Journaling can improve your mental health. By writing your thoughts you can deal with emotions which are otherwise hard to express. The therapy journal prompts in this blog will encourage you to reflect on your feelings and it can be part of your personal development.
Besides improving mental health journaling can also help relieve stress. It is a great way to be creative and think about some of the things that are holding you back in your life.
There is no specific format to journaling. All you need is a blank page to start your journal entries. You can journal anywhere and anytime.
The important thing to remember is that there are no strict rules to journaling. Some people journal on their way home from work, before bed time or even when they are dealing with a difficult emotion.
Make journaling part of your daily routine and and you will be able to enjoy the positive experience of writing. It is basically a creative expression of your thoughts.
Encourage your children to journal their day for few minutes everyday before bed time. This will be a valuable practice that they can use even when they are adults.
The therapy journal prompts below are more suitable for adults. You can check out fun journal prompts for children that will encourage them to reflect on their day.
Advantages of therapy journal prompts:
1. Helps you relax
One of the biggest advantage of journal writing is that it helps you de-stress. Writing releases the anxiety in your mind.
By writing things down not only do you feel more relaxed but you will have a new perspective of the issues that you are dealing with.
For just a few minutes a day of writing down your thoughts, you can almost instantly boost your physical and mental health.
Related : Journal prompts for depression
2. Be in touch with your feelings
Many people especially children find it very hard to express their emotions. This can have an impact on your mental-wellbeing.
However, writing is a great way to be in touch with your feelings. Using therapy journal prompts like the one below you will be able to stay in tune with your emotions and identify causes of stressors.
Recent study on journaling found that writing can improve mental health conditions.
3. Improve your mood and creativity
One of the biggest mental health benefits of journaling is that it improves creativity and mood. For some people who find it hard to write their feelings, they can draw it.
Journaling gets you thinking about your past experiences and your current mood.
By recognizing things that make you upset, you can make decisions that would avoid such feelings from reoccurring. Journal also writing provides a safe space for you to channel your emotions.
The therapy journal prompts below will ask some hard questions which will encourage you to think about your current state of mind and challenge negative thoughts that you are currently feeling.
Therapy journal prompts:
There is no particular order in using the therapy journal prompts below. Pick a few questions everyday and answer them as you feel like. If a question makes you feel uncomfortable then move on to the next question.
1.Write down your feelings right now. What is the first thing that comes into your mind?
2.Think about the first feelings that you are feeling right now?
3.What is the best emotion that you are feeling right now?
4.Do you remember the first time you felt alone?
5.Write down 10 things that made you feel happy today
6.Write down 2 things that made you stressed out today?
7.Name the people you would call when you’re feeling anxious?
8.Does being alone scare you?
9.Write down five things that you should stop doing to start feeling better about yourself?
10.Write them two things that is currently making you feel stress?
11.Do you feel like you have a good support system to deal with the difficulties that you’re going through right now?
12.If there is one thing that stress has taught you what would it be?
13.From all the difficulties that you have gone through, what is the one lesson that you can take away that made you stronger?
14.What are the clues you use that would tell you that you are feeling quite anxious?
15.Are all anxiety the same?
16.Write down what your anxiety triggers are?
17.Write down 10 things you’re grateful for in your life
18.Write a love letter to yourself
18.What made you laugh today?
19. Write a letter of forgiveness to yourself. What do you forgive yourself for?
20.Write a list of TV shows you would watch whenever you are feeling low
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21.Create a list of songs you would listen when you’re feeling anxious
22. If you could be anywhere in the world right now where do you want to be?
23.Write down a list of things you would do when you are feeling nervous. For example, meditate, go for long walks, read a book, have coffee with a friend, et cetera.
24. Create a wardrobe of clothes you would wear to make you feel instantly better.
25.How do you feel about your physical health right now?
26.What are some of the bad habits you should stop doing to be more physically healthy?
27.What are three things that makes you angry?
28. Write some of the things that frustrate you the most.
29. Write a love letter to someone special to you.
30.Write a thank you note to a family member.
31.What is the one hobby that you would like to start?
32.What are the books you like to read that makes you feel happy?
32.What would your perfect life look like?
33. Write about a time that you help someone that made you feel good.
34.Create a list of people that you should stop spending time with.
35.Who inspires you the most?
36.What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?
37.What is your favourite self-care activity?
38.How do you reward yourself after doing something good?
39.Write five things you’re thankful for in your life.
40.How do you think your life would look like 10 years from now?
41.Write a positive affirmation you would tell yourself whenever you are feeling anxious.
42.How does meditation make you feel?
43.When was the last time you had a panic attack?
44.When was the last time you had a nightmare?
45.How does social media make you feel?
46.Create a list of people you will block on your social media.
