30 Journaling Prompts to Help Live a Life of Purpose
A guide to help kickstart your journaling habit in 2021
“People who keep journals live life twice.” — Jessamyn West
Journaling has been a life-changing habit for me. It has helped me self reflect and introspect and truly understand what makes me me.
Successful people worldwide have shared how much a journaling practice has helped them reflect and learn from their life experiences. It has helped them grow and become better versions of themselves.
The benefits of a journaling practice are numerous. Research suggests that a journaling habit can help improve our emotional, mental, and physical health. It helps improve one’s immune function, lower blood pressure, and even improve sleep quality.
In an earlier post, I shared the steps that helped me cultivate a daily journaling practice. One of them was the power of journaling prompts.
We often believe that constraints are a barrier to creativity. But that is not necessarily true. Psychologists have found that when working with constraints, we tend to force ourselves to be more creative.
Looking at some of the research done in this space, it was seen that constraints can motivate us to start and actually make more progress. They take away the roadblocks posed by endless possibilities.
We dedicate our mental energy to acting more resourcefully. If you ask someone to design or build a product, you might get a handful of good ideas. But if you ask someone to design or build it while sticking within a tight budget, chances are you’ll get much better results — Scott Sonenshein
With journaling prompts on my side, I no longer had to worry about what to write about and how to get started. The journaling prompts helped me redirect my energy towards the act of writing. Over the years, I have tried to come up with some prompts that have helped me introspect and self-reflect.
What I share below are 30 journaling prompts that can help kickstart your journaling habit.
For the next 30 days, focus on one prompt each day and spend at least 5 minutes writing on it.
Happy Journaling.
“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” — Louis L’Amour
Day 1
Contrary to popular belief, fear can actually be good for an individual. We usually stay away from what we are afraid of. Research shows that when you’re scared, your body releases a surge of chemicals such as adrenaline, endorphins, and serotonin, which are working to help you be better, smarter, and faster. Instead of running away, using that fear to your advantage. Overcome it to build resilience and strength for your future.
What are you most afraid of, and why? What can you do to use that fear to help you grow?
Day 2
We often have a hard time letting go of our past. The burden of our errors stays with us long enough to hold us back from enjoying the moment.
It’s easy to forgive others for the same mistakes, but happiness lies in forgiving yourself.
What is the one mistake that you need to forgive yourself for?
Day 3
Gratitude is like an elixir. It’s the secret weapon that never fails to create joy. I have had my fair share of ups and downs, but I am grateful for every single one of them.
What are you most grateful for in life right now? Why?
Day 4
Introspection is an important tool, but sometimes it’s easier to take an outsider’s view of our problems. What would you say if you saw someone else go through the same issues that you are facing? How would you think about that problem differently?
If you were to give your 15-year-old self some advice, what would it be?
Day 5
Visualization is a technique used by the world’s most successful people. It harnesses the power of your subconscious mind. It rewires your brain to more readily recognize the resources you will need to achieve your dreams. Sometimes all one needs is to draw a picture of what one wants their life to look like.
What does an ideal day in your life look like?
Day 6
We usually don’t appreciate what’s right in front of us. I have been guilty of this every day. Unfortunately, comparison is the mind’s favorite hobby. Sometimes, all it takes is to look at life and look for the things you take for granted. I promise it won’t be hard to find that your life is richer than you believe.
What is one thing in life right now that you are taking for granted?
Day 7
The most common complaints that one hears when it comes to a lack of sleep is — “I just can’t turn off my mind at night.”
Every now and then, we have days where some thought just keeps racing through our heads, making it hard for us to fall asleep. Our busy days keep us from confronting our demons. But not today.
What’s one thought that keeps you up at night?
Day 8
I heard this on a Youtube video and kind of fell in love with it — “Do what excites.”
What’s something that’s worth doing today, regardless of what other people think?
Day 9
In his books, Eckhart Tolle says that we create and maintain problems because they give us a sense of identity. We keep going over the past, letting it have more control over our present than it needs to. We hold on to the stress and anxiety and accept it as the norm. We need to understand that life might not be simple, but we can make it simpler by leaving our past behind.
What is something (or someone) that you have had to let go of?
Day 10
Good habits can help one become more productive. Research shows that even though forming new habits isn’t always easy, it is definitely possible. With time, conviction, and some easy hacks, one can start building any practice.
What’s the one habit that you wish you could start building today?
Day 11
It’s not always about forming new habits. Sometimes all one needs is a glimpse of how far one has come. I started journaling a while ago, and it has become an indispensable part of my routine. Sometimes when I feel defeated about forming new healthy habits, I look at my older habits and how much progress I have made.
What’s the one habit that you are most proud of having?
Day 12
Our minds work overtime when it comes to rationalizing our decisions. The one thing we all are exceptional at is — coming up with an explanation for the things we do even if they hurt us in the long run.
Think back to a time where you took a decision against what your gut was telling you. What was that decision? Why did you go against it?
Day 13
We all have our non-negotiables in life. The things that we know are important to us. These could be material or not, but they are indispensable to us.
What is one thing you couldn’t imagine living without?
Day 14
2020 has been one hell of a year. We have all had to, unwillingly, face our demons this year. Sometimes the most important thing we can do is acknowledge those problems instead of running away from them.
