MOTIVATIONAL JOURNAL PROMPTS TO HELP YOU START YOUR JOURNALLING JOURNEY

There’s a reason we’re hearing all about the power of journalling across our feeds, that’s simply because it works.

However you practice your style of journaling is up to you to discover, it’s a personal practice. Your practice will look different to mine and vice versa. Some will type away on their phone, others will scribble using a fancy tablet and others sit at their laptop to journal their thoughts. I believe, there’s something quite powerful about forming your own thoughts in your own handwriting simply using pen and paper.

Does this sound like you? You’re on a mindfulness journey and you’ve given journaling a go however, it hasn’t stuck. Perhaps you ended up ruminating on a topic and the outcome is that you felt worse than when you started. Or you became frustrated for getting writers' block so you locked your lovely new journal in a cupboard never to be seen again…

I’m here to encourage you to try again as journaling really is a fantastic outlet for your own self-awareness and overall well-being. As the experience of journaling has had such a profound effect on my life, I would love to share some of the prompts I’ve used as inspiration for your own personal journey.

If you read the ‘simple habits to help me stay focused’ blog you’ll know journaling can be used as a tool to regain your focus and work towards goals.

My journaling practice also tends to involve writing down my thoughts so that I can compare how I’m feeling from one day to the next. At the beginning of the week, write how you want to feel by the end of the week. After a few weeks, you can reflect back to see if setting a tone for the week has helped in any way.

It’s also helpful to write on a particular theme or feeling that you're drawn to journal on that. Use how you’re feeling as the catalyst to get your thoughts out and write.

Goal Setting Prompts

• How do I envision my [relationships/career/business/fitness/mental health/self care/etc] in one year? Five years?

• What does my ideal day look like?

• What do I feel is stopping me from achieving my goals?

I find that goal-setting works really well on Sunday so you have a clearer outlook for the week ahead. With each of these prompts try choosing one easy, actionable point you can implement in your life the following day to help you work towards your goals.

Prompts for Self Awareness/Discovery:

• If a friend was asked to describe me, what would they say?

• What distractions prevent me from being my most productive?

• What makes me feel powerful?

Prompts for Acknowledging Emotions

• What emotions am I finding hard to let go of?

• What sparked this emotion?

• Did I use healthy boundaries before I began to feel this way?

Prompts for Anxiety

• What happened before I started to feel this way?

• Write a list of everything that I am worried about. Put a star next to the items on the list that is 100% true and not just a feeling.

• Write about a situation I have been anxious about previously and the steps I took to overcome it.

• What are 3 positive things that I experienced today?

Using a Quote as a Prompt

• Find a quote that resonates with you and use that as inspiration for your writing.
  

For example:

Prompt in response: At this moment, big and small what am I most grateful for?

Take a look at my previous blog post for some brilliant gratitude journal prompts.

Final thoughts

Habits will stick if you make them as attractive as possible. Countless productivity coaches and researchers tell us about the benefits of rewards when introducing a new habit. Ask yourself, what could I do to make my journaling practise more fun? Maybe it's making yourself an indulgent hot chocolate to enjoy whilst you write or treating yourself to a hydrating face mask? It even could be that you choose to enhance your ambience by melting your favourite wax melts.

Lastly and this is for the perfectionists out there, your journal is somewhere to be unapologetically imperfect. The only person who ever will choose to read it is you. Some days you’ll write for 2 minutes some for 15 it’s flexible to what works best on your journey. It doesn’t have to be every day, it can be whenever you need it, there is no failure. Start off by finding time in your diary, choosing a prompt or theme and holding yourself accountable. Wishing you all the best on what will be a wonderful journey!

Love & light,

Sharon & Emma

HERMA MAY BOTANICAL WAX MELTS WITH BURNER