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47.Draw how you are feeling right now.
48.Write down the things that keep you up at night.
49.What are your core values?
50.Do you love yourself? Why or why not.
51. Scribble down words that are going through your mind right now.
52. Who are the five people you like to spend most time with?
53. Write down some good habits you want to cultivate.
54. What can you do to make your life more meaningful?
55.Write down some things in life that you would like to experience.
56. What are your current shutdown goals?
57.What are your current lockdown goals?
58. What areas in your life that are not getting enough attention right now? For example relationship, career, fitness, et cetera.
59. Write a letter to your future self.What goals would you include? What would you have achieved?
60. How does social distancing made you feel?
61. What would you do if money was not an objection in your life?
62.Write down some of the things that are going on really well in your life right.
63.Do you have a morning routine?
64. What are some of the things you like to do before going to bed at night?
Dont forget….THE GROWTH MINDSET KIT to encourage children to share kindness with others
65.Choose one thing that you would like to forgive yourself for and write a letter to yourself to remind you of those things.
66. How do you cope with negative emotions?
67. What brings you peace?
68. What is the greatest greatest challenge in your life right now?
69. Write about your biggest phobia.
70.From a scale of 1 to 10 how peaceful do you feel right now? One being the least peaceful and then being most peaceful.
71.What is help you overcome anxiety in the past?
72.Write down about your happiest memory.
73. Write down five things that make you feel great after a long day.
74. Create a list of things that make you feel happy on a daily basis. For example the Sun shining bright, going for long walks, binge watching a TV show, etc.
75.How does journalling help you?
76.If you can change one thing about your life, what would it be?
77.Make a list of priorities for the next one week.
78.If you could run away and hide right now where would you go and why?
79.Write a letter to your teenage self.
80. What are your sleeping habits like? Do you check your phone in the middle of the night?
81. What are the first things that comes to your mind when you wake up in the morning?
82. Write down 10 things you wish other people knew about you.
83.What advice would you give someone that is going through a hard time right now?
84. Pick one positive word that you would tell yourself every day when you wake up in the morning.
85. What can you do right now to make you feel better?
86. What are some of the things that you are running away from your life right now?
87. What makes you feel fulfilled?
88. What does your ideal day look like?
89. What can’t you imagine living without?
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90. Where do you feel safest?
91. Who are the five people you’re close to and why?
92. What is the one thing you could do to improve your spirituality?
93. What is your ideal life look like?
94. What is the most important thing to you in your life?
95. What is your biggest fear?
96. If I Jeannie can grant you three wishes what would you wish for?
97. Create your dream life. Describe it in detail.
98. What does happiness mean to you?
99. Describe a difficult situation that you overcame in the past.
100. Write a letter to someone that is causing your anxiety.
101. Think about a time where are you faced a setback, what did you do to overcome those setbacks?
102. When you think about the future do you feel excited or anxious?
103. What gives you strength during difficult times in your life?
104. Write about a time that you failed and how do you got back from it.
104. If you could talk to anyone dead or alive who would you want to talk to?
105. Write about the time that you felt very happy and at peace with yourself.
106. How does your best friends describe you?
107. If today was your last day what would you do?
108. What do you need more off in your life?
109. What are you most grateful for in your life?
110. What is your dream job?
111. What is your favourite childhood memory?
112. If you could relive your youth how would you do things differently?
113. What are some of the fears that is holding you back in your life?
114. Draw a picture of things that makes you happy.
115. What type of self-care practices will you try?
116. What is something that you regret doing?
117. If you chance one decision you made in the past, what would it be? Why do you want to change that decision?
118. Write a letter to yourself five years ago.
119. Complete the sentence “I got where I am today because….”
120. Describe your perfect job.
121. What gives you inspiration in your professional life?
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122. What is the one thing you want to accomplish before the end of the year?
123. Name three people that you admire. Why do you admire them?
124. Write a thank you letter to someone that has always been there for you.
125. What do you value most in a friendship?
126. How much do you worry about money?
127.What are your coping mechanism when dealing with a difficult situation?
128. Describe a mistake that you made recently. How did you deal with it?
129. How do you respond to crisis?
130. Write down how each social media platform makes you feel. What are the ups and downs of being on those platforms?
131. How often do you exercise? How does it make you feel?
132. How do you deal with uncertainty?
133. Write down the positive ways you have change your life in the last two years.
134. What’s the one thing you have done that you are very proud off?
135. What are your best personality traits?
136. When was the last time you received a compliment?
137. How do you deal with your insecurities?
138. What makes you feel loved?
139. What type of activities gives you a lot of energy?
140. How important do you will you other peoples opinion about you?
141.What are some of the things you love doing in your life?
142. Write down one good habit that you want to start working on.
143. What are some of personal goals that you have ignored recently?
144.How can you stay on top of your goals?
