Journal Prompts: Know Yourself, Make Decisions, Organize Thoughts
Every year during the thick of winter I find myself feeling more inward and more reflective. And then, as spring begins to tease warmer temperatures, I find new motivation to make changes inspired by my winter self-realizations and reflections on my passions and priorities.
As I explained in a previous article, journaling has many health benefits. Lately, I’ve been finding my reflections are getting stuck in my head. I haven’t prioritized time for long juicy journaling sessions. I’ve mostly been writing short daily anecdotes about what I’m doing and feeling. And that’s ok. Habits can ebb and flow. I’m proud of myself for continually showing up to journal even if I haven’t written much. At the same time, I know from previous experience, that those longer journaling sessions can help me identify new realizations about myself and organize my thoughts, especially when I’m ruminating on ideas and decisions.
While I normally journal in a free-form style, sometimes guided questions can be helpful to jumpstart the process. So whether you’re wanting to get to know yourself better, agonizing over a decision, or just hoping to organize your thoughts here are a few prompts to get you started:
Getting to Know Myself Better
What people, activities, or places make me feel most alive?
Who do I feel most myself around?
When do I feel most in the present moment?
What brings me joy?
When was the last time I felt like a kid? What was I doing?
What makes me feel out of my comfort zone? How do I feel after?
What am I proud of myself for?
What makes me frustrated?
What gives me energy? What drains my energy?
What does success look and feel like to me?
What does health and wellbeing look and feel like to me?
Dreaming Big
Imagine yourself 5 or 10 years from now and picture what your ideal day would look like. What are you doing? Who are you with? Get specific. Then think about one action you could do today to make that day a reality in the future.
If money and time were no object, what would I be doing right now?
What makes me excited?
What new things do I want to try? What new skills do I want to learn?
Decision Making
For making decisions: Imagine yourself picking one of your options. What does that feel like? What excites your most about this option? What hesitations do you have about this option? Does this change your daily life and, if so, what does your typical day look like with this decision? How does this option support what you value in life? Now pick a different option and ask yourself the same questions.
How will I think about this decision 10 years from now?
What are my biggest priorities at this time in my life? How does any option I choose help me live out those priorities?
Organizing Thoughts
What thoughts or ideas have been swirling around in my mind lately? Are there any actions I need to take related to these thoughts?
What purpose is this thought serving me?
What are my goals for this week? This month? This year? This decade? For bigger goals, how can I break them down into manageable smaller goals? How will I hold myself accountable? How will I measure success?
What do I need to do to clear my head?
