision—a hard choice—and it feels overwhelming.
When you are in that tough space, your journal can be an incredible ally.
There are questions we can ask ourselves before we take action that can clarify what we really want and make the path for our choices clear.
Here are some journaling prompts to try when you need clarity of action:
- Will this matter in two days? Two months? Two years?
- Does this need to be said? Does this need to be said by you? Does this need to be said by you now?
- Which path most closely aligns with your highest values?
- Will this allow you to use your strengths or will you primarily be performing in areas you don’t enjoy?
- How much do you want this? What am you willing to give up to get it?
- What would you do if money wasn’t a factor?
- If you had no say and someone else made this choice for you, which choice would make you feel disappointed? Why?
- What would you wish for someone you love, if they were in this situation?
- What outcome are you working toward?
- What if you did nothing?
The heart of mindfulness is about directing your attention—typically in the present moment. While journaling can be a great mindfulness practice, there are specific prompts that can help bring awareness to your current experience.
Here are some journaling prompts for mindfulness:
- How do you feel in your body right now?
- What is your predominant emotion? How are you experiencing it physically?
- When were you fully in the moment today?
- What are you enjoying right now?
- Draw a mandala or zentangle .
- If you let your thoughts wander, what memory comes to mind first?
- Where did you notice beauty today?
- What insights came to you in meditation today?
- What mundane daily ritual could you bring your full attention to, staying completely in the moment?
- Write a stream-of-consciousness with no clear goal. Just write, letting your thoughts go by as you release them to the paper.
Journaling your personal history allows you to capture personal and family stories in a way that makes your journal become a legacy. Your family can read the stories to learn about themselves and where they come from.
Personal history journals can be digital, but they can also be handwritten, with pictures pasted in to give them an heirloom feel.
Whether you decide to go with pen and paper or create a digital journal, these journal prompts can give shape and inspiration to yourpersonal history journal:
- Write about your name. What does it mean? Who chose it?
- What’s the ethnicity of your surname? Do you know what it means or where it comes from?
- Where were you born? Where were your parents born?
- How did your mother and father meet?
- Write about the first home you remember.
- Where was your favorite place to spend time? What did you spend hours doing as a child?
- What was your favorite toy?
- What kinds of wildlife did you encounter as a kid?
- When you were younger, what did you like to do when it rained?
- Did you have a favorite book as a child? (Or a favorite book you read to your children?)
- What did your grandparents tell you about how they grew up?
- What is a family story that gets told over and over when people are together?
- Describe the kitchen in the home you spent the most time in.
- What did a typical mealtime look like when you were growing up? What was your favorite food?
- Write some of your favorite things about your mother, father, siblings, cousins, and/or grandparents. Help the reader get to know them.
- Where did you go to school? What subjects did you enjoy?
- Who was your childhood best friend? Tell us about them.
- Where did your parents work? What was their trade? Do you know how your grandparents made their living?
- What did your family do really well? How did they show love?
- What movie did your family watch over and over?
- Remember when you were a kid and someone told you not to do something? What did you do that you were not supposed to? When did your curiosity get the better of you?
- Did your family survive a tragedy? What happened?
- What was high school like for you? Did you go to events like football games, prom, or spend weekends gaming in a friend’s basement?
- What world events impacted you when you were younger? How did they affect you?
- What was the hardest part about growing up?
- What pets do you have?
- Are there any family stories your aunts or uncles told you that you want to be sure to write down?
- Write about your first week of college, or the first week at your first job.
- Write about the first place you lived on your own.
- Write about when and how you learned to manage money and pay bills. What did things cost then?
- Capture what different decades were like for you. Write about your 20’s, your 30’s, etc.
- If you’re married, how did you meet your spouse? Are there any stories you want to record from when you were dating?
- Did you have a marriage that didn’t work out? What do you want to say about that?
- Describe a mundane day. What is life like for you? Write down what you wish you knew about your grandparents’ or great-grandparents’ daily lives.
- What captures your imagination?
- What do you enjoy doing most with friends and family?
- What are holidays like for you? What traditions do you hope carry on?
- If you have kids, write about them. What do you want them to know about their younger selves?
- What advice would you give future generations who read this journal?
- What were you worried about as a kid that turned out to be not a big deal for you as a grown up?
People who use the Bullet Journal Method will be familiar with the term “collections.” A collection is a topical page in your journal that covers a specific category. This is usually a log, tracker, or list of some kind.
Since a Bullet Journal is supposed to be simple, you don’t want to track everything—only the things that matter to you—but sometimes looking through a list of things that others are logging can help you decide what collection pages to include in your own journal.
