I learned about journaling in seventh grade. At first I felt lost on what to write about, and where to start. Now I try to journal whenever I feel like I need to clear my head and get it all down on paper. Other times my mind is blank so I answer some of the idea questions below.
Gentle Reminder:
Journaling is not about writing a perfect script for someone else to critique. It is for you and sometimes that can look messy. Think of this as a rough draft, write whatever comes to mind, and lead with it. If your initial thought gets lost that’s okay too, continue writing whatever pops into your head!
Ideas to write about:
To feel more positive about yourself:
- What are 3 things that happened today that made you feel happy?
- What is one memory that comes up when you think of happiness?
- Bullet point some of your recent favorites, big & small 🙂
- Bullet point 5 or more things you love about yourself
Self-reflection & Self-awareness:
- What is one thing that you learned about yourself today?
- What is a trigger that has come up lately? A trigger means an old pattern of thinking or feeling about yourself that tends to be negative. This pattern is usually something from the past that now shapes how you perceive others and/or yourself
- What is something that is holding you back?
- What is something or someone that makes you feel important?
- What do I need more of in my life?
Connections to inner child:
- What did childhood me need the most?
- What did you love as a kid?
- How can you incorporate what you enjoyed then to now?
- What would you tell your younger self? Teenage self?
- If you could travel back in time to change anything, would you?
Goal setting:
- Bullet point 5 short term goals
- Bullet point 3 long term goals
- What motivates you to reach for your goals?
- What was your latest achievement? When?
- How did you reach this goal?
- How did you feel when you accomplished the goal?
When feeling low:
- What advice would you give your friend if they were feeling low?
- Bullet point how your body feels, figure out what to do
- Feeling out of control: go on a walk, listen to music, take a deep breath outside
- Boiling up inside: go get some exercise, go somewhere safe to scream, rant to someone you trust
- Sinking inside: write whatever comes to mind, cry if needed
