When I was younger, I wanted to write in a diary. I wanted to be one of those people who could journal every day. Yet, I never knew what to write. Therefore, I wanted to come up with some writing prompts to make it easier for you to conquer your writer’s block.
Writing in a journal is a great way to gain more knowledge about yourself and your feelings. However, it can be difficult to know what to write. To help you through your journaling dry-spell, here are a few writing prompts!
What is your greatest fear? How do you think it hinders you? Where do you think it stems from?
This prompt helps you to better understand yourself. For instance, I know that I am afraid of underwater things like sunken ships and creatures (thalassophobia). It makes me anxious when swimming in large bodies of water. This is a little embarrassing, but I have been afraid since I watched The Titanic as a kid. Now that I have that information, I can use it to keep myself from situations that make me feel bad. It is better to understand what you fear and why than to let it run your life.
If you had to choose one superpower, what would you choose and how would you use it?
Honestly, I love this question! I see it often enough and it always makes me think. If I had to choose one superpower, I would want to teleport so that I could travel more often (and not have to drive. I hate driving!). This prompt is fun and easy to use to start your journaling journey. And who does not want to contemplate superpowers?!
How do you think your family perceives you? And how can you improve it?
It is great to be conscious of your impact on others. We do not always stop to consider how others see us and how we can improve our relationships with them. This question can really get you into the mindset of your family, which is great for being considerate of their feelings.
How do you feel about your current path in life? How did you get where you are today? How far have you come?
This prompt is a reflection activity. You get to analyze your place in life but also how much effort you put into getting where you are today. This question is a little longer than the others, but some self-reflection is always worth it.
Where do you want to be in five years?
Self-reflection comes in the form of looking to the future too. Sometimes it can be good to know what you want for the future. You can only make some plans to get to where you want to be in five years if you know what you want. Knowing what you want in life makes it easier to know what steps to take in the future to accomplish your goals.
If you could travel to one place in the world for free, where would you go?
I know where I would go. France, of course! I have always wanted to go to Europe, but I have never been. Knowing where you want to travel allows you to plan for where you want to go in the future. Your travel plans can become part of your five-year plan and you can work toward affording your trip. It is also fun to think about travelling, even if you do not currently have the means to go.
What are some of your best traits?
We all need pick-me-ups at times, but the best compliments come from ourselves! We need to see ourselves in a positive light. When our self-esteem is low, we just need to be reminded that we have good traits too.
What did you want to do for a career as a child? What changed?
When we grow up, we lose some of our whimsy. We no longer dream as big as we did as kids. But the kid in you might still have some of those dreams. Thinking about what you wanted as a child shows you how much you have grown but also what you might still want in life.
If you could pursue your childhood dreams, would you still want to?
Childhood dreams are magical! We dreamed of being princes and princesses, or of having superpowers, etc. However, we grow out of those dreams. The real question is if those dreams still mean something to you. What you wanted as a child might still play a role in your goals today.
What are three topics that you are really passionate about?
When I first started blogging, I needed to figure out what I wanted to write. I have lots of interests and hobbies. It was nice to realize what I was passionate about. Seeing what you are interested in can help you to explore what you want to do in life and what is important to you.
What are your hobbies? If you do not get a lot of time to pursue them, what is stopping you?
Hobbies are important to us, but we do not always realize just how important they are. What we do in our free time is just as important as what we do for work. Sometimes we just need a reminder that those obstacles to taking free time are smaller than we first thought them to be. That is why this question is a good addition to your journal.
What makes your favourite place so special? What is your favourite memory from that place?
It can be great to remind ourselves what we love. Your favourite place might be your home, your school, your cottage, or something else. Whatever it is, there must be some happy memories that caused it to be your favourite place. Those memories are a great thing to put in your journal!
If you could hang out anyone you wanted for a day, who would you choose and why?
This question gives you the opportunity to think something through. Not all of us know who we would want to meet if given the chance. It is a great thought exercise.
Describe your dream ______.
You get to choose what you want to describe because everyone has different dreams. You might want a dream career, a dream family, or a dream home. Either way, thinking about what you want in life gives you something to work toward. We do not always know exactly what we want, but this is a great exercise to help you figure that out.
What is one moment in your life that you feel changed you as a person?
Here is another prompt for self-reflection. Living in the past is not always what you want to do, but reflecting on important moments in your life can help you understand yourself better. Moments that change you as a person are a great topic for reflection.
If you could instantly be a master in any hobby, what would you choose?
Once you know what it is that you want, you can begin to work on it. Hobbies are never learnt instantly. Yet, knowing which hobbies you wish to improve is the first step to actually working on them. For example, if I could master one talent, it would probably be piano. Now I know I need to work on my piano skills. Know that if you wish it, you can do it!
What are 10 things you love about yourself?
It can be hard to come up with 10 things you love about yourself, especially when you struggle with self-esteem. But that is exactly why you should be finding things you love about yourself. Love for yourself is important! That is why you should take those steps to improve your view of yourself. You deserve to be loved by yourself and others!
What is your biggest pet peeve and why?
Reflecting on your pet peeves is good for learning more about yourself. If you are struggling to find something to write about, you can always explore more of the things you do not like. When you know what triggers your annoyance, you can avoid those instances or you can discuss what is bothering you with the ones provoking those emotions.
What is your favourite book? What made you love it so much?
Discovering what you love about your favourite book can help you to find more like it. When you know what you like in a novel, you can find and enjoy the books you pick up. This question helps you to find more books that can become your favourites too. If I were looking for what I love in books, I would try to find fantasy novels with some romance.
If you could write a book, what would it be about?
Figuring out what you would want to write is one way to begin your own book. Some of you are aspiring writers but you do not know what to write. Come up with some crazy ideas for what you want to write is a great way to free those writer’s blocks. Coming up with ideas is also an exercise for your imagination, which is good for your mind.
There you go! Some great prompts for your journal! When you are looking for something to write or you are having writer’s block for your journal, you can look here for some inspiration. Happy journaling!
