Journal prompts for a variety of journaling exercises to motivate and inspire you to put pen to paper. If you’re stuck for things to write in a journal, this mega list will keep you going every day for more than a year!
More Than 750 Journal Prompts to Inspire You
Being immersed in a cathartic activity is hugely valuable to mental wellbeing.
What I love about journaling is how it facilitates getting into a state of flow, for me at least.
Once my pen touches that paper – or, more often lately because I do so much work online, my fingers touch those keys – I’m fully absorbed in the task.
Being so immersed in an activity you enjoy, especially one that is also cathartic, is hugely valuable and as far as I’m concerned, the best way to take care of your mental wellbeing.
Having those little notes to fall back on is invaluable, giving me direction when I need it.
Once I’m engaged, the words flow – no pun intended – almost without conscious thought; I’m so focused that I can be lost for hours, only resurfacing when I suddenly realise I’m ravenous or cold. It’s very rare once I’m mid-process that I lose track or find myself uncertain about what to write next.
…But sometimes it can be tricky simply to know what things to write in a journal, impeding getting started.
I’m sure it’s due to the sheer scale of possibilities, and the longer I do this (blog and journal) the more I find myself keeping notes of what I want to work on when I find time. Having those little notes to fall back on is invaluable, giving me direction when I need it.
Prompts for journaling are not intended to influence what you write, so much as to ensure that you write something.
Having something to refer to for inspiration when you’re overwhelmed with options has been so beneficial for me that I’ve put together this master resource of journal writing prompts to help you when you’re in the same boat.
Over 750 Journal Writing Prompts For Beginners and Seasoned Writers
I hope you’ll enjoy this mega list of journal prompts for beginners and seasoned writers alike. You’ll find a huge selection of creative writing prompts and new ideas for when you have writer’s block, as well as a selection of art prompts.
Don’t forget to check out our resources library, full of printables exclusively for subscribers!
850+ Journal Prompts to Inspire and Motivate!
Journaling on a regular basis is a wonderful way to look after your wellbeing, especially if you have any mental health concerns such as depression or anxiety.
Below is a huge variety of thought-provoking positive journal prompts and journaling exercises to spark inspiration and encourage you to put pen to paper in positive ways.
With so many different categories of journaling prompts, there's something here for everyone - every day of the year!
63 Journal Questions & Activities For Beginners & Seasoned Writers
A list of prompts for anyone new to journaling or bullet journaling, comprising not only written prompts, but also creative and organisational pages often associated with bujo.
212 Daily Gratitude List Ideas For Your Journal
One of my absolute favourites, and something I try to keep as a staple whenever I’m journaling.
Keeping a gratitude list is vital to maintaining my positivity, but if I’ve had a bad day it can be a little harder to write out my list without falling back to the things that are always top of my list, such as the most important people in my life.
Gratitude lists can also be a great way to tune into the present moment and practice mindfulness, by focusing on each of your senses and why you're thankful for the rich experiences they allow you to enjoy.
These ideas will give you some inspiration for creating your own gratitude lists.
56 Gratitude Journaling Questions to Embrace the Joy of Little Things
If I want to be more creative when it comes to gratitude journaling, then having some prompts is a great way to get me thinking outside of the box, while still spending time actively appreciating the good in your life.
These gratitude journal questions are ideal for this purpose.
79+ Journaling Questions For Personal Growth, Self-Love, & Self-Discovery
I’m a big fan of self-analysis, and these kinds of deep, probing questions can be very therapeutic and bring clarity when you’re feeling conflicted or confused. Journaling for personal growth and self discovery is a super powerful technique for:
- Self-awareness
- Self-reflection
- Self-compassion
Inner Child Journal Activities to Bring You Peace
Inner child work is so powerful and important for anybody who may have suffered childhood trauma. But if you’re new to the concept then it can be a daunting prospect.
In this post we explore the principles of reparenting, and then there's a selection of journal prompts for inner child healing for you to work through. Making peace with this area of your life is an incredibly valuable form of self-therapy.
55 Positivity Prompts For Journaling to Increase Your Happiness
If you want to write for the sheer joy of it, these journal prompts will help to steer you towards a more optimistic mindset.
Whether you're writing a bucket list or describing your perfect day, practicing positivity regularly is a really good way to boost your mood. In fact, it can actually rewire your brain, so you default to looking for the silver lining and experience greater happiness as a result!
