81 Journal Prompts for Self-Discovery

If you are feeling like you are lost and lacking direction, journaling can help you to clarify your thoughts. Getting your feelings out onto the page can help you to feel like you aren't so stuck inside your head. It can be a great way to release your emotions.

Here are some benefits of journaling for your mental health:

Why Starting a Journaling Practice can have Many Benefits

To get yourself started journaling for the first time, or if it has been a long time, it can help to write for a journal prompt. According to Psych Central, some benefits of using journal prompts include:

• 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

Here are some prompts you may enjoy in your own journaling practice.

1. What are 3 things you are grateful for today?

2. What went right today?

3. What could I have done better today?

4. What did I learn today?

5. What makes me happy?

6. Describe your happiest memory from childhood.

7. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

8. Who was your childhood role model and why?

9. What is your favorite motivational quote?

10. Who do you look up to that inspires you?

11. What is your favorite place that you ever visited?

12. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?

13. Who can you talk to that always makes you feel better?

14. What is the best advice you have ever gotten?

15. What accomplishment are you most proud of?

16. What is the biggest obstacle you have ever overcome?

17. What is your dream for the future?

18. What qualities do you look for in an ideal partner? Do you have these qualities yourself?

19. What did you do today to prepare yourself for tomorrow?

20. What habit could really improve your life?

21. If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

22. What did you do for self-care today?

23. If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?

24. Describe your perfect day, what would it look like?

25. What is your greatest hope?

26. What advice would you give your younger self?

27. How can you be more gentle and loving with yourself?

28. What mistakes are you holding onto that you need to forgive?

29. Who has made the biggest impact on your life?

30. What are negative thoughts I have about myself, and how can I change them?

31. What are my limiting beliefs, and how can I overcome them?

32. What is holding me back from the life of my dreams?

33. Am I reaching my full potential?

34. What area of your life do you most want to improve?

35. What area of your life are you happiest with?

36. What makes you feel good about yourself?

37. What people have the most positive impact on your self-esteem?

38. What is the best compliment that you have ever gotten?

39. What is something you could do today to make your life better?

40. What do you hope to accomplish by the end of the year?

41. What do you like the best about yourself?

42. What do you most want to change about yourself?

43. When do you feel the happiest?

44. If you could live anywhere, where would you live?

45. If you could have any job, what would it be?

46. What was your favorite subject to study in school?

47. What are the most interesting facts you learned this week?

48. What skill does everyone say you are good at?

49. What do you most frequently get complimented on?

50. How do you show compassion to yourself and others?

51. What is the wisdom that you wish everyone knew?

52. What is the best choice you have ever made?

53. What is the worst choice you made, and what did you learn?

54. How do you hope to grow in the future?

55. How do your relationships strengthen your life?

56. What is your favorite song, and how does it make you feel?

57. What is your favorite sport or hobby?

58. What did you love to do as a child?

59. What is your happiest childhood memory?

60. What is the biggest fear you have overcome?

61. How do you want to make an impact on the world?

62. How do you want to be remembered?

63. What qualities do you like best about yourself?

64. What is your biggest personal strength?

65. What are your best coping strategies in times of struggle?

66. What makes you feel good about yourself?

67. What makes you feel relaxed?

68. What makes you feel appreciated and loved?

69. How can you show gratitude to others who touch your life?

70. How can you make the world a better place?

71. How can you show kindness to strangers?

72. What can you do to "pay it forward"?

73. What have you always wanted to learn but never did?

74. In what ways can you challenge yourself to step outside your comfort zone?

75. Which area of your life needs the most development?

76. What can you do to improve your health?

77. What can you do to improve your finances?

78. What can you do to improve your career?

79. What can you do to improve your relationships?

80. What is your top priority in life?

81. How do you want other people to see you?

As you write about any of these, it is helpful to find the things you like most and least about yourself, so that you can pinpoint both your strengths and areas for change and improvement.

If there is a prompt that you especially like writing about, you can use them again once a week or once a month too, and see how your answers change and evolve over time. Journaling is a great way to track your progress, and see how much you have grown as a person!