This week brings you another edition of daily mental health practices with these 8 powerful journaling prompts. Let’s step into the magic of journaling, why it’s so powerful, and how you can use it to radically transform your mindset.
For me, journaling is a holy grail discovery. I ignored it for so long, but once I started doing it… it revolutionized my life.
I guess I had an irrational fear of keeping a diary and getting discovered… you’ve seen the movies.
But journaling is different. It’s less keeping record of your day-to-day life and more a targeted practice to unwire toxic thought patterns and behaviors. Dr. Nicole Lepera (better known as The Holistic Psychologist) articulates this perfectly here.
In fact, I found journaling so powerful that I created a gorgeous journal which includes ALL of the 8 journal prompts listed below. Enter your email below to get it in your inbox. It’s free!
Daily journaling can build new neural pathways to enhance wellbeing. Practicing this for 5-10 minutes every day can overtime break toxic mental patterns and “rewire” the brain toward healthier habits.
Without further ado, here are 8 powerful journaling prompts for your daily mental health.
8 Most Powerful Journaling Prompts For Your Daily Mental Health
1. Morning Check-In
Starting your day with a quick “check-in” is really important. Checking your phone, the news, or social media first thing in the morning can actually impact your brain for the rest of the day. You don’t want to start your day with an anxiety spike.
So wake up slowly and start with the first question. How do you feel right now? If you’re overwhelmed by the day ahead or didn’t get enough sleep, use these as reminders to go gently with yourself.
In my Self-Care Journal, there’s also a place for you to set an intention for the day. Is it to focus on deep breathing? Practice non-reactivity? Be mindful of your emotions?
These simple practices can give you a boost in the morning, the perfect way to start the day.
2. “Today I’m grateful for…”
I talk about gratitude a lot on here so I’ll keep this brief.
Keeping a daily gratitude log has the power to radically shift your mindset from scarcity to abundance.
Wake up to the abundance around you. Gratitude can’t erase a bad day, but it can counteract the scarcity stories you tell yourself that cause mega-anxiety. Stories that you don’t have enough money or success or prestige… stories that you’re not safe.
Start small, with 3 things you’re grateful for every day. And be patient. Positive change takes time.
Read more about scarcity mindset: 10 Ways I Learned How To Be Happy
3. Fact or Fiction
When I chose to invest in a mentor, Fact or Fiction was my first piece of homework. And it kinda blew my mind.
It’s simple. List every self-limiting story you have about yourself. Some examples:
I’m not smart enough
I started too late
Everything I touch turns to shit
Now decide whether that’s fact or fiction. I’ll go ahead and assume 99% of those beliefs are fiction.
Doing this is so transformative because you see these lies perspectively and recognize that everything holding you back is fabricated. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, write these down then kindly ask them to fuck off.
Related: Bad Day? 10 Things You Can Do Right Now to Feel Better
4. Brain Dump
Ohh, the epiphanies that have come out of this. Writing can feel like shedding a great invisible burden, and this is something Dr. Bessel van der Kolk articulates beautifully in his book The Body Keeps the Score. Simply writing things down has been shown to bring deep healing.
I attribute a lot of my journey to my writing habit. And there’s nothing better than a good old brain dump. This relates to one of my favorite quotes of all time:
I don’t know what I think until I write it down.
Joan Didion
Don’t make it complicated. Take a few deep breaths, hone into your journal, and write whatever. Who knows what crazy shit will pour out?
5. Control exercise
One of my favorites, the control exercise is so quick yet so eye-opening. In my Self-Care Journal, I give you two columns named “In My Control” and “Out of My Control”.
Fill these in with everything that’s plaguing you. Is it other people’s behavior? The weather? Are these things in your control?
What about your eating habits, your self-care practices, and pursuing your goals?
Focus on what you can control. Put your efforts there. And give yourself permission to let go of the others.
6. What does self-care look like to me?
It’s important to keep this list handy. Especially if you’re new to self-care, think of small and big ways you can look after yourself and celebrate your wins. It can be as simple as a cup of tea by candlelight. Or as extravagant as a weekend getaway.
Keep the list somewhere you can see it to remind yourself, particularly on bad days, that it’s okay to take a break. Change it as often as you like, but make sure you’re honoring at least one of those things on a daily basis.
Related: Distress SOS: How to Calm Down with 8 Simple Exercises
7. What brought me joy today?
Another simple exercise, writing down what brought you joy today can make you re-live that moment. So you’re sampling on your own joy and extending those good feelings. Isn’t that genius?
We all do this, but this is a good exercise to target those warm feelings and give yourself a boost. To remember that life is good, that it’s all about the little moments.
8. Evening check-in
Last but not least, the evening check-in is just as important as your morning check-in. How do you feel now that the day’s over? Have you honored today’s intention?
More importantly, what do you need now to soothe yourself and feel safe? Refer to your self-care list. Did you have any wins, big or small? How will you celebrate?
Again, if you’d like all these journaling prompts for your daily mental health, sign up below to download my free Self-Care Journal.
Remember that healing happens in small acts of self-love every day.
Journaling has played a huge role on my healing journey, and I hope you benefit from these 8 prompts and start seeing positive change in your daily mental health.
