Closeup photo of white cherry blossoms. — Daily April journal prompts

Photo yuri-ab/stock.adobe.com

Journal through the month of April with me with these daily journal prompts for April! These April journal prompts explore a variety of topics. In April we’ll journal about the importance of having fun, trying new things, caring for ourselves, and our internal self versus the self we present to the world. We’ll also do a few fun journaling exercises involving poetry, free association, our dreams, and a personality test.

P.S. If you’re looking for journal prompts for a different month, find your monthly journal prompts here!

Journal prompts for April

Journal Prompts for April 1st

In the last year, when did you have the most fun? Write down everything you remember about this memory. What did it feel like to have fun? What physical sensations, emotions, and thoughts were associated with the experience? Why was this experience fun for you?

Journal Prompts for April 2nd

Closeup photo of woman with journal in her lap journaling outside above grass. — *Photo Yurii Zymovin/stock.adobe.com*

Write down the names of the five people you most admire (these can be people you know, fictional characters, celebrities, etc.). Write a couple of sentences about why you admire each of these people. Review what you wrote. Do you notice any themes in what you admire about these people? Why do you think these traits or characteristics are things you admire? Do you see these same traits or characteristics in yourself?

Journal Prompts for April 3rd

Where in your life do you want a fresh start? What does a fresh start in this area of your life look like? What’s one easy first step you can take to create a fresh start in this area of your life?

Journal Prompts for April 4th

Write out a description of any dream you remember having. Why do you think you dreamt this? If you want more tips on how to write about your dream to help you understand it, check out the posts on How to Keep a Dream Journal and A Dream Journal Example Entry.

Journal Prompts for April 5th

What’s the “strangest” thing you believe? Why would some people call this belief strange? How did you come to believe this? How does this belief impact your life positively? How does this belief impact your life negatively?

Journal Prompts for April 6th

Do you think you’re more or less cautious than other people you know? Why do you think that is? How does your level of cautiousness help you? How does your level of cautiousness hinder you? Are there some areas of your life where you are more cautious than other areas? If so, why do you think that is? Are there some areas of life where you are less cautious than others? If so, why do you think that is? Overall, are you satisfied with your level of cautiousness, or would you like to be more or less cautious?

Journal Prompts for April 7th

When you were a child what did you do for fun? What are some your fondest childhood memories of having fun? Write down everything you can remember about these fun childhood activities including what it felt like to do these activities. Are there similar activities that you do now? Are there aspects of some of these fun childhood activities that you could incorporate into your life now?

Journal Prompts for April 8th

What’s your favorite thing about being you? Write down the first thing that comes to mind. Why do you think this was the first thing that came into your mind?

Journal Prompts for April 9th

Start with the word “umbrella” and write down the first word that comes to mind next. Now write down the first word that comes to mind after that word. Try to feel rather than think the next word. Continue until you’re at the bottom of the page. Look back at the page; which word association was the most surprising to you? Why do you think you made that connection?

Journal Prompts for April 10th

Looking back over the last 6 months, how has your mental health been? What were your biggest mental health struggles? What were your biggest mental health wins?

Journal Prompts for April 11th

Think of a time you felt satisfied and write about it. What did it feel like? What physical sensations were associated with the feeling of satisfaction? What thoughts were associated with the feeling of satisfaction? When do you tend to feel most satisfied? Why do you think that is?

Journal Prompts for April 12th

What messages did you receive about having fun from the adults in your life when you were a child? Did you see the adults in your life doing things “just for fun” when you were a child? As a child, what attitude did the adults in your life express about children doing things for fun? As a child, what attitude did the adults in your life express about adults doing things for fun? Have the messages you received about having fun as a child impacted how you approach fun in your life? If so, how?

Journal Prompts for April 13th

What have you learned about yourself in the past year? How did you learn this? How did this impact your conception of who you are? How did this impact your conception of the world around you?

Journal Prompts for April 14th

What aspect of caring for your physical body has the biggest impact on your mental health? (For example, drinking enough water, exercising, etc.) When you’re consistent with this self-care activity, how does it impact your mental health? When you’re inconsistent with this self-care activity, how does it impact your mental health? Is this self-care activity easy or difficult to be consistent with? Why do you think that is?

Journal Prompts for April 15th

What’s the best compliment you ever received? Write about what you remember about receiving this compliment. How did you feel when you received this compliment? Why was this compliment particularly meaningful to you?