81 Relationship Writing Prompts to Strengthen Your Connection
Journaling is powerful for personal mental health, but it can also be highly valuable for your relationships.
Try these couple's writing prompts to improve communication and reinforce your connection.
51 Addiction & Eating Disorder Recovery Questions For Your Journal
Whether you have an eating disorder or any other kind of addiction, these writing prompts are designed to support your healing journey.
Learn how journaling can benefit your recovery and get started today.
75 Writing Ideas For Shadow Work
If you’re feeling brave enough to get out of your comfort zone and do some intense work on yourself, then working on your shadow self is a fantastic practice to help you reconnect with your core values and realise your true potential.
This type of inner work is not easy. But if you’re committed to completing this challenging but very worthwhile self-therapy, these journal prompts will help you to stay you focused on working on your shadow self.
Get Creative With 100+ Art Journaling Prompts!
If you’re looking for some more fun ideas for your journal, these journaling art ideas will keep you busy!
With over 100 cute bullet journal doodles and tutorials to choose from, there’s something for everyone and every season, and you’ll have plenty of inspiration to get creative.
99 Prompts to Get You Journaling Every Day
If you want to journal regularly but you’re not sure what to write about, here are 99 more ideas for daily journaling which can be used for:
- Morning journal prompts or morning pages
- Bedtime journal prompts for the end of the day
- Stream of consciousness prompts
- Prompts to write a short story
- Any other way you choose!
These suggestions are not focused on any particular subject, they’re simply daily prompts to help you get into the routine of journaling every day.
The post includes two PDF’s of the prompts for you to download and print off; one for you to work through at your own pace, and the other formatted to be easily cut up for creating a journal jar.
39+ Nightly Journal Prompts to Help You Sleep Better
A selection of prompts to help you process the day's events and prepare for the day ahead in a positive frame of mind.
Journal Prompts & Coping Skills Workbook For Teens
Check out this workbook review, dedicated to teaching teens coping skills through CBT, DBT, and journaling techniques.
Journaling Prompts FAQ
Have burning questions about journal writing? I’ve put together some of the most asked questions and answered them for you below.
1. What are prompts for journaling?
A journal prompt is a simple statement or question to provoke thought and focus, and ultimately to inspire you to put pen to paper.
Prompts for journaling are not intended to influence what you write, the important thing is simply that you write something, and prompts are designed for this purpose.
2. Should I use journaling prompts?
If you’re keen on the idea of personal growth and self-improvement; if you want to find a healthy way to help manage anxiety, stress, or depression; or if you simply love writing – then you should absolutely use journaling prompts!
Having journal prompts to move you to write removes the pressure of that overwhelming blank page, and will help guide you towards your goal of a regular journaling habit.
3. How long is a journal prompt?
A journal prompt is usually a concise statement, perhaps with two or three related questions to motivate you to write.
However, while the prompts themselves tend to be short, your response/s should be as long as it takes to feel you’ve thoroughly and adequately put your thoughts down on paper.
Your journal is a safe space to purge everything, and your future self will thank you for it! Making journaling a daily habit is a fantastic way to invest in your wellbeing, whether you prefer to write:
- Short bullet point gratitude lists
- Complete sentences reminiscing about a happy memory
- Writing about your biggest challenge or a difficult situation
- Entries exorcising your greatest fear
In fact, the best thing about journaling is that you can change it up and use all of these different methods according to your mood and your needs.
4. What are some journal prompt examples?
While I try to keep the journal prompts on this blog as unique as possible so you can let your imagination run wild, some other popular journal ideas include writing about your:
- Favorite thing to do at the weekend
- Favorite book
- Memories you’ve made with family members or friends
- Favorite character in a show you’re currently watching
- Favorite color
- Most inspiring famous person you’d like to meet
- Dream job
- Favorite hobby
- First day of school
- Favorite season.
5. When is the best time to journal?
It can be hard to find time to journal regularly, especially when you’re new to the practice. I recommend making it one of your daily routines so that it quickly becomes second nature and is established as a new habit.
If you’re a morning person, you can choose to get your writer’s notebook or new journal out as soon as you wake up, or if you prefer to use it as a way to unwind at the end of a long day, you can make it one of your evening routines instead.
My best advice is to try setting time limits and aiming to write for the designated number of minutes each day.
6. Who are these journal prompts for?
Some of the prompts contained in this list are for adults, but many of those for beginners and related to positivity and gratitude are equally perfect for all ages, including children of all grade levels.
Happy writing!