Here are some journal prompts for Bullet Journal collections:
- Books you read this year
- Roller coasters you’ve ridden (or ballparks you’ve visited, or states you’ve been to)
- Your bucket list (make it official; write it down!)
- Packing or camping list
- Home repairs to make
- Daily affirmations
- A category of things you own for which having a list is helpful (textbooks, collectables, essential oils, etc.)
- Meal ideas or a master grocery list
- Event planner
- List of family/friends’ birthdays
- Savings tracker (this is particularly helpful if you are saving to buy a particular item)
- Family gift list (what you gave, or good gift ideas)
- Movies you want to stream
- Healthy snacks list
- Pen or watercolor swatches
- Homework assignments or work deadlines
- Recurring annual charges
- Apps you love or apps to try
- Research for articles, papers, or just topics you are interested in
- Business plan lists
- Project ideas
- 90 day goals
- Social media stats
- Accounts and passwords
- Things to do in your own city
- Date night ideas
- Funny quotes from your friends or kids (or your friend’s kids)
- Basic medical information (list of meds, services, doctors’ numbers, insurance, etc.)
- The last time I called… (make sure you are keeping up with the people you love)
- Activity tracker (this can be anything: exercise, painting, water consumption, or even journaling)
Thirty-something Chase was home for the weekend and going through a box of memorabilia when he came across a journal given to him by his third-grade teacher. Each Monday, she’d given the class a journal prompt, and asked them to write their thoughts.
As Chase sat in the living room reading each entry (written in decidedly third-grade handwriting) out loud, his whole family was filled with both laughter and nostalgia as they listened to his elementary school perspective on his life.
You can create this same kind of record for a kid you love as well—and you don’t have to wait until they are thirty to find the answers endearing and hilarious. Either give them a prompt and have them write the answer, or ask the question and record the answers yourself
Here are 30 prompts to discover a child’s perspective:
- How does money work?
- What have your friends been up to?
- What’s the silliest thing you could write on this page?
- What makes you feel brave?
- What makes you feel curious?
- What do you like best for breakfast?
- What do you love about your favorite movie (or book)?
- If you started a business, what would it be?
- If you had all the money in the world, what would you buy?
- If you were going to invent a recipe, what would you invent?
- If you could be invisible, where would you go?
- If you could make up a new color, what would you call it?
- What question do you want to ask your pet? (And what do you think they would say?)
- What will your room look like when you grow up?
- What do you think is super gross?
- What did you do this weekend?
- What is your favorite thing about yourself?
- If you could be an animal, what kind of animal would you like to be?
- What is your superhero name? What powers do you have?
- What was the best gift you ever received?
- Write (or tell me) about a dream you had.
- What do you remember from when you were really little?
- What kinds of games do you like to play?
- What is your favorite joke?
- If there was something you never ever had to do again, what would that be? Why?
- If you had to eat the same food every day for the rest of your life, what would you pick? Why?
- What are you really, really good at? What do you love about it?
- What is your favorite thing to talk about with your friends?
- What are you looking forward to?
- What does mommy (or daddy) do at work?
We’ve explored a lot of different types of journal prompts, but what if you’re not sure what topic you want to write about?
Or maybe you saw a question in one of these lists that scared you a little, or made you uneasy. You know it would do you some good to sit with that question, but you’re not quite sure you have the courage, and need a way to trick yourself into it.
A journal jar is the perfect solution in both of these scenarios. (It’s also a great way to cultivate a spirit of adventure!)
No, it’s not a jar that you write on (although you could). A journal jar is simply a container filled with little scraps of paper that have journal prompts written (or printed) on them. It can be as simple as a plain mason jar full of handwritten ideas, or—if you know that buying or making a pretty jar and using beautifully pre-printed or hand-crafted slips of paper for your prompts will propel you to use it—you can make it as fancy as you like. (Check out some of the journal jars on Etsy for inspiration.)
** Free Bonus: Click here to download all 301+ journal prompts in one handy PDF. ** P.S. The prompts in the PDF are intentionally spaced to make them easy to cut out and put them in your journal jar.
Simply place your journal prompts in the jar, and make it a practice to pull one out every day. The only rule is that you have to use the prompt—whatever’s on that piece of paper is what you’ll write about that day.
If you’re going for a scrapbook feel, you can paste the prompt into your journal and add some simple illustrations to pretty up each entry. You can also save the prompts to use again when your jar is empty, or discard them in favor of choosing new ones later.
We’ve given you 301+ journal prompts to get you started, but there are so many more out there.
Yes, this is an enormous list—but everyone journals for different reasons. It’s important to find and use prompts that are aligned with the kind of journaling you most want to do.
