I recently put together a blog post about some daily habits that changed my productivity and daily fulfillment for the better, including the habit of developing a solid morning routine that I use daily to energize, motivate and center myself.

My morning routine ALWAYS includes a few of the same elements, but one thing I also try to do a few times a week is journaling. After I make my daily gratitude list and write out my goals, if I find there’s something else weighing on my heart (or my brain) that I need to give more time and attention to, then I continue writing.

So the topic of this writing changes from day to day, and from week to week (as it should!), but I’ve found that this journaling practice always helps me gain some clarity and confidence in whatever it is that I need to do some reflection on. So, today I want to talk about journaling: how you can use it to help YOU in daily reflection and share a few of my favorite journaling prompts to get started.

What is Journaling?

Since “journaling” is inherently subjective in nature, it can mean different things to different people. But generally, journaling is the process of using writing and personal reflection to gain clarity, self-motivate, and work on yourself. It also can have therapeutic benefits.

How Does Journaling Help?

Journaling essentially is a way of re-connecting with yourself and giving yourself both time and space to think – really think – about things that are important to you. Common ideas to journal about are your goals for the future, your dreams (literally – “dream journals” where you wake up and reflect on any dreams you may have had overnight are totally a thing!), your daily actions, and your feelings.

Journaling is beneficial to the mind and the body in the same way that meditation is, and also helps to reinforce a habit of mindfulness. Here are some of the major benefits of journaling:

• Easing nerves and anxiety
• Improving mental health and clarity
• Letting go of negative thoughts and energy
• Increasing your optimism and, indirectly, your happiness and health (Positive Psychology Program)
• Managing and reducing stress
• Boosting creativity
• Staying focused on goals
• Reducing symptoms of depression

How Can I Start Journaling?

The best way to start journaling is the same way to start many other practices – just start! Everything seems more daunting until you just dive in. Especially if journaling is something that’s brand new to you, you might feel a little nervous to begin, but I promise that those nerves will melt away after the first minute of you putting pen to paper.

It also helps to set aside some time for yourself to journal, and perhaps find a way to work it into your daily routine. Give yourself 5-10 minutes to start, set a timer, and just start writing. Don’t think too much and try to let your ideas flow to paper without judgement.

5 Great Journaling Prompts

Another way to get started journaling is to use journaling prompts to help guide your writing, and give you an idea to start with as you begin writing.

1. What do I want?

Perhaps the quintessential and most introspective journaling prompt out there, answering the question, “What do I want?” It provides a constant opportunity to dive deep within yourself and explore who you are and what you want. And you’ll probably discover something new about yourself, every single time you attempt to answer this question. Not to mention, your answer will be changing ALL the time! Which just makes it all the more important and helpful for you to constantly be journaling and attempting to create clarity on what it is that you want.

2. What does my higher self look like?

A friend of mine recently posed this question to me. She is a personal stylist who works with her clients to not just dress them better, but to also, and more importantly dress them to THEIR version of success: to their next-level self. (And yes, she is so, so brilliant!)

And this is a great question for you to think about as well as you are journaling. When you imagine your future and your ideal life, what does the YOU in that life look like? What does she do? What does she not do? How does she spend her time? Think down to the tiniest details, and write about them.

3. How do I want to make a difference?

As human beings, we are all motivated to some degree to help others – we are called at a deeper level to make some sort of difference in the world, and leave it just a little bit better than we found it. So, this is a great question to ponder on and really spend some time exploring through journaling.

4. What’s my reason for being?

Similar to answering the question of how to make a difference is the idea of purpose or, as I like to call it, your “reason for being.” The fact is: you have a unique blend of natural talents, strengths, passions, and service aptitudes that only YOU can fulfill in a truly unique way. And it is your responsibility to discern exactly how those gifts come together to create your purpose. Because once you start living this purpose every day – you will find that you are more fulfilled, happy, and prosperous than ever!

Want some help? I have a worksheet assessment that can help you jumpstart this search – you can download it here!

5. Who am I? (without the “doing”?)

Identity is at the core of so much that we do. We are on a constant journey to discover more about who we are, what makes us unique, and what makes us, well, us!

So much of how we identify ourselves comes from what we “do” – whether that’s our job, our side hustle, our hobbies, and all the other ways we spend our time. However, I was recently introduced to a podcast called “Hurry Slowly,” by Jocelyn K. Glei, which is all about the art of becoming more productive by slowing down (crazy, right?).

In one of the episodes, Glei poses the question that she was once challenged with by a guru: “Who are you without the doing?” Meaning – outside of the things that you DO – who are you?

…I’ll give you a heads up – it’s not an easy question to answer. Glei shares that it took her years to come up with an answer! (And I’m not even close to finding an answer for myself yet, either). Which is all the more reason why this is such a great question and self-reflection to journal on.