Journalling is a great tool for getting to know yourself better, here are some prompts to get you started on your self-reflection journey to gain a deeper understanding of who you are.
You can certainly learn more about yourself by reviewing what you do each day, but journaling often goes beyond keeping a log of daily events.
Journal prompts offer specific themes and topics to reflect on, which can be helpful when you:
want to make writing a habit but never know what to write about
have a lot of conflicting thoughts to sort through
feel as if you could write all day and want help narrowing your focus
Some prompts can even help you collect your thoughts on a recent conflict with a friend or partner. For example, writing about specific relationship challenges can help you get more clarity on your emotional needs and how to make sure they’re met.
A 2018 studyTrusted Source suggests that writing about positive experiences for just 15 minutes a day three times a week may help ease feelings of anxiety and stress and boost resilience.
Self-Reflection prompts
Some ideas to explore include:
What values do you consider most important in life (honesty, justice, altruism, loyalty, etc.)? How do your actions align with those values?
What three changes can you make to live according to your personal values?
Describe yourself using the first 10 words that come to mind. Then, list 10 words that you’d like to use to describe yourself. List a few ways to transform those descriptions into reality.
What do you appreciate most about your personality? What aspects do you find harder to accept?
Explore an opinion or two that you held in the past but have since questioned or changed. What led you to change that opinion?
List three personal beliefs that you’re willing to reconsider or further explore.
Finish this sentence: “My life would be incomplete without …”
Describe one or two significant life events that helped shape you into who you are today.
When do you trust yourself most? When do you find it harder to have faith in your instincts?
What three things would you most like others (loved ones, potential friends and partners, professional acquaintances, etc.) to know about you?
Uncomfortable emotion prompts
What difficult thoughts or emotions come up most frequently for you?
Which emotions do you find hardest to accept (guilt, anger, disappointment, etc.)? How do you handle these emotions?
Describe a choice you regret. What did you learn from it?
What parts of daily life cause stress, frustration, or sadness? What can you do to change those experiences?
What are three things that can instantly disrupt a good mood and bring you down? What strategies do you use to counter these effects?
What are three self-defeating thoughts that show up in your self-talk? How can you reframe them to encourage yourself instead?
What go-to coping strategies help you get through moments of emotional or physical pain?
Who do you trust with your most painful and upsetting feelings? How can you connect with them when feeling low?
What do you fear most? Have your fears changed throughout life?
Love and Relationship prompts
Who do you trust most? Why?
What are your strengths in relationships (kindness, empathy, etc.)?
How do you draw strength from loved ones?
What do you value most in relationships (trust, respect, sense of humor, etc.)?
What three important things have you learned from previous relationships?
What five traits do you value most in potential partners?
How do you show compassion to others? How can you extend that same compassion to yourself?
What are three things working well in your current relationship? What are three things that could be better?
What boundaries could you set in your relationships to safeguard your own well-being?
What do you most want your children (or future children) to learn from you?
How can you better support and appreciate your loved ones?
What does love mean to you? How do you recognize it in a relationship?
List three things you’d like to tell a friend, family member, or partner.
Comentarios