Do you have a prompt not already listed here that you love? Please share it in the comments. I’d love to hear what inspires you to write in your journal!
Reader Interactions
06/06/2021 at 4:04 PM
My goodness Cathy, you’ve been working really hard to find all those prompts. What a great collection. And really useful too.
06/06/2021 at 8:26 PM
Amazing ideas. Thank you for your hard work and staying obedient to your Higher power
07/22/2021 at 7:17 AM
Amazing Thank you very much for your hard work
12/12/2022 at 7:16 AM
Thank you so much! From a new journalist.
02/21/2023 at 12:22 AM
I love journal prompts that encourage freedom and insight. This one is no exception! I’m looking forward to trying out some of the ideas.
Leave a comment Cancel reply
Follow me on instagram, cathy.hutchison.
Cathy helps people banish overwhelm, boost creativity 🎨 and reconnect with their ♥️ through visual journaling. 🖌 Get the free Quickstart guide 📗 here
Disclosures
Browse By Category
Book a consultation, promo codes, amazon shop, things i tried & loved, shop my home, designing a life well-lived, 20 journaling prompts i swear by to get you out of your head, health & wellness, wit & delight lives where life and style intersect., more about us ›.
Interiors & Decor
Fashion & Style
Most Popular
Home of the month: 3 things i love about this colorful kitchen and pantry design, 7 unexpected wallpaper ideas that make a big difference in any home, 7 of my favorite decor pieces in our home right now.
There is no better way to understand the way you think and what’s going through your head than to journal. The problem I’ve found is that the act of journaling is so open-ended that when it is most beneficial for me to do it, I avoid it. Sound familiar? If this is one of the roadblocks you face when it comes to journaling, this post is here to help. I want to take the guesswork out of how you can journal effectively, without the impending paralysis that sometimes results from an open-ended prompt. P.S. If you’re in the market for a new journal, you can find the W&D ruled linen journal available online here !
My first tip? Start by writing “Morning Pages.”
Whether you are new to journaling or are just here to get some new prompts to try, consider doing a “mental download” first using the “Morning Pages” method. (“Morning Pages” is a writing practice developed by author Julia Cameron . Wit & Delight contributor Ellen Koneck wrote a helpful post about this topic, which you can read here .) It’s a great way to get your mental gears greased and clean out any fragments of unfinished tasks, things to remember, or notes to self. It’s also really effective in priming the pump per se when it comes to getting the most out of more targeted journaling sessions.
Next, dive into journaling prompts.
Once you’ve done around ten minutes of subconscious, nonlinear writing, I suggest moving on to journaling prompts. I keep a list handy that I can refer to and take inventory of what I’m up against that day or in that moment. If I’m feeling anxious , I know which list to focus on.
Sometimes we journal to connect with ourselves; other times we journal to find perspective in moments that feel out of control. Given the bizarre times we’re living in and the spread of COVID-19, journaling is becoming an incredibly handy tool for this worrier .
When done correctly, journaling can be calming and clearing for your mind. It can help in releasing pent-up feelings and everyday stress. It can help you let go of negative thoughts while exploring your experiences with anxiety in a safe way.
The truth is, writing your thoughts down in a journal can positively impact your anxiety on a holistic level. When done correctly, journaling can be calming and clearing for your mind. It can help in releasing pent-up feelings and everyday stress. It can help you let go of negative thoughts while exploring your experiences with anxiety in a safe way.
When we get in the habit of writing about our struggles AND our successes, we begin to see enhanced self-awareness while also teaching ourselves about our triggers. Below you’ll find some of my favorite journaling prompts that have worked wonders for me.
Journaling Prompts for Self-Discovery:
- What do I know to be true that I didn’t know a year ago?
- What distractions get in the way of being my most productive?
- When do I feel most in tune with myself?
- If someone described me, what would they say?
- What can wait until next week?
- How does every part of my body feel in this moment?
Journaling Prompts for Managing Emotions:
- What emotions am I holding on to?
- How can I detach or neutralize this emotion?
- Why am I doing X?
- Why am I feeling this way?
- What is causing these feelings?
- Have I tried to take my ego out of the situation?
- How can I detach my emotions from the behavior of others?
- Did I use healthy boundaries before I began feeling this way?
Journaling Prompts for Anxiety and Depression
- What hurts right now? How can I find relief?
- When I look in the mirror, what do I see?
- What are the things in my home that are the most “me”?
- What am I doing right now?
- What happened before I felt a shift in my mood?
- Write down an entire list of what you are worried about. Star the items that you know are 100% true and not solely a feeling.
If you aren’t convinced, research shows journaling can greatly improve your overall well-being. Now grab a notebook, some tea (or whiskey?), and let the words fly.
