How to Use Journal Prompts to Jumpstart Your Journal Writing

Have you ever wanted to start a journal but were unsure where to start? Have you ever been overwhelmed by the idea of trying to come up with something to write about? Journal prompts are the perfect tool to get your journaling rolling. They are easy to use, providing you with the perfect starting point. Keep reading to find out how to use journal prompts.

For those new to journaling, prompts can help you get the creative juices flowing and break the barrier of staring at a blank page.

For seasoned journalers, prompts can be a useful tool for getting out of a rut, sparking creativity, and providing new inspiration. No matter where you are in your journaling journey, journal prompts can be a valuable asset

What are journal prompts?

Journal prompts are questions or topics that can be used to get you writing. They are a good way to help you start writing if you have trouble coming up with what to write about. They can also spark new ideas and get you out of a rut. Sometimes it is just nice to see the words on the page and have a place to begin writing.

Journal Prompts can also be used to inspire your writing projects. The best way to use them is to let them flow naturally and not focus too much on exactly what you’re writing or how you’re writing it. This can help you to come up with something new and interesting. Prompts are great for getting the creative juices flowing, but they can also help you to uncover fresh ideas and topics.

Benefits of using journal prompts

Using journal prompts can help you to:

• Get things off your mind by letting go of worries and troubles.
• Discover and explore new things about yourself.
• Expand your thinking by challenging your current viewpoint.
• Find inner peace by connecting with your true self.
• Improve your self-confidence and self-esteem by accepting yourself as you are.
• Boost your creativity by letting your imagination flow.
• Find inspiration in your daily life and create a meaningful story.
• Leverage the power of mindfulness to train your mind to stay calm, focused, and positive.
• Explore your creative side and discover new interests.
• Find a connection with others through a common experience.
• Break out of a creative rut.
• Get your mind thinking in new directions.
• Uncover fresh ideas and topics.
• Discover new things about yourself.

Journal prompts are also a good way to get yourself writing if you feel stuck or need to get back into the habit of writing. They can help you to come up with something good and can be useful for helping you to write more often.

Where to find journal prompts

There are many places to find journal prompts. These can be found in several places, such as books, magazines, the internet, etc. There are also many other sources that you can use. Some of these include

Books and magazines

A good place to start is with books and magazines that have a specific theme or topic you want to explore. For example, if you are looking for journal prompts about travel, you could pick up a travel magazine or some travel-related books. This will give you plenty of ideas for things to write about and interesting things to write about. You could also try looking online for articles on different topics or even search for blogs written by people with similar interests and passions. This will give you some great ideas and topics to consider when writing your journal entries.

People around you

Another way is to ask people around you what they do when it comes to journaling or what they like writing about when they do it. This can be a great way to get some good ideas and find inspiration from other people’s experiences and stories. They may also be able to point you in the direction of some great resources that they use themselves, which can be helpful if they know where these resources come from and how reliable they are.

Your own experience

Another source is your own experience and thoughts on certain subjects or topics that come up in your daily life, such as work-related issues, relationships, hobbies etc., anything that has happened during the day or week and has made an impression on your mind will make a good topic for your journal entries.

Different types of journal prompts

There are many different types of prompts, including:

Open-ended prompts

These prompts allow you to write about whatever comes to mind in response to the prompt. This can be helpful for those who struggle with writer’s block or find it difficult to come up with ideas. It is also great for experienced journalers as it gives them an opportunity for creativity and new inspiration.

Specific prompts

These prompts focus on a specific topic or question and require an answer in response. Specific prompts might include “What was your favourite part of your day?” “What was one thing that made today great?” “How did today make you feel?”

Listing exercises

These exercises prompt you to write down lists of things, such as things that make you happy, things that make you feel special, things that make me feel loved, etcetera.

Visual exercise prompts

These exercises encourage creativity by using visual components, such as drawing something or taking pictures and using them in your journal entry.

Asking yourself questions

You can use these journaling questions as they are written or modify them slightly (such as changing them from present tense into future tense). Questions can be found anywhere – they may come from an inspirational quote, a person who challenges us, or from nature – anywhere! They can even be created by yourself! For example, I like to create my own questions by asking myself how I want my life story told when I am older. Doing this is interesting because it gives me insight into what I value now, so I know how important those values will be when I’m older. The possibilities for creating your own questions are endless – let your imagination do the work!

How to use journal prompts

The are no rights and wrongs when it comes to using journal prompts. Your journal is your very own sanctuary. So, you are free to make your own rules. But to start with, you might like to take the simple route:

1. Select a journal prompt from the many lists on The Happy Journals, use a journal prompt book, or create your own question.
2. Make a note of the prompt in your journal
3. Write down your answer to the question in your journal.
4. Continue this process as often as you want – each day, every few days, or even just once a month!

Examples of Journal Prompts

• What do I value most in my life right now?
• What am I grateful for?
• How can I be kinder to myself today?
• What is one thing that makes me happy?
• What is one thing that makes me sad?
• Am I living the life I want to live right now? If not, why and how can I change it, so it’s closer to what I want? If yes, what am I doing that helps me live the life I want to live?
• I want my life story to be about… What does this mean about what kind of person I am?

Other ideas for sparking creativity in your journal

• The things you create from journal prompts don’t just need to be in written form. You can create anything you wish. The following prompts are designed to get you thinking creatively:
• Create a collage of images that represent you or your values. Write a short description of each image and how it relates to you. What do these images say about what’s important to you?
• What do I want my life story to be about? Draw or create a picture that represents what this would look like.
• Who is my role model, and why? Draw or create a picture of someone who embodies the characteristics I admire in them.
• What is one thing I could do today that would make me feel happy? Write down three things that make you happy – choose one thing from those three, and write down ways to make this happen in your day.
• What do I value most right now? Choose something – it could be anything – and write down five reasons why it matters to you (or more!). Then reflect on whether your life reflects the things that matter most to you, and if not, what might help bring these values into more focus.
• How can I be kinder to myself today? Write down something good about yourself, something bad about yourself, and then three positive things about yourself – and three negative things! How can you be kinder to yourself in general? Think of some small ways in which this might happen.
• How can I make someone else’s day better today? Think of someone who has made your life better recently – either by doing something nice for them or just being kind when they met them by chance! Write down the details of their kindness so that it’s fresh in your mind, then think of ways in which they might feel even happier if they were given another gift or compliment from someone else! It doesn’t have to cost much money or time; just think of how it would feel if someone did these same things for YOU! Make a note of what happened next!
• How am I better than yesterday? (Or: How did I improve yesterday?) Think back over the last 24 hours – what were the good things that happened during this time (even if they were small!) What could have been improved during this time; how could it have been better than yesterday?! Now think ahead towards tomorrow morning… What are three things that will happen tomorrow which will make me feel happier than yesterday?!

The Bottom Line

How you choose to use journal prompts and exercises is totally up to you!

You can use them in a very structured way – to help you work through the various stages of emotional healing – or you can use them in a more random, ‘pick and mix’ way to help you deal with any emotional issues which may be bothering you right now!

You will find that certain prompts and exercises resonate with you; they are the ones that will feel most comfortable and inspirational. You will also find that some prompts don’t feel quite right for you; these are not worth worrying about or trying to force yourself to do.

But, now you know how to use journal prompts.