I am a big fan of journaling and I find journal prompts one of the best ways to help myself get unstuck. Also, I collect and hoard journal prompts with a Smeagol-like passion. Here’s my prompt collection. Feel free to try a few on.
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Last updated January 21, 2022
How will today’s difficulties show my character?
Did I lose control of my emotions today? What triggered it? Was that a reasonable response?
What did I do today that was out of character? What triggered it? Was that a reasonable response?
What did you do today that was not a good use of your time?
Did you miss accomplishing an important habit or step in your routine today? What do you think was the reason for it and how can you prevent it from happening again?
What did I crave today? Describe what you craved in its most simplistic form. Did it warrant that level of craving?
Where am I standing in my own way?
What’s the smallest step I can take toward a big thing today?
What blessings can I count right now?
Why do I care so much about impressing people?
What is the harder choice I’m avoiding?
Do I rule my fears, or do they rule me?
What “bad” thing happened that I should be thankful for.
If you were a superhero, what would your superhero name be? What would
your superpower be and what would you do with it?
Write about a time in your life when you did something that made you proud of yourself? Acknowledge just how amazing you are.
We all have a story that we don’t want anyone to know. It causes us shame. Shame is poison. Please allow your shameful self to have a dialogue with your most compassionate self. Your critical self is not invited to this meeting. Remember this: There is nothing in this world that cannot be forgiven. Forgive yourself.
Make a list of five people for whom you are great and the reasons for your gratitude.
Write about the thing that scares you the most, and then visualize experiencing that thing. In other words, imagine it happening. Call upon your courageous self in your visualization, face this fear. What do you do to overcome the fear?
Write a compassionate letter to your younger self. Be kind and compassionate, sharing the wisdom that you know now, but didn’t know then.
Write about a great olfactory memory. When my father used to bake peanut butter criss-cross cookies…I can only remember him cooking those in our first hours. We moved from there when I was 10 years old. So, memories of that cookie scent bring me back to a very specific time and place.
Write about a descriptive piece about someone who is or was very special to you. Describe them, in addition to writing about what it was that made him or her so significant.
Write about where you’d like to be five years from now. Dare to really think big.
Write an apology to someone.
Who made you feel good this week/month/quarter?
What was the biggest mistake you made this week/month/quarter?
What did you do this week/month/quarter that moved you closer to reaching your goals?
Is there anything you did this week/month/quarter that you wish you’d done differently?
What did you most enjoy doing this week/month/quarter?
How did you procrastinate on important tasks this week/month/quarter?
What did you learn this week/month/quarter?
What’s the funniest thing that happened to you this week/month/quarter?
How do I choose to measure success/failure for myself?
What are the worst things that could happen? Could I get back here?
If I could only work 2 hours per week on my business, what would I do?
What might I put in place to allow me to go off the grid for 4 to 8 weeks, with no phone or email?
Am I hunting antelope or field mice?
Could it be that everything is fine and complete as is?
What am I missing right now that a more humble person might see?
What am I avoiding, or running from?
Write a letter to your older self
Write about your childhood
Write about lost friendships
Write about your school life, your grades, what you wish you had done
differently
Write about turning points in your life – what would be different now if you had made a different choice
Write about regrets you may have