3 prompt styles to inspire your journaling
If you are someone who has tried journaling, or maybe has even tried a few times without finding your own rhythm to help maintain this as a habit, you are far from alone! I remember my “Dear Diary” days as a teen, when months could pass by before I considered picking it up to record my thoughts again. I would feel a twinge of guilt as I looked back over the empty months of the diary, to then resolve that I would commit to consistency… for a few weeks at least anyway! Then the cycle would begin all over again.
You might also share similar memories as many do, but regardless of where you are currently in your level of commitment and experience to the process of journaling, the best thing you can do for yourself is to remove the pressure of needing to journal based on any standard other than your own.
When I took to writing down my thoughts because I wanted to, rather than because I felt I “should”, I found my genuine desire for journaling - specifically wellbeing journaling. I wanted to get to know myself better, and I wanted to tune into my own voice so that I could meet my own needs for a change. Through journaling, I met myself and came to not just understand who I was, but also grew to actively want to spend time with and for myself. Journaling continues to be an effective way to do just that, and this was my inspiration behind creating Pen Therapy online wellbeing journaling sessions.
If you are looking for inspiration for a more personal journaling experience, then these styles of creative prompts are a brilliant place to start/continue journaling with. We use all of these types of journaling prompts and more in our weekly online Pen Therapy sessions:
Word Association
Simply write down a word - you may even want to use a random word generator online to keep you on your toes! Once you have your word, write whatever comes to mind when you see the word on the page. There is no “right” way to do this. You just need to let your own thoughts guide your writing, and you’ll be amazed at the journey that you can take yourself on through this type of journaling prompt.
2. Visual Prompts
These are a creative way of getting your thoughts down on the page, and as with creative journaling prompt exercises, there is no one way to do this. An example that I have used in sessions is drawing a circle on the page, and filling the circle with everything that you are currently making a priority in your life. Next, write down the things that you should be making a priority but are yet to do so, only this time outside of the circle. When it is laid out on the page in front of you, it will help you to put into perspective what your current priorities look like, and help guide you as to ways you can better reprioritise.
3. Affirmations
Affirmations are beneficial to nurturing your self-love and inspiring a more encouraging over critical narrative. Your mindset and the things you tell yourself really are key! With these styles of prompts, you can start of the sentence in one of the following ways:
I am learning to…
I have always been worthy of…
I need to remember that I can…
These are just a few examples, but when you have the basis you can let your thoughts lead you to finish off the affirmation, and allow your inner voice to tell you exactly what you need to hear in that moment. Make time for you to show yourself love too!
Go ahead and try out these journaling prompts the next time you have some quiet time! If you like the sound of these and also want to receive more of these creative prompts to follow as part of a guided session, then make sure you check out our online wellbeing journaling sessions that you are welcome to join!
Pen Therapy is a great way to commit to an hour of me time each week through journaling online for your wellbeing. To switch off from everything else and focus on yourself. It’s not often that we give ourselves that level of quality time, but we all need it. Regardless of your journaling experience level, Pen Therapy is designed to suit you! Guided yet entirely personal, you can follow along to the prompts in the comfort of your home with no pressure to share what you write.
Ideally journalling should be an entirely personal experience between you and your pages. Often we use those around us as a sounding board, and all of the thoughts, opinions and external voices can influence the way you think and feel without even realising! When you shut off the noise it can be a strange experience at first, you may even hear tumbleweed when trying to make sense of your thoughts and feelings, but the more you spend quality time with yourself through journaling for your wellbeing, the more journaling will turn into a conversation with self and you will be able to intentionally show up for your needs.
Find out more about our weekly Pen Therapy online wellbeing sessions here, and we hope to have you join us soon! Choose from 8 wellbeing themes including: Mindset Shift, Self-Love Lessons, Gratitude Boost, Finding Balance, Building Boundaries, Beyond Failure, Hello Confidence, Total Vulnerability.