Photo by Emma Louise Photography, taken at Xarkis Festival 2017
After finishing the Journal With Me series on Instagram Live this April, I wanted to keep the fire we started burning so I’ve compiled the prompts we used along with some journal books and other tools to help you continue writing. Whether you’re just testing the waters or you and your trusted journal go way back, the resources I collected can help dive deeper into introspection and self-discovery.
Journaling prompts
These are the questions, phrases and quotes we used during our two-week live journaling sessions and I’m leaving them here so you can return to them anytime you like when you’re seeking some self-reflection. The video series is of course still up in my IGTV on Instagram where I explain a bit more about each prompt, how you could approach it, along with some examples. If you want to skip the chatter and get straight to it though, here’s the list:
Recall your morning through the 5 senses…What did your morning smell like, what touched your skin, what sounds did you hear when you first woke up, what were the first things you saw in the morning, what tastes did you experience?
What’s an experience you’ve never had but would like to?
Salvador Dali said, “Have no fear of perfection, you’ll never get it.” How do you feel about that statement?
If my body could talk, it would say… Let your body write a letter to you telling all the things it wants you to know. Listen carefully.
Write a letter to your body.
Find an object near you, examine it closely and journal on its intricacy and beauty.
What is something that brought you joy this week?
Describe an outfit you feel incredible in.
In the past year, what is something you achieved that you are proud of?
Write a letter to your future self.
Word association! Pick one of the following words and write whatever comes to mind: hope, rain, silence, heartbreak.
How do I want to be remembered?
There are SO many more prompts online you could use for self-discovery and reflection, like this one, this one and this one. Some will be easy to answer, some will be tough and might take time. That’s okay. It’s normal to not have the answers, not feel like diving deep one day or carving out time to write. It’s called being human but your journal is always there for you to safely store your emotions, secrets and realizations.
Daily Journal Books
Alternatively, you could entertain yourself with a journaling exercise book. These are usually guided journal books with prompts, questions, doodles and activities to spark self-discovery and creativity. There are tons of different ones such as gratitude journals, five-year journals, one-line-a-day journals…Find what feels good for you and go for it! Below are some that stand out to me:
Wreck This Journal by Keri Smith– I first got this quirky activity book at university and it went everywhere with me. I took it out whenever I was bored, waiting alone or just wanted to see the world a little differently. We had a blast together. It’s a pocket book filled with random activities and fun instructions to colour the pages, poke holes, collect items and just get beautiful messy. It’s not journaling per se, but it can get you out of head and into a playful mood. Come to think of it, my years with my Wreck Journal inspired by thinking and outlook on the world. You can find it online yet I remember seeing it also at Soloneion Bookstore in Nicosia.
Daily Stoic Journal by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman – this is ‘366 Days of Writing and Reflection on the Art of Living’ as its cover states. It includes fifty-two new Stoic disciplines or practices, one for each week of the year, along with an introduction about the art of journaling. It has space for space for morning and evening notes as well as Stoic practices and quotes to inspire deeper reflection. It’s a continuation of ‘The Daily Stoic’ a book by the same authors with 366 meditations on wisdom, perseverance, and the art of Living.
The 52 Lists Project: A Year of Weekly Journaling Inspiration by Moorea Seal – This is a bestselling journal for list lovers with 52 lists, one for every week of the year. I haven’t dabbled with yet either but I can’t live without writing and checking off lists so it’s a practice I enjoy. The diary is a project based on the author’s popular blog series and it aims to inspire, motivate and help writers find joy and creativity. Sounds cool to me!
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There are so many more resources out there on journaling. There are podcasts, books, articles and online courses. Sieve through the tools, experiment and find what works for you. When it comes down to it, you might not need them. A notebook and a pen, a gentle candle and a quiet room usually do the trick for me. Yet if journaling is something new to you, it’s encouraging to follow a guide of some kind to get started. Follow some prompts, create a writing ritual or ask a friend to write with you. There is magic and power in doing things together with people.
Do whatever resonates with you, there are no rules to this. After all, it is a deeply personal process so do it your way, with tools or without. Draw illustrations, do collages, write about your dreams, what you learn or simply freestyle. It simply has to feel true to you.
