20 Thought-Provoking Journal Prompts

Many people give up writing in diaries or journals because simply recapping the day-to-day happenings of their lives seems a bit dull. Whether you’re new to journaling or just beginning, this list is intended to encourage you to think about your life, identity, and perspectives in new ways. Don’t feel the need to stick exactly to the journal prompts, if reading one of these prompts inspires another topic let your mind (and pen) wander!

20 Thought-Provoking Journal Prompts

1. Is there a difference between happiness and fulfillment? What does it take for you to be happy? What does it take for you to be fulfilled? Are the qualities the same?

2. Close your eyes and envision where you see yourself in five years. Don’t get hung up on the details you feel like you are “supposed to know” (i.e. career, savings, marital status) but instead focus on the aspects of your future that are important to you. Do you imagine yourself in a new city? With a different career? Learning a new hobby? Feeling a specific way? Open your eyes and spend 5-10 minutes writing about what you envisioned.

3. Defining our insecurities is one of the best ways to own them. List a few traits (physically, intellectually, emotionally, etc.) you are insecure about. Pick one or two traits to analyze. Why does this specific trait matter to you? Have you always been insecure about this trait? Has anyone else fed into these insecurities? Finally, write an affirmation to help you own your insecurity and take control of it.

4. Create a thought map with the word identity in the center. Branch out and add aspects of life, ideas, and experiences you believe are crucial to your identity. Is having a family attached to your identity? What about a career? Creative expression? Continue to expand your thought map until you believe it paints an accurate representation of your identity.

5. Focus on a regret that haunts you. Spend 20 minutes writing a detailed account of the experience, the feelings it causes, you, and what you wish you could have (or would have) done differently. Take a deep breath and release it. Write a sentence or two about what you have learned from this regret and how it can help you be better in the future.

6. What does family mean to you? Describe your family dynamic and what you liked about it. What did you dislike? Do you believe your idea of family aligns with society’s?

7. Make a list of any 50 things that make you happy. List small things like fresh-cut flowers and handwritten letters and big things like earning a promotion, etc. Be sure to consider all five senses!

8. What did you believe about love as a teenager? What do you believe about love now? Describe the similarities and differences. Why did your views change?

9. Describe a moment that drastically changed the course of your life. At the time did you know it was a moment you would remember forever? How did it impact you long-term? Short-term?

10. What is your relationship with sadness? Do you see it as a necessary component of life or try to avoid it at all costs? Do you find sadness beautiful or a moment of happiness you’ll never get back?

11. Think of someone you admire, write the name at the top of your page, and spend a few minutes brainstorming the qualities that make this person admirable to you. Circle the qualities you want to work on, and star the qualities you already possess. If you wish, spend a few minutes describing how and why this person inspires you.

12. Write a short letter to your future self: What is something you would like her to remember about who you are today?

13. Describe your three greatest accomplishments, why are these accomplishments so important to you?

14. The word “Eunoia” means “beautiful thinking;” what does beautiful thinking mean to you? How do you engage in this sort of thought?

15. Would you describe yourself as introverted or extroverted? Do you feel you are fully one or the other or do you fall somewhere on a spectrum? How do you feel this classification affects your day-to-day life and preferences?

16. What is the greatest life lesson you have learned over the past year?

17. Think about your friendships. What does it mean to be a good friend? What makes some friendships better than others? Describe the strengths of your closest friends and why you are drawn to them as people. If you wish, write a quick note to a friend describing the strong qualities you see in her. Everyone loves compliments and your note just might make her day.

18. Describe your style and aesthetic. Do you lean toward bright colors, neutrals, and shades of black and gray? Do you follow current trends, celebrities, or models? Has anyone in your life influenced what you wear? Do you use fashion as a mode of self-expression or take a more practical approach? Do you have any friends or acquaintances whose style stands out to you? Why?

19. How do other people’s perceptions of you match who you are? Do you feel understood? Misunderstood? Is there anything you feel most people wouldn’t guess about you?

20. Can you ever be sure you are on the right path in life? Do you look for signs, external validation, or something else? Describe the path you see yourself on now. What would you change? Did you have to make sacrifices to get here?

Have you tried these journal prompts? What are your favorite journal prompts? 

Jordyn Sifferman works at a bridal boutique in the rainy city of Seattle. She believes in the power of great shoes, a daily mocha, and above all else being true to yourself. She blogs at The Fairy Princess Diaries.