Self-Care journal prompts are an amazing and simple tool to navigate through tough times. After the tragic loss of my mother during my childhood I began journaling as a way to cope. It’s grown into a lifelong habit that has helped me through some other very challenging times. However, I didn’t truly discover the benefits of journaling until I became more intentional and incorporated journal prompts.
Self-Care journal prompts have been pivotal in helping me focus on specific areas and discovering how I respond to things. They’ve also helped me create new ways to react when life is throwing enough lemons at me to deplete the Earths supply. If you don’t regularly journal, or don’t use journal prompts here are some that I feel can help you work your way through tough times.
What are journal prompts?
Journal prompts are statements, questions or an idea that inspire you to write a response.
During some of the most difficult times in life I’ve turned to journaling but, more in a brain dump style. I was able to express myself but, I wasn’t learning anything helpful. With journal prompts I’m able to learn, grow and possibly prevent.
Journaling has helped me through some extremely difficult times in my life. However, I used to journal in a way where all I was doing was expressing myself. Although being able to release my emotions and talk about what I was feeling was helpful it didn’t compare to using prompts. Self-Care journal prompts have enabled me to learn from, grow through and even foresee challenges in my life. Using prompts has been an essential self-discovery tool that I suggest to everyone.
Is journaling really self-care?
Absolutely. Self-care is more than a luxurious bubble bath and glass of wine after a hard day. Self-care is about discovering yourself, what helps you be your best self and what makes you feel good. It’s a never-ending learning experience about YOU. Journaling is one of the best ways to not only discover yourself but, to track your growth. One of my favorite things about journaling is looking back through old entries and realizing how far I’ve come. As well as discovering how much better things are now and being grateful for being in a better place.
Journaling doesn’t necessarily even mean writing. You can participate in creative journaling (and these prompts can still work) by doodling, pasting photos, sketching, brain dumps and more. Anything to express and convey what you’re feeling. So, yes again I’d like to emphasis that journaling is really self-care.
Related post: 5 Types of Self-Care
Here are some of my favorite journal prompts for hard times. These can also be good journal prompts for difficult emotions.
These journal prompts force you to dig deep and really think about what’s going on and what you can take from it.
If you’re going through a specific situation these prompts are perfect to help navigate your way through. Situations can be anything including breakups, death, job loss, etc. We all experiences situations that are difficult to navigate, these journal prompts may help you process difficult emotions or get through hard times a bit easier.
- What good could come from this situation?
- In what ways can I take this situation and use it to help someone else?
- Were there any signs that I ignored or didn’t recognize until later that could have prevented or prepared me for this?
- Has this situation inspired any new goals?
- What about this situation is causing me to feel the way I do?
- If this same situation re-occurs, what have I learned that can help me in the future?
Some of the previous prompts really helped me get through my brothers death in March 2022. Here are a few short answers I was able to give.
- It lead my husband and I to move closer to family. (In November 2022 when my nephew passed I was able to revisit this prompt and realize that us moving back allowed us to spend time with our nephew before he passed.)
- I’m able to use my brothers death to help other people by telling them about the importance of knowing CPR, how to react when someone is having a seizure, the seriousness of head trauma, what brain death is and what to expect.
- This is an extremely personal prompt for the situation but, there were definitely signs like him beginning to slur his speech, repeat and or forget things.
- Losing my brother inspired me to start a business in his honor to make sure his kids are taken care of
- Obviously, the death of my brother causes me a lot of pain
- What I learned from my brothers death that helped in the future was to take the damn picture. Which helped me have a lot more pictures of my nephew when he passed months later.
My answers are shortened here for obvious reasons but, in my journal I dig deep and get more open and expressive. These are true examples of how helpful these prompts are. Seriously, If I had no used them when my brother passed I don’t know how I would have worked through losing my nephew too.
The following series of journal prompts are specific to getting a better understanding of yourself:
- I feel good when I _____ because
- _____ always makes me smile because
- My favorite part of the day is _____ because _____
- _____ helps me feel relaxed because
Here are some ways I’ve responded
- I feel good when I do the things I say I’m going to do because it means I am dependable.
- Writing in my journal always makes me smile because it makes me feel better
- My favorite part of the day is when my husband comes home because it means I get a small break from the kids.
- Taking a walk alone every afternoon helps me feel relaxed I am able to spend time with myself and enjoy the world around me.
Those are just initial responses, I always dive a little deeper but, you’re welcome to stop there.
Relaxing Journals Prompts
Below I’ve linked a couple of well-reviewed books for relaxing journal prompts. You can easily grab them from Amazon just by clicking the link. These are affiliate links. If you’d like more information on that check out my disclosure in the sidebar. I’ve also added some other popular books with journaling prompts for you to enjoy.
Other ways to use your journal prompts to help yourself during tough times
When most of us are going through tough times it can often be due to the way we feel about ourselves. Negative self-talk can deeply impact the way we live our lives and it’s important we change the ways we speak to and about ourselves. Journaling is an excellent way to counter negative self- talk. Here are two ways you can do that’
- Go to a blank page in your journal and draw a line down the middle. Exactly like you would for a pro/con list except this is a truth/lie list. At the top of each section either write True/False. One the false side, write down all your negative thoughts about yourself. On the true side, write how you know the lies are lies.
Example:
False – I can never get anything done.
Truth – I can get things done when I plan for them.
When you begin to tell yourself the life, immediately replace it with the truth. I used that specific example because I actually had to do that. I used to always feel like I couldn’t accomplish anything. That was until I realized I simply wasn’t making time to get things done. This journal prompt helped me realize that I needed to create a schedule for myself if I wanted to achieve anything. Now, the lie no longer exists; I don’t think of it at all I just get shit done.
2. Create affirmations and repeat them daily. Affirmations are deeply personal and should be specific to you and the positive things you need to hear about yourself. I’ll give you an example of something I say on a daily basis but, you should research and create something for yourself.
Example: I am confident in my ability to accomplish my goals
It’s my sincere hope that you’ve found value in these journal prompts. If you have, share it so it can help others. While you’re here comment below your daily affirmation. I’d love to see what wonderful things people are saying to themselves.
GRAB YOUR FREE SELF-CARE JOURNAL PROMPTS PDF BELOW
PIN THIS!