What is one problem in life that you are trying to cope with at this moment?
Day 15
Self-care has never been more critical. Whether it is a morning routine or a wind-down ritual, we all need to take care of ourselves to rest and grow.
What is one way you indulge in self-care?
Day 16
We spend time disliking ourselves more often than we think. But happiness lies in accepting yourself and letting go of that constant internal critique.
The freedom you experience from letting go is beautiful.
What’s one thing that you used to dislike about yourself, but now you are ok with?
Day 17
Having a vision allows you to plan the path to your goals. It will enable you to clarify when to say “yes” or “no.” What are the things you want to say “yes” to right now?
What’s one thing you definitely want to accomplish before you retire?
Day 18
When in your comfort zone, your brain recognizes it as a time of steady output and performance. It stops growing and starts to become more intolerant towards change. Getting out of your comfort zone is hard, but doing so prepares helps us become better equipped to handle stressors in life.
Sometimes it’s ok to not follow a routine. When you step out of your routine, you open yourself up to experiences you might have never noticed.
How much have you grown in the last year?
Day 19
In 2020, I wasted a lot of time judging myself for not spending the time at home towards self-development. I thought I was wasting precious time and should be spending time learning a new language, finishing an online course, connecting with everyone through zoom, and a plethora of other tasks. I never gave myself credit for the small things I actually did accomplish during the lockdown.
It’s not the big checkboxes but the little victories that make life worth celebrating.
What is something that you need to give yourself more credit for?
Day 20
Life gets busy. We all end up moving at a pace that we can’t keep up with. But the best thing about close friendships is that they aren’t a relationship of convenience. It’s never too late to jump back into a friendship.
Who of your close friends have you lost contact with within the last 5 years? If you were to reach out to them today, what would you say?
Day 21
“Think and not do” is way easier than “just doing.”
We all have a million things that we have been pushing off for one reason or the other. I certainly have that one thing that we know we want to do so badly but haven’t found the courage or the right time to just start.
I want you to write them down. Make them concrete. Jot the immediate steps you can take, even if it gets you .01% closer to your goal.
What’s the next step you’ve been thinking about taking but are yet to take?
Day 22
Throughout my 20’s, I found myself continually being let down by reality. Not because reality sucked, but because my expectations were so out of whack.
My mind would create these elaborate stories about how everything will turn out once I accomplish whatever goal was my current focus. Seldom did reality adhere to those stories.
Life is more fun when you don’t have to worry about meeting those expectations.
How have your expectations about life gotten the best of you? Be specific?
Day 23
When we are self-accepting, we open up to all aspects of ourselves — the good, the bad, and the ugly. We need to stop judging and putting ourselves down for things that we dislike.
What is the one thing about your life that you need to accept to grow and move forward?
Day 24
This might not come as a revelation, but physical activity is highly beneficial for our overall health. I don’t mean 45 minutes in a gym pumping iron, but even the morning walk to get our coffee. With the pandemic forcing many us to resign to our homes for the majority of our day, it is even more imperative for us to think about our physical health.
What have you done in the last month for your physical health?
Day 25
I read this article a while ago, and it mentioned how thinking about the past is different from living in it. I can’t help but agree wholeheartedly with the article’s idea that sometimes we live in the past because it’s familiar; we know what happened; there are no surprises.
We love things we know, shows we have watched, songs we have heard.
New is sometimes scary. But new can also be exciting.
How would your life be different if you stopped living so much in the past?
Day 26
We love to connect and mirror the behavior of others. Role models can provide a vision for who we aspire to be. They help provide a source of inspiration for us to achieve our best.
Who inspires you? And why?
Day 27
I know I have spoken to the positives of spontaneity. Still, sometimes nothing can get us more ready to tackle the day than a good morning routine. What comes to your mind when you think about the perfect morning routine.
How do you wish your mornings looked like?
Day 28
Jumping off yesterday, a good wind-down routine helps de-stress from a long day. Too often, we’re rushing around or checking our phones until we just fall asleep. This constant stimulation keeps us energized and makes it difficult for us to fall asleep. Having a good night routine makes us ready for a good night’s sleep.
What is your idea of a perfect wind-down routine? What is the one thing you can do today to make that a reality?
Day 29
Life and it’s constant distractions do a great job keeping us away from things that matter to us. We are attending to interruptions throughout our day, always course-correcting to keep us focussed on what matters.
Sometimes all it takes is for us to see those distractions for precisely what they are: distractions. They don’t need our attention. They can be pushed off to another day because they aren’t things that matter to us.
What distracts you from what’s truly important each day?
Day 30
You know those tiny moments throughout our life when everything just clicks. The moments where we feel like this is what we were meant to be doing. The moments where we come alive. Those are the moments that make life truly extraordinary.
When do you feel most in tune with yourself?
These journaling prompts need to be practiced consistently. It takes time and effort to truly make a change. But when done right, journaling can help us figure out who we are and help us lead a more fulfilled life.
The above prompts are a way to get you over the roadblock of a blank page. All you need is a pen and paper to get to know yourself better and make a change.
“I don’t journal to ‘be productive.’ I don’t do it to find great ideas or to put down prose I can later publish. The pages aren’t intended for anyone but me. It’s the most cost-effective therapy I’ve ever found.” — Tim Ferris
