Seven prompts that will get you into the habit of journaling this week
We hear over and over that journaling is the best way to understand ourselves and improve our mental health. Study findings even suggest that through journaling, “accepting our feelings is linked to better psychological health and positive therapeutic outcomes, including improved moods and reduced anxiety.” Still, most of us find it hard to set out a time to journal – and even if we do, we sit there, stuck, and stare at a blank page.
Building habits and getting over the initial hump is so important to embracing these benefits. There are so many journaling prompts that you can follow online. Although these can be beneficial for beginners, following these prompts often brings me back to the point of feeling like I have nothing to write. These prompts are frequently too broad or depersonalized, which makes it difficult to attribute any of your feelings to them. Therefore, I have created a list of seven unique prompts to get you started on your journaling adventure!
Monday:
Where are you Feeling Stuck in Making Progress Towards your Future Goals?
Goal setting is such a good way to start your week. A lot of times these goals seem unreachable, but through this prompt, you can reflect on what feelings or things are preventing you from reaching them. In order to achieve your goals, you have to know what is stopping you from getting there, so this prompt will help you make changes towards a better future.
Tuesday:
Name the “Chapter” or “Era” that you are in Right now and Describe it.
The “era” prompt is so fun to write. Think about what reoccurring themes are going on in your life, specifically this week, and name it as a chapter in your life. Describe what is happening or how you feel and why you decided to label it a certain way. This prompt is both on trend, and also a helpful way to organize your thoughts.
Wednesday:
Today I Felt ___ because I ___.
This is my favorite prompt to follow. Split the page in half and on the left side, write how you felt throughout the day and then reason out why on the right side of the page. It is so simple yet one of the most effective prompts I have used. It is extremely interesting because overtime, you start noticing patterns and gaining a better understanding of why you feel the way you feel.
Thursday:
What has been Giving me Energy? What has been Draining my Energy?
This is another prompt that will help you understand why you feel the way you feel. Simply splitting the page and writing the things that you notice reenergize or drain you throughout the week is an important step towards maintaining a healthy balance in life. This prompt can also help you understand the things you should get rid of or part from in your weekly routine.
Friday:
What was the most Memorable Conversation you had this Week?
Thinking back on your week, write something that stood out to you or made you feel a specific way. Use this space to explain why you felt the way you felt or why that specific conversation stood out to you in the first place. List quotes you liked or phrases you remember in your daily life. This prompt can also help you analyze your relationships, as you start to notice patterns in your conversations with certain people.
Saturday:
Describe Things that Make you feel Safe.
This is such a comforting prompt. Listing out things that make you feel safe can be extremely anxiety relieving and grounding. Try this prompt as you use the weekend to unwind and recuperate for the upcoming week.
Sunday:
What was the Highlight of my Week?
Reflective prompts are so effective. For this prompt, simply writing about something that stood out to you during the week can help you find a positive aspect in everything you do. This is one of the best prompts to do on a Sunday night, as you can shove aside fears for the upcoming week and focus on what makes you feel good.
Although it may seem daunting at first, journaling is a great habit that we should implement into our daily routines. It can be helpful to set a timer to remind yourself to write, at least until this process becomes a habit for you. Happy journaling!