Kate is currently learning to play the Ukulele, much to the despair of her husband, kids, and dogs. Follow her on Instagram at @witanddelight_ .
BY Kate Arends - March 16, 2020
Like what you see? Share Wit & Delight with a friend:
thanks for the 101. ive always thought having a journal would be a good idea to just release all my thoughts but ive never really known how to begin you know?
stay safe!! https://dorky-and-weird.blogspot.com/ Beijinhos Jessy
I completely know what you mean, Jessica! The blank page is sometimes the hardest part of journaling. I hope these prompts are helpful. Take care!
I love this. I’ve been a journaler for as long as I can remember, but sometimes I even get fed up with MYSELF because the journal quickly becomes a stream of consciousness. I’ve wondered if it’s effective aside from just getting things out of my head. So I love the idea of the prompts so my journaling can be more productive.
I’m so glad this resonated, Ashley! I definitely hear what you’re saying. I think getting our thoughts down on paper is always, always worthwhile, but sometimes it is nice to be able to have a more focused, productive journaling session. Wishing you well!
Wow I had never heard of morning pages, AND a used copy of “The Artists Way” is sitting on my bookshelf. Can’t wait to try my hand at them tomorrow morning!
Thanks for commenting, Dylan! It sounds like it’s meant to be. I hope you find the process helpful!
I hate to say it, but 2-1, 1-3, 2-3, 3-3 and 4-3 are the only questions I can answer or even partially answer. The rest elicit an “I have no idea” response. Maybe journaling just isn’t for me after all.
This is amazing! Thanks for sharing!
So glad it resonated with you!
I’ve been writing in a journal since I was 7 years old. I struggle to find things to write about sometimes, so thank you for the prompts!
I hope you find them helpful!!
At first writing a journal felt so hard but im getting the hook of it gradually, thank you
Fantastic blog Kate I used your prompts for my group therapy -thanks for all you do
So good to hear, thanks for your comment!
I’ve always been a peron who struggled with anexity and the feeling of losing something and it really made me try journaling because someone told me its like tallking to a person but its hidden to where only you know about what you wrote that is until you decide to share your story and change the world from it but it really made me realise that I can be a better person by letting my feelings go and I just wanna say thank you for the prompts they helped a bunch.
I’m so glad you found them helpful!
No offense you can find this prompt and questions many places not to unique see these things a lot.
Thank you so much for such insightful journal prompts. I run a discord server for me and my friends where we all have our own private channel to journal our emotions and insecurities, but also to help us grow and heal..these will be really helpful 🙂
I’m so glad to hear these will be helpful for you!
Good article. You really should credit Julia Cameron on the morning pages tip though.
Thank you for pointing this out! I’ve added this credit within the post.
Read you posting and the comments and wondering if I am doing things wrong. First, am 75 and have done some journal writing on and off for years. Keep “dropping” out of it and starting over. Making a conscious effort now to write down feelings, ideas (daily) and past life experiences. Am I too late in doing this? Just seeking another opinion. Thanks.
It’s never too late! I think journaling can be so helpful, even if only done on occasion.
I WILL be becoming a journaler. I only want to do this for my mental health and letting out my feelings. Sometimes I feel like I can’t control my anxiety and depression. I feel like this would be a very good way to let out my emotions and control my anxiety.
Thank you for sharing! Journaling is an amazing way to help with that.
That nice blog sir. Your posts always inspired me. Please post more useful articles. keep sharing them – https://ijsret.com/2022/10/0https://ijsret.com/2022/10/07/publish-paper-in-a-journal/7/publish-paper-in-a-journal/
Most-read posts:
These 5 Homes Are Filled With Loved Items—It Makes All the Difference
Did you know W&D now has a resource library of Printable Art, Templates, Freebies, and more?
take me there
Get our best w&d resources, for designing a life well-lived.
Kate’s Picks: 7 Things I Tried in February and Loved
March 2023 Horoscopes: Embrace the Winds of Change
March 2023 Theme: The Joy of Decorating With Color at Home
The 10 Chic Wardrobe Essentials in Joe’s and My Closet
February 2023 Month in Review: Celebrations, New Projects, and Healing From COVID
More stories.
Thank you for being here. For being open to enjoying life’s simple pleasures and looking inward to understand yourself, your neighbors, and your fellow humans! I’m looking forward to chatting with you.
Hi, I'm Kate. Welcome to my happy place.
ABOUT WIT & DELIGHT
follow @WITANDDELIGHT
A LIFE THAT
Follow us on instagram @witanddelight_, designing a life well-lived, submissions.
interiors & decor
Fashion & style, health & wellness, relationships, get our best resources.
