When it comes to keeping a journal or even starting out, one of the most helpful ways to stay on track is to be guided by journal prompts.
The only problem is though, that there are so many different journaling prompts out there, and it can be hard to know which ones you ‘should’ use.
The purpose of this article is to help cut through the noise and provide you with a clean list of 50 of the best journaling prompts we’ve come across, broken down by category.
How to know you’ve found the ideal journal prompts?
Finding the ideal journal prompt leads to a subjective answer, however, we strongly feel that the ‘ideal’ journal prompts are those that have been created and selected with care and thought. They’re prompts that have been tried and tested and, not just randomly generated. They’re prompts that, from the moment you read them, you’re able to feel an instant connection with what they’re trying to achieve. Of course, what works for you may not work for someone else, and vice versa … but this is just our humble opinion.
50 helpful journal prompts that you will actually use
We’ll be focusing on the following nine categories:
We’ll be focusing on the following nine categories:
- Baking
- Daily
- Gardening-themed (reflection)
- Gratitude
- Manifestation
- Motivation
- Personal growth
- Reflection
- Travel
Baking
Although we couldn’t find any we were entirely sold on, we decided to include a few of our own that we feel work well for any adventurous baker out there wanting to write about their creations.
- First Impressions: What was the first thing that struck you about this recipe when you decided to try it? What made you choose this particular recipe?
- Preparation Process: Describe the steps you took to prepare the recipe. Were there any unexpected challenges or surprises along the way?
- Ingredient Story: Pick one key ingredient from the recipe and write about its journey from farm to your kitchen. Why is this ingredient important to the final product?
- Taste Test: How did the final product taste? Describe the flavours and how they are combined. Was it what you expected?
- Learning Moments: What did you learn from baking this recipe? Was there a particular technique or tip that stood out to you?
Daily
The following daily journal prompts have been taken from the Five Minute Journal.
- I am grateful for…
- What would make today great?
- Daily affirmation. I am…
- 3 Amazing things that happened today…
- How could I have made today even better?
Gardening-themed (reflection)
The following Gardening-themed journal prompts have been taken from Plum Deluxe (although these are more suited to being reflection prompts, we loved the way the gardening/nature theme has come through in them to help spark creativity and visualisation).
- The most important elements for my growth right now are...
- The area in my life where I need to be planting seeds right away is...
- Right now it is time to harvest...
- Sitting quietly in the garden, Nature wants me to know…
Gratitude
The following gratitude journal prompts have been taken from Calm.
- How do you find joy and purpose through acts of kindness?
- How do you appreciate your career?
- How can you acknowledge what’s going well with your health?
- How can you bring awareness into your home?
- What are some of your daily highlights?
- How can you appreciate what’s new in your life?
Manifestation
The following manifestation journal prompts have been taken from BetterUp.
- How would you like to impact the world?
- What does perfection look like to you?
- What traits do you love most about yourself?
- Where would you like to live?
- What does your dream life look like?
- If income wasn’t an issue, what would you be doing?
Motivation
The following motivation journal prompts have been taken from Life by Deanna.
- Why do you want to achieve your goals? Dig deep!!
- What is a short-term goal you are confident you can achieve?
- What do you want to be remembered for?
- If you woke up tomorrow with all your goals achieved, what would be different?
- What can you change in your routines right now that would make a difference in your goal achievement?
Personal growth
The following personal growth journal prompts have been taken from Daily Greatness.
- What are my ten favourite compliments I’ve received?
- What do I love about the people who are close to me? (list individual traits)
- Whose opinions do I care about the most?
- What are my main coping mechanisms? Are they serving me well?
- What advice would my older, wiser and more loving self give me right now?
Reflection
The following reflection journal prompts have been taken from Grit & Virtue.
- How would you describe yourself to a stranger?
- What natural gift would you most like to possess?
- What would your childhood self-love about your current self?
- What do you consider the best year of your life so far, and what made it so great?
- How do you want to be remembered?
- What drives your daily behaviour? Love? Fear? Obligation?
- What question would you most like answered?
- If you had to write the story of your life, what would the major chapters be?
Travel
The following travel journal prompts have been taken from the Journalfy Travel Journal.
- Location
- Weather check-in (it’s a nice, simple prompt to respond to before diving deeper)
- Noteworthy activities
- Memorable eats
- A smell, thought or experience to help remember today
- Special moments shared with
With this list of “50 helpful journal prompts that you will actually use”, we hope to see you pursue your interest in journaling. If you have never kept a journal before, you will find that the benefits truly are special. Being able to reflect, set goals, map out your future or simply capture certain memories in a journal is a comforting and rewarding way to practice mindfulness and remain present.
Do you have any journal prompts of your own that you’d like to share? We’d love to hear from you! Reach out to us on our Contact page or shoot us a DM on Instagram.