Ready with your pen and journal, but staring blankly at the empty pages wondering what to write? We’ve all been there. As exciting as the idea of taking a journey of self-discovery and self-reflection with journaling sounds, actually getting on with this idea can be difficult for some people. Mainly because they don’t have a road map guiding them through the process. If this is your story too, here are 14 diverse journaling ideas that you can use every new day. Spend a few minutes each day using these prompts for your journaling and you’ll find yourself in the groove for introspection after the 14 days are over!
- Who do you Admire the Most?
Keep it simple for the first day and just write about 3 to 5 people in your life whom you admire the most. These people could be your family members, friends, co-workers, neighbors, or even just random acquaintances. Don’t forget to mention your reasons for this admiration too. - Which Relationships You’d Like to Improve?
Delving a little deeper on the second day, think about the relationships in your life that are currently in somewhat of a flux. Unstable relationships can deeply impact our sense of mental calm and peace. It’s important to identify and resolve the relationship disturbances that are within your sphere of influence. - What are your Priorities in Life?
Get your life priorities in order on the third day of your journaling. In addition to affirming your priorities, also take the time to review the choices you make and the actions you take on a daily basis that allow you to serve these priorities. - Who Do You Spend Most of Your Time With?
Peace and happiness come from within but they can only flourish when given an environment of positivity. Observe who are the people that you spend most of your time with every day and what emotions and thoughts do these people invoke in you. - What Thoughts Disturb you Often?
An overanxious mind is the playground for useless worries, discomforting conflicts, and obsessive patterns of thinking. Things are generally easier than how we tend to perceive them in our head. Relieve your anxious mind a bit by noting down all the disturbing thoughts that have been eating away at you. Reflect on how you can let go of these thoughts that don’t serve you at all. - What can you Forgive Yourself for?
Guilt, shame, regret, all come from the habit of living in the past and over-thinking about the bad decisions you had made. But the thing we often forget is that, at the end of the day, it is all in the past. You can’t take back any of it, but you can certainly move on from it, forgive yourself for it, and hope for a better future. - What are you Thankful for from Your Past?
Instead of scouring through the past for unpleasantness, look into it to discover instances, people and memories that you’re actually grateful for. Even the darkest of pasts are not without a glimmer of light. Find this light from your past and give it the respect it deserves. - How can you Challenge Your Mind and Body?
Begin your second week on a fiery mode by looking for ways to be more dynamic in your daily life. Come up with different ways you can challenge your physical and mental self and also outline a plan of action for implementing these ways. Challenges keep you active and inspired. - What do You Want to Say “Yes” and “No” to?
Big changes begin with small commitments. Make a list of all the things that you want to commit saying “yes” to. Complement this list with another list of things that you want to commit saying “no” to. The lists could comprise of habits that you want to inculcate or give up, things that you want to give a try or stop doing, or responsibilities that you want to take on or let go. - How does your Life Journey so far Look Like?
We often don’t give ourselves enough credit for our own accomplishments. On the 10th day of your journaling, pause to take stock of your life journey so far and commend yourself for the personal or professional growth that you’ve made in all these years. List out all the milestones that you’ve achieved in life so far and congratulate yourself for the same. - What can you Minimize or Maximize in Your Life?
We could all use a little more good and a little less clutter in our lives. So think what can you incorporate more or less of in your life. The things that you might need more or less of could include family time, career orientation, personal time, health and fitness, etc. - What Feelings are Dominating Your Life Presently?
The intangible emotions can have serious tangible effects on life if left unchecked. They shape how we think everyday, how we act in our relationships, how we perceive life on whole, and more. Dig into your heart to learn which emotions are predominant there currently. Is it something rewarding like love or something toxic like anger? - How Can You Love Yourself More?
YOU are what you have for sure every day, in every moment, and with every breath. Love yourself just like you would any other person in your life. Think of the ways you can become more accepting, loving and appreciative towards yourself. - What Dreams are Worth Working Upon?
Arrive to your 14th day of journaling with a high note, bringing all your dreams with you no matter how impractical they may seem to rest of the world or even to you. Note down the ideas and wishful thinking that keep tugging away at you every now and then, and that you’d like to work upon some day.
After you complete 14 days of journaling with these ideas, you’ll never again stare at your journal pages blankly with nothing to write about. Your mind is already put into motion with these ideas. It will now brew new contemplation worthy notions every day for you to journal about.
This article was in part inspired by the following article by Marc Chernoff:
31 Morning Journaling Prompts that Will Change the Way You Think