Did you know W&D now offers Digital Art, Templates, Freebies, & MORE?
legal & Privacy
Wait, wait, take me there, site credit, accessibility statement.
119 Journal Prompts for Your Journal Jar
There are a myriad of benefits to journaling, and everyone should consider keeping a journal.
However, one of the obstacles that people face when they want to pick up the practice of journaling is that they don’t know what to write about. In this post you’ll discover 119 journal prompts to help you get started in keeping a journal, or as additional inspiration for dedicated journalers.
- Get a beautiful jar–it can be a canning jar, a mason jar, or any other jar you have in the house.
- Print out the prompts below on slips of paper.
- Place the slips of paper in the jar.
- Reach into your jar each day as you prepare to write in your journal and take out one of the prompts.
- Set your timer anywhere from 10 to 40 minutes, depending on how much time you have available for journaling.
- Write anything that comes to mind as you read each prompt and elaborate on each point as much as you can.
Below you’ll find 119 journal prompts for your journal jar.
Sunday Scribblings
Sunday Scribblings is a site that posts a writing prompt every Saturday. The idea is that on Sunday you create a piece of writing inspired by the prompt, post it on your blog, and leave a comment on the “Sunday Scribblings” site letting them know that you’ve participated. These can also be used as journal prompts.
Here are some of their prompts:
- What scares you?
- Do you have a plan? Do you need a plan? Have you had a plan fall spectacularly to pieces?
- What is your take on soul mates?
- Are you a worrier? Is there a particular worry that you can’t shake? How do you cope with worry?
- Dear Past Me . . .
- Dear Future Me . . .
Create Lists
You can create lists of many things, such as the following:
- Places you’ve enjoyed visiting.
- Things you’ve done that you previously thought you could never do.
- The people you most admire.
- Your favorite books.
- Your favorite movies.
- Your favorite songs.
- Your top five short term goals.
- Your top five long term goals.
As a bonus, here’s an infographic with 60 lists to make when you need to lift your mood (you can download a PDF with these 60 list ideas at the end of this blog post).
Confessions
Do you have anything you would like to confess (even if it’s just to the pages of your journal)?
- Nobody knows that I . . .
- Dear ____, it weighs on me that I never told you . . .
- The biggest lie I’ve ever told is . . .
- Is there anything you feel guilty about? Is there anything you need to be forgiven for?
- What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done?
- What’s your secret desire?
- What’s the most outrageous thing you’ve ever done?
Use Quotes as Journal Prompts
Look at the following quotes and write whatever comes to mind when you read them:
- “If your daily life seems poor, do not blame it; tell yourself that you are not poet enough to call forth its riches.” — Rilke
- “I have always imagined that Paradise will be some kind of library.” — Jorge Luis Borges
- “Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.” — Jane Howard
- “What in your life is calling you? When all the noise is silenced, the meetings adjourned, the lists laid aside, and the wild iris blooms by itself in the dark forest, what still pulls on your soul? In the silence between your heartbeats hides a summons, do you hear it? Name it, if you must, or leave it forever nameless, but why pretend it is not there?” — The Terma Collective
- “Art is when you hear a knocking from your soul and you answer.” Star Richés
The Most . . .
- The most terrifying moment of my life was . . .
- The most fun I’ve ever had . . .
- The most surprised I’ve ever been . . .
- The most disappointed I’ve ever been . . .
- What are you looking forward to the most?
Visual Journaling Prompts
- Leaf through a couple of magazines and cut out any images that catch your attention. Use each one as a prompt.
- Look through your photographs and choose a few to write about.
- Buy art books that are at a discount and cut them up for images.
Three Things
- Three things you can’t go without.
- Three celebrity crushes.
- Three favorite book characters.
- Three favorite things to wear.
- Three things you want in a relationship.
- If you had to evacuate your home because of a natural disaster, what three things would you take with you?
- Three pet peeves.
- Three things you’d do if you weren’t so afraid.
- Three favorite TV shows.
100 Things I Love
You’re going to make lists that will add up to 100 things you love. Make sure you give an explanation for each of the things you add to your list. For example, don’t just list your favorite restaurants, write down what you enjoy about each one (the warm bread they serve before the meal, the waiter who always remembers your favorite dish, the whimsical decor, and so on).
- 10 Activities
- 10 Restaurants
- 6 Drinks/Beverages
- 10 Paintings
- 10 Web Sites
- 10 Famous lines from books/movies
Express Your Emotions
- My saddest memory is . . .
- Some of the things that make me happy are . . .
- How do you deal with anger?
- How easy is it for you to forgive those who have caused you pain?
