So you’ve decided you’d like to begin a journaling practice. Congratulations! You, have already taken the first step towards making lasting changes in your life. As a general rule, I recommend people dedicate at least ten minutes to each journaling session. Maybe you don’t feel like you have ten-minutes worth of material, that’s okay, just sit with your journal open for ten minutes and see what comes. Some days you may find you only have a sentence or two, other days, you’ll blow right past your timer. No matter what any session brings, just committing to spending this time with yourself is beneficial.
Many people choose to sue a traditional journal in handwritten form, others will prefer to type, and still others may use the notes app on their phones. It is okay to be creative with this process, there is no “right way” to express yourself, do whatever feels the most natural to you. No matter what method you choose, it is VERY IMPORTANT that whatever method you choose your journal feels like a safe place to express yourself. This is a practice where you may “say” things that you don’t have the courage to say out loud, a place where your inner-most thoughts and feelings have space to breathe. For that reason, I always recommend making sure that your journal is private and secure. To some this means keeping it under lock and key, hiding it away when not in use, others may choose to delete their word document or note after the session is complete. Whatever makes you feel like your thoughts are safe and secure is recommended.
If you do choose to seek therapy, your therapist will never require you to bring your journal to sessions or ask that you share anything that you are not comfortable sharing. Of course, you are welcome to bring your notes in if you’d like, but rest assured this will never be required. This practice is for you and you alone, so take the time and space to make it meaningful.
Here are 30-days worth of journaling prompts to get you started:
Day 1: Why do I want this? What is my goal in beginning a journaling practice?
Day 2: Do I have any resistance to this practice? Any fears?
Day 3: How does my body feel today? Do I have any tension or pain anywhere? Are there any areas that feel totally relaxed?
Day 4: What is the most fun thing I did this week? What was the least?
Day 5: What am I grateful for today?
Day 6: What is one accomplishment that I am still proud of?
Day 7: One week of journaling down, how does today’s practice feel different from day 1?
Day 8: Something I really enjoyed as a child was…
Day 9: If I could change one thing about my life it would be…
Day 10: Who is the person I can trust the most? Why?
Day 11: What place feels the most comfortable to me? What makes it comfortable?
Day 12: If I were to take on a challenge today, what would it be?
Day 13: How will I know I have reached my goals?
Day 14: Week 2 done, is this process coming more naturally? Have I noticed any benefits or challenges?
Day 15: What is one thing I’d like to change about myself?
Day 16: How have I been successful at working on myself in the past?
Day 17: Have my goals changed now that I am thinking more deeply about my daily experience?
Day 18: What fears arise in working toward my goals?
Day 19: What is my favorite thing to do? Why?
Day 20: When was the last time I did something creative? What was that experience like?
Day 21: 3 weeks down. Has this process changed my day-to-day experience in life?
Day 22: What is one challenge I have never been able to overcome?
Day 23: How many times in a day do I give myself positive feedback?
Day 24: What would my friends or colleagues think about me working on myself?
Day 25: How comfortable am I with change?
Day 26: My body feels the best when I…
Day 27: I feel the most at peace when…
Day 28: What is my biggest priority in life?
Day 29: What is one thing I could have done differently or better today?
Day 30: One month of journaling complete! How has this practice changed my relationship with myself?
