This year I’ve really been trying to focus on self-reflection and growth. One of the ways I’ve been doing this is through journaling. I find that it’s a lot easier to self-reflect when you’re writing things down! Like many other college students, I find myself scrolling on TikTok for way too long, but in my scrolling, I’ve come across a few great journaling prompts. All of these techniques have really helped me reflect and delve a little deeper into my thoughts and goals.
- 10-10-10 Worksheet
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In this exercise from @thebackyardbuddha, you write down 10 exciting desires, 10 things you’re grateful for, and 10 things you love to do. I like this prompt because it can be as quick or as time-consuming as you’d like. The 10-10-10 worksheet is great for showing gratitude and pinpointing your desires. I do this prompt when I’m not looking to delve too deep into my thoughts but just deep enough to still get something out of it.
- Write a letter to a person/thing
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This technique, from a therapist on TikTok, is perfect for deep reflection. You can write a letter to a person or – my favorite part -a thing. For example, you could write, “Dear Mom,” or “Dear Anxiety.” This gives you a chance to explore your feelings about a person or a thing and to communicate things you wish/want to say. I like this journal prompt because it can also help you realize feelings that you might not have been aware of before. If you just keep writing, you can learn a lot about how you feel about something.
- What I would do if…
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“What I would do if…” is from @itsryannnicole. I love this one! This prompt really puts life into perspective. For example, I wrote, “What I would do if… I was more confident.” I then list things that I would do if I was more confident. This was so eye-opening because it shows just how much we hold ourselves back and it can reveal desires we didn’t even realize we had. The second part of this technique is to do one of the things from the list every day. This is optional, but if you’re up to the challenge, it could be super beneficial!
All of these prompts and techniques have been really helpful for me. They’ve allowed me to think of my thoughts, goals, and desires in a new and deeper way. If you’re interested in journaling, you should try these out!