- What is the dominant emotion in your life right now?
Rituals and Traditions
- My favorite Sunday ritual . . .
- The Holiday traditions I most look forward to . . .
- Things I always did with my dad when I was small . . .
- Things I always did with my mom when I was little . . .
Ask “If” Questions
These prompts were inspired by the book If… (Questions For The Game of Life) .
- If you could have dinner with anyone currently alive, who would it be?
- If you could meet any fictional character, who would it be?
- If you could change one thing about your present life, what would it be?
- If you could live anywhere you wanted, where would you live?
- If you could go back in time and change one things from your past, what would it be?
Memories From Your Childhood
- What was your favorite toy?
- Did you ever get lost?
- Who was your best friend in elementary school?
- Did you ever run away from home?
- As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
- What was your favorite subject in school?
- Who was your favorite teacher?
- What’s your first memory?
- What was your favorite cartoon?
- What book did you read over and over again as a child?
- What is your most vivid memory of the kitchen in your childhood?
- As a child, who was your favorite relative?
Thinking of the Week That Just Ended
- Who made you feel good this week?
- What was the biggest mistake you made this week?
- What did you do this week that moved you closer to reaching your goals?
- Is there anything you did this week that you wish you’d done differently?
- What did you most enjoy doing this week?
- How did you procrastinate on important tasks this week?
- What did you learn this week?
- What’s the funniest thing that happened to you this week?
Write a Letter
- Write a letter to someone you need to forgive.
- Write a letter to someone who believed in you even when you didn’t believe in yourself.
- Write a letter to be read by each of your loved ones after you’ve passed away.
- Write a fan letter to your favorite actor/actress.
- Write a letter to the editor of your favorite magazine telling them what features you would like to see included in the magazine.
- Is there something you’re reluctant to tell someone? Write a letter to help y0u organize your thoughts.
Landmark Events
- Write about your first dance.
- Write about your first crush.
- Write about your first week in college.
- Write about your first job.
- Write about the first apartment you ever rented.
- When did you feel truly independent for the first time?
The Sky’s the Limit
- What would you do if you knew you could not fail?
- What would you do if money were no object?
- What would you ask for if a genie granted you three wishes?
- What’s your wildest dream?
- What would you do if you could live a day without consequences?
- What grand adventure do you wish you could go on?
- If you could become an expert in any subject or activity, what would it be?
- What would your perfect day be like?
- Close your eyes and imagine the kind of world you would like to see. What is it like?
An Ode To Your Uniqueness
- What makes you unique?
- How do you stand out from the crowd?
- What are your best character traits?
- What are you really good at?
- How would you describe yourself?
- How would your best friend describe you?
- What character traits do you need to work on?
- What are some of your idiosyncrasies?
- How do you indulge yourself? Do you need to indulge yourself more often?
- How do you think others see you when they meet you for the first time?
Dream Triggers
Use your journaling sessions to think about your ideal life. Ask yourself dream triggers, such as the following:
- How would you like to make this world a better place? How can you best share your gifts with the world?
- What qualities do you want in a romantic partner? What are the top ten characteristics that you look for in a romantic partner?
- What are the top ten qualities a friend should have (treats people with respect; listens but doesn’t judge; has a quirky sense of humor; is an artist; lives with passion; doesn’t sweat the small stuff; is loyal and trustworthy)?
- What would make you feel spiritually fulfilled?
- What famous world festivals would you like to attend?
You’ll find 1000 dream triggers, covering 10 different life areas, here .
Memory Triggers
My eBook, “Create Your Life Story” , contains 444 memory prompts, covering several life areas, to help you get started recording your memories and writing your life story. They can also be used as journaling prompts.
Here are three of the prompts that you’ll find inside:
- Was there anything noteworthy about your mother’s upbringing –she grew up in extreme poverty or extreme wealth; she grew up during the Great Depression; she grew up surrounded by artists, philosophers, or politicians; her family moved around a lot when she was growing up; and so on?
- Write down three of your father’s favorites (it could be his favorite singer, his favorite book or author, his favorite movie, his favorite time of the year, his favorite basketball player, his favorite artist, his favorite meal, his favorite dessert, and so on).
- Do you have any famous or high profile family members? If so, write about them.
Conclusion
Keeping a journal is a great tool for changing your life for the better . In addition, keeping prompts in a journal jar will make journaling easier. The prompts above are a great place to start.
As promised above, here’s the PDF with the 60 lists to make when you need a mood lift. Download it, print it, and put it somewhere you can grab it when you feel like making lists. Just fill in your name and email in the form below.