Journal Prompts for April 16th

How much time do you spend alone compared to how much time you spend with others? How does having the right amount of alone time impact you? How does having the right amount of time spent with others impact you? How does it impact you when the balance between alone time and time with others is off? Are you satisfied with the amount of time you spend alone and with others?

Photo journal and pen sitting on windowsill with light pink flowers, greenery seen through window. — *Photo iloli/stock.adobe.com*

Journal Prompts for April 17th

How does your perception of how skilled you are at something impact how enjoyable you think that activity is? Is it possible for you to enjoy something you don’t think you’re good at? If you are very good at something, is it generally more or less enjoyable for you to participate in that activity? Why do you think that is?

Journal Prompts for April 18th

Watch a couple of television or online advertisements. When you’re watching the advertisments, reflect on what feelings the ads invoke, and/or try to invoke, in you. What emotions do you associate with shopping? When you are shopping or thinking about an item you want to purchase, what role do emotions play for you?

Journal Prompts for April 19th

Read The Ambition Bird by Anne Sexton (or choose another poem to read). What emotions do you connect to this poem? What memories do you connect to this poem? Why do you think you made those connections?

Journal Prompts for April 20th

What messages do you receive about doing things “just for fun” from the culture and sub-cultures you live in? What attitude do the people closest to you have about doing things “just for fun”? Do the people closest to you do things “just for fun”? Do they encourage you to have fun? How do you think the messages you receive from your culture, sub-cultures, and the people closest to you impact your own attitude towards having fun?

Journal Prompts for April 21st

What’s one compliment you would like to give someone you know that you haven’t told them yet? Why have you hesitated or held back in giving them this compliment?

Journal Prompts for April 22nd

What’s one small way you could simplify your life or make your life easier? How would you go about implementing this change? How would implementing this change impact you?

Journal Prompts for April 23rd

Summarize your life so far like it’s a summary you would read for a novel or movie. Re-read what you wrote. How does re-reading this summary make you feel? Why do you think you chose to include the information you included your summary?

Journal Prompts for April 24th

Take the Cattell 16 Factor Test. Do you think the personality test that you took accurately reflects something about your personality? What about the results of the personality test didn’t surprise you? What surprised you? If the personality test resulted in any new insights for you about who you are, what can you do with this information in your daily life?

Journal Prompts for April 25th

Write down a few things you would love to hear from someone else at the start of your day. Use what you wrote down to create self-talk phrases or affirmations that you can say to yourself in the morning. Try the affirmations out, and write about how you feel when you hear yourself saying these words to you.

Photo tan journal with pen sitting on it. Journal is sitting on table next to white blossoms on twigs. — *Photo Vovmar/stock.adobe.com*

Journal Prompts for April 26th

How’s your follow through? When you say you’re going to do something, do you generally do it? Are you generally reliable? Do you give yourself grace when extenuating circumstances (or just life) happens and following through is difficult? How’s your balance between giving yourself grace and following through?

Journal Prompts for April 27th

Are you satisfied with the amount of fun in your life overall? Are you satisfied with the amount of fun in your life on a daily basis? On a weekly basis? If so, write a letter to yourself thanking yourself for bringing fun into your life. If not, write a letter to yourself explaining to yourself how you are going to incorporate more fun into your life.

Journal Prompts for April 28th

How do you treat yourself when you’re sick or feeling physically unwell? If someone you care for received the same treatment when they were sick or physically unwell, would you be satisfied with that treatment? How do you treat yourself when you’re feeling emotionally unwell or having a difficult time with your mental health? If someone you care for received the same treatment when they were feeling emotionally unwell or having a difficult time with their mental health, would you be satisfied with that treatment? Compare how you respond to yourself when you’re feeling physically unwell and emotionally unwell. If there are differences in how you respond to yourself in these situations, why do you think that is?

Journal Prompts for April 29th

Write about the difference between what it means to survive and what it means to thrive. What do you do daily that is focused on surviving? What do you do every day that is focused on thriving? How much of your life is focused on surviving and how much of your life is focused on thriving? Has this balance changed over time? Is your current balance between surviving and thriving aligned with your current life circumstances, or does the balance need to be adjusted?

Journal Prompts for April 30th

What fictional character most matches up with the “you” that the outside world sees as you go about your life? Write about why you chose this fictional character. What fictional character most matches up with the “you” that you feel like internally. Write about why you chose this fictional character. How aligned or not aligned are the two fictional characters you chose in terms of personality and approach to life? Reflecting on what you wrote, how do you present yourself differently to the world compared to how you feel internally? Why do you think that is?

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