145. What are your biggest time wasters?
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146. What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
147. What does success look like to you?
148. How do you look after your mental health?
149. In what ways have you grown as a person recently?
150. Reflect on how you have changed in the last few years.
151. Go for a walk and take photos of things that makes you smile. Afterwards write down and reflect on the pictures that you took
152. What scares you the most?
153 What was the defining moment in your life?
153.What do you do to relax?
154. Write down some of your favourite quotes.
155. If you could do one thing right right now, what will you do?
156. What are some of your struggles with mental health recently? How do you overcome the struggles?
157. Is there anything you are running away from right now?
158.How do you feel right now?
159. Describe one person that you are so grateful for in your life. How do you know that person?
160. Write down about a time where you could not stop laughing. What was so funny? Who were you with? How did it make you feel at the time?
161. Write down some of the things you take for granted for in your life. For example, your family, your safety, your home, etc.
162. What do you like most about your body?
163. List out all the things that’s worrying you right now. Now go through the list and write how you can make each of them easier or less scary.
164. How did your upbringing affect your mental health?
165. Do you think you are being too hard on yourself? In what ways?
167. What secret do you hold? How can you get over them? For example, can you talk to a friend or a therapist?
168. Who can you talk to about your anxiety?
169. Make a list of mental health books you would like to read before the end of the year.
170. Create a list of tech dogs you would like to watch to inspire you.
171. How would you describe your anxiety to your best friend?
172. Do you think you are being honest about your anxiety to yourself?
173. What would you say to a friend who is suffering the same type of anxiety as you are right now?
174. What is the one change you can make to avoid such anxiety from occurring again in the future?
175. What is your favourite technique to destress?
176. How would you reward yourself when you have accomplished something?
177. What is one self-care idea you are going to try this year?
178. How did your anxiety start? How old were you? Can you think what triggered that anxiety.
179. What changes can you make to improve your life?
180. Create a list of things you are thankful for this week.
181. What is your greatest achievement?
182. What do you wish people knew more about you? Why?
183. Write down some high/lows you have faced this week.
184. Do you have someone special in your life? Write a short story about that person. Include qualities you like about he/she and sent a letter to that person.
185.What are some struggles your face with your mental health?
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186.What advice would you give to your younger self?
187. What are some of the positives in your life right now?
188. How can you build a support system for yourself?
189.What do you want to improve on right now?
190. Describe what you would like to be if you didn’t have anxiety or depression.
191.Who are your role models?
192. Create a list of movies that you relate to the most and why?
193. Write about a time when someone hurt your feelings. How did that person make you feel? What happened? How did you overcome the situation?
194.Write about a time that you feel extremely proud about yourself.
195.Write about your favourite place.
196. If you’re heart could talk what would it say?
197. If there is a song to your emotion what would it sound like?
198. What have you learned so far in your life?
199. What hurts you right now? What can you do to heal it?
200. What social media self-care steps are you taking? Are you on following people that make you feel unhappy?
201. Write about a time in your life where are you felt relaxed.
202. Write about the negative situation that you are working recently.
203. Write a thank you letter to your body.
204. List 10 places you want to visit.
205. What is your favourite way to feel good about yourself?
206. What junk food do you need to stop eating?
207. Write ten things that you’re really good at.
208. What are five habits that you want to introduce in your life?
209. What is the one word your best friend would describe you to be?
210. What are five things you can do for your mental health today?
211.What are three things you can do to help you relieve stress?
212. Create a list of YouTube channels you would watch whenever you’re feeling down.
213. What are some of the favourite things you like to do when you are having a bad day?
214. Write down a list of things that are going on well at the present moment of your life?
215. What are some of your long-term goals?
216. What is your favourite childhood memory?
217. What does a perfect day look like to you?
218. What is the best compliment you have ever received?
219. Reflect on the last couple of years and write down things that have gone well for you.
More tips when using the therapy journal prompts above:
Some of the therapeutic benefits of journaling is that it is a positive way to express different thoughts. You can write about your own experiences and think of little things you can do to start feeling better.
It is a starting point of letting good things happen in your life.
While journaling can be done anywhere, it is always nice to find a comfort zone where you feel safe to write down your thoughts. Think of your journal entry as your own private space for your mind.
Write down the kind of things that are running through your mind. It can be your deepest thoughts, good things and even small things that you are currently feeling.
The next time you feel trapped and don’t know how to start your journaling practice, just use the therapy journal prompts above. It will give you new ideas on things to write about.
Do not over think about it and just start writing. Everything else will flow and fall into place.
We hope you have enjoyed the therapy journal prompts above. Comment below on any questions you particularly liked.
Finally, before you go don’t forget to check this out
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