Related Posts:
- A Plethora of Writing Prompts for Creative Writing and Journaling
- 99 Powerful Questions to Ask to Turbocharge Your Life
- 24 More Fabulous Tips For Writers, From Writers
- How to Keep a Journal – Two Methods You Should Try
Comments on this entry are closed.
Awesome. I Love this! I also had an idea as I read through some of these prompts that I think I’m going to use some of them to do a “get to know you better” game with my siblings. As we are getting older and are now spread so far apart there is so much I’d love to know in a deeper way about them. The easier things I know, but I’d like to ask things from like “The Sky’s the Limit” along with a few other deeper questions.
Hi, I’m 14 and my teacher said we needed to find some journal prompts. I stumbled upon this website and thought I’d say that I would be using it a lot for myself. I love to write and journal!!! It’s my passion and one day my future job. So thanks for making this website 🙂
Hi there! I’m at work browsing your blog from my new apple iphone! Just wanted to say I love reading your blog and look forward to all your posts! Keep up the superb work!
Marelisa, thank you for this wonderful list!! I’m guest posting about journals at Or So She Says on Monday (February 11) and I’m linking to your list! Hope you don’t mind. Thanks again and have a great day!
Hi Brooke: It would be great if you linked to my post, thank you.
it was wonderful reading your journal prompts. thanks a lot. The post really assisted me
Excellent list of prompts. I appreciate all the hard work that went into this.
Thanks for your hard work! I’m modifying some of these for my classroom journals.
Excellent work. kudos.
Been into keeping a journal since I was 21 in 1987 and found that I am sometimes still in the mood to write even after I’ve already updated my journal with what’s going at the present moment in my life. I think this is a great way to expand those journal horizons, so to speak. Although I’ve probably mentioned most of these things in my journals over the years, it’s nice to have a consolidated and organized theme I can follow such as this. Thanks!
This site is really awesome. I was just thinking that I wanted to make a list of journal prompts so I googled journal prompts and found this. Now I have a whole bunch of great things to write about. THANKS!
Next post: 49 Gratitude Quotes and A Poem of Thankfulness
Previous post: Nike Quotes and Videos: Get a Motivation Boost From Nike
Popular Posts
57 Tips For Writers From Writers
17 Ways to Slow Down Aging and Live Longer
How to Conduct a Life Audit
119 Journal Prompts For Your Journal Jar
18 Things to Do With a Moleskine, or Any Notebook
Recent Posts
- 3 Must-Read Books by Ancient Roman Philosophers
- 9 Ways to Cure Wanderlust When You Can’t Travel
- How to Increase Your Goal Commitment to Achieve Anything You Want
- How to Cope When Things Are Tough: Coping During COVID-19
- 12 Fun Things to Do At Home
This site rocks the Classic Responsive Skin for Thesis .
- Create account
- See sub-menu prior page
- Individual Cards
- Boxed Card Sets
- Sticker Cards
- Anniversary
- Congratulations
- Mental Health
- Pandemic Cards
- Mother's Day
- Father's Day
- Valentine's Day
- Bestsellers
3 Journaling Exercises & Ideas We Love
Pictured above: Elizabeth Gilbert Women I Love and Admire Journal
WRITE SOME LETTERS
- Write to yourself at age 15, or any other age that was tough for you. What would you want your past self to know? Is there something you’d like to thank them for? Try writing the words of kindness and support that you most wanted to hear back then. Give yourself the kind of love you needed, and perhaps didn’t receive.
- Write to your current self, from your future self. Imagine yourself 20 years in the future. What perspective would that version of you have to share? What would they tell you to let go of?
- Write to yourself “from” an emotion you’ve been experiencing. For example, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, let the overwhelm speak. Is it trying to teach you something? Protect you from something? Is there something it wants you to know?
COUNSEL YOURSELF
Burn after writing.
SHOP JOURNALS
The Women I Love and Admire Journal
Elizabeth Gilbert
Finding Yourself Journal
Survival Journal
- Writing, Research & Publishing Guides
Buy new: $8.99
- Free returns are available for the shipping address you chose. You can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition: no shipping charges
- Learn more about free returns.
- Go to your orders and start the return
- Select the return method
Sorry, there was a problem.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required . Learn more
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web .
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Writer's Prompt Journal - Creative Writing Warm Up Workbook - Writers Block Exercises: Creative writers story prompts journal (lined) - 2 pages per prompt (Writer's Prompt Journals) Paperback – June 17, 2021
- Paperback $8.99 1 New from $8.99
Enhance your purchase
The perfect cure for that terror of the dreaded blank page. If you are productivity-minded and have set yourself the goal of writing only two pages of prose a day to grow your creative writing talents, then this book is for you (or an excellent gift) . Use as frequently or infrequently as required to get the creative juices flowing. Give yourself permission to write rubbish prose.
