Journaling tips

20 Journaling Prompts for Self-Discovery

It’s no secret I’m an avid journaler and a huge fan of journal writing as a personal growth tool. Over the last few years, I’ve stockpiled a range of journaling prompts for self-discovery. As I’ve talked about in previous posts and mention in my new book The Year of You: 365 Journal Writing Prompts for Creative Self-Discovery, journaling has a huge range of benefits. These include things you’d expect, like increasing self-awareness and creativity. But it also includes less obvious extras like improving your memory, physical health and problem-solving abilities, as well as reducing stress.

So, what are you waiting for? 🙂 Here are some of my favourite journaling prompts for self-discovery:

  1. What would your ideal day look like?
  2. What is one thing you’ve always wanted to try that you haven’t yet?
  3. What is your biggest regret?
  4. What does a successful life look like to you?
  5. What gives you more energy: being around people or spending time alone?
  6. What are three activities that light you up and leave you feeling most energised?
  7. What is your biggest fear?
  8. What would you say is your biggest strength?
  9. What do you consider to be your most challenging flaw?
  10. What is one aspect of your life you’d like to improve over the next year? What would that improvement look like?
  11. What three to five qualities feel the most important for you to embody?
  12. What is the number one problem you would like to solve (or see solved) in the world?
  13. How are you most often misunderstood by other people?
  14. What are the different roles you play in your life? (e.g. mother, partner, sister, etc.)
  15. What is the best piece of advice you’ve received?
  16. Name one book, movie or TV show that had a profound impact on you and describe why.
  17. What is the number one thing that feels like it’s missing from your life right now?
  18. Who are the three most important people in your life today?
  19. When have you felt at your richest?
  20. How do you think the three people closest to you would describe you if asked?

What are your favourite journaling prompts for self-discovery? Leave a comment and share your suggestions.


Want more journaling prompts like this?

The Year of You: 365 Journal Writing Prompts for Creative Self-DiscoveryIf you’d like more journaling inspiration, I invite you to check out The Year of You: 365 Journal Writing Prompts for Creative Self-Discovery. With a reflective writing prompt for every day of the year, you can take the guess work out of journaling and use your daily prompt to explore and unpack the most important aspects of your life and your being. Each month, you’ll focus on one important area of your life, including your identity, relationships, money, career, and more.

The Year of You is available in ebook and paperback (which you can write in!) through Amazon, and in ebook from iBooks, Kobo, Google Play, and Barnes & Noble now.

P.S. The paperback version also makes a great gift to yourself or a loved one 🙂 

Photo by Estée Janssens on Unsplash