Use this as a warm up exercise book to just start getting words on the page and your creative endeavours will truly benefit as a result! This book contains a variety of short prompts, each with two lined pages for your creative writing journalling.
The intention is not to create amazing fiction, but to ‘ break the ice ’ when it comes to writer’s block and start getting words on the page.
Prompts are designed to push your imagination. Examples include:
- Write a story about a piece of kitchenware being used for something other than its intended purpose.
- Write a story about a character who is extremely possessive of an inanimate object. Include deception.
- One hour challenge – write about dramatic events that unfold and resolve in the space of just one hour. Include a hat.
Title your piece once it is complete.
Some prompts will ask you to ‘include’ something - this can be part of the plot, setting or just a part of the dialogue, as long as that element finds its way into the piece somewhere. This will help the imagination do the mental gymnastics. 8.5 x 11in on good quality paper
The sooner you start, the better!
- Print length 108 pages
- Language English
- Publication date June 17, 2021
- Dimensions 8.5 x 0.25 x 11 inches
- ISBN-13 979-8522508999
- See all details
Frequently bought together
- This item: Writer's Prompt Journal - Creative Writing Warm Up Workbook - Writers Block Exercises: Creative writers story prompts journal (lined) - 2 pages per prompt (Writer's Prompt Journals) by Penelope Buckett Paperback $8.99 In Stock. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Get it as soon as Wednesday, Mar 15
- 5-Minute Daily Writing Prompts: 501 Prompts to Unleash Creativity and Spark Inspiration by Tarn Wilson Paperback $12.59 In Stock. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Get it as soon as Monday, Mar 13
- A Year of Creative Writing Prompts (Write On!) by Love in Ink Paperback $15.99 In Stock. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Get it as soon as Wednesday, Mar 15
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Product details
- ASIN : B097CG634D
- Publisher : Independently published (June 17, 2021)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 108 pages
- ISBN-13 : 979-8522508999
- Item Weight : 12.3 ounces
- Dimensions : 8.5 x 0.25 x 11 inches
- #158 in Writing Skill Reference (Books)
- #225 in Fiction Writing Reference (Books)
Related books
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
- Top reviews Most recent Top reviews
Top review from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. please try again later..
- Amazon Newsletter
- About Amazon
- Accessibility
- Sustainability
- Press Center
- Investor Relations
- Amazon Devices
- Amazon Science
- Sell products on Amazon
- Sell apps on Amazon
- Supply to Amazon
- Protect & Build Your Brand
- Become an Affiliate
- Become a Delivery Driver
- Start a package delivery business
- Advertise Your Products
- Self-Publish with Us
- Host an Amazon Hub
- › See More Ways to Make Money
- Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Cards
- Amazon Store Card
- Amazon Secured Card
- Amazon Business Card
- Shop with Points
- Credit Card Marketplace
- Reload Your Balance
- Amazon Currency Converter
- Amazon and COVID-19
- Your Account
- Your Orders
- Shipping Rates & Policies
- Amazon Prime
- Returns & Replacements
- Manage Your Content and Devices
- Your Recalls and Product Safety Alerts
- Amazon Assistant
- Conditions of Use
- Privacy Notice
- Your Ads Privacy Choices
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Journal Prompts Examples ; Describe a place where you felt happiest. What was your greatest fear, and how did you conquer it? ; Describe your dream job/partner/
Journal prompts - all about you · What kind of day are you having, and why? · What's your favorite color, place, food, book, song, or movie, and why? · What do you
Journal prompts for self-discovery and self-reflection · Love and relationships · Work and career · Self-reflection · Uncomfortable emotions · Living
Topics for Journal Writing: 35 Absolutely Fabulous Ideas for You! · What is the most beautiful thing you've ever seen? · Have you ever been in
These Writing Exercises are a collection of prompts originally published in The Journal Newsletter. The prompts include journaling prompts, prose prompts
Journal prompts are questions or first lines that serve as a guide for what to write on a blank page. Of course, you can always pick up a
Journaling Prompts for Anxiety and Depression · What hurts right now? How can I find relief? · When I look in the mirror, what do I see? · What are
Create Lists · Places you've enjoyed visiting. · Things you've done that you previously thought you could never do. · The people you most admire. · Your favorite
Write out everything you want to let go of. Make it messy. Cry on it. Get mad! Scrawl it all down. Resist the urge to read it over when you're
Writer's Prompt Journal - Creative Writing Warm Up Workbook - Writers Block Exercises: Creative writers story prompts journal (lined) - 2 pages per prompt (