Journaling | Intuition Development | Emotional Wellness
Tune In To Your Inner Voice
Access the healing powers of your inner guidance through journaling exercises, daily journal prompts, tools for building intuition, and resources for emotional wellness & emotional healing.
10 Topics For Journaling Your Way To Emotional Wellness
Whether you’re just starting to journal or you’re already an avid journal writer, sometimes a little topical inspiration can help. There are many ways to use journaling to help you stay emotionally well, and I’m eager to share a few topics for journaling that I personally use to help with emotional healing and emotional wellness. (P.S. If you’re just getting started with journaling, you might want to consider what your goals for journaling are before checking out the topics for journaling below. You can take the quiz, What Type of Journal Should I Keep? if you’d like some help exploring your goals for journaling.)
Here are ten of my favorite topics for journaling!
Journaling Topic #1 - Journaling about topics you want to work on
If there are specific topics you know you want to work on for your self-development, journaling about those topics can be a great tool on your emotional wellness journey. You can use journal prompts or guided journals on the topic that interests you, or you can just sit down and write about the aspect of yourself you want to work on and record whatever comes into your mind. Here are a few sets of topical guided journal prompts to help you get started with this kind of journaling.
How To Use The 5 Dream Types To Understand Your Dreams
Even when you don’t understand the symbols in your dream, you can still learn something by analyzing your dream patterns. I recently read a very interesting dream study that analyzed more than 200 dreams and identified 5 dream types that almost all dreams fall into. Even more interesting, the study explained how as dreamers make psychological progress, their dreams move through these 5 dream types.
I’m excited to tell you what I learned from this very interesting piece of research (“Dream Content Corresponds With Dreamer’s Psychological Problems and Personality Structure and With Improvement in Psychotherapy: A Typology of Dream Patterns in Dream Series of Patients in Analytical Psychotherapy” by Christian Roesler), because to me it really drove home the importance of dream journaling to help track dreams over time. Full disclosure, I’m not a psychologist or therapist, but I do love dream journaling and reading about what psychologists have to say about dreams! What I read in this dream study absolutely rang true for what I’ve noticed in my own dreams, and I think it can help all of us better understand our dreams.
Warm Gratitude Prompts For A Grateful Heart
Let’s explore what it means to be grateful (and even what it means to be ungrateful) together. These gratitude prompts will help you recall grateful moments and memories, reflect on what you’re grateful for and how it feels to experience gratitude. These gratitude prompts are also designed to help you explore messages you’ve received about gratitude since childhood and delve into how those messages might be impacting how you experience gratitude today. Grab your journal, and let’s get started!
Gratitude Prompts
What are you grateful to have experienced in the last year?
Did you experience gratitude today? What are you grateful for about today?
When you were a child, did the adults in your life express or exhibit gratitude? If yes, what kinds of things were the adults in your life particularly likely to express or exhibit gratitude about? How did they express or exhibit gratitude (in other words, how did you know they were feeling grateful)? How have these childhood experiences influenced the way you express and experience gratitude today?
What is something that feels like of silly to be grateful for, but that you’re still grateful for? Why are you grateful for this? Why does it feel a little silly to be grateful for this?
Let Happiness In With These Happiness Journal Prompts
Happiness is often something we desire, but it’s less common to actively reflect in a “big picture” way on what actually brings us happiness. These happiness journal prompts are designed to help you explore what happiness feels like, what it means to be happy for you, and what does and doesn’t bring happiness to your life. Grab your journal and let’s get started unpacking your conceptions about happiness and your experiences of happiness.
Finish this sentence with the first thing that comes to mind: “To be happy I need _____.” Why do you think this is the first thing that came to mind? Write one paragraph arguing that you need this thing to be happy. Write one paragraph arguing that you don’t need this thing to be happy.
When did you feel the happiest today? Write about everything you remember from the experience. What physical sensations were associated with feeling happy? How did you know that you were feeling happy? What about the experience made you happy? What thoughts were associated with the experience?
Write about a time in your childhood when you felt happy. What physical sensations were associated with feeling happy? How did you know that you were feeling happy? What about the experience made you happy? What thoughts were associated with the experience?
Grounding Journal Prompts For Embodiment
Explore what it means to be connected and attuned to your body and your five senses with these journal prompts designed to help you on the journey to live an embodied life. We’ll begin with journal prompts that explore your connection to your five senses, and end with journal prompts to help you reflect on what it means to you to live an embodied life.
Write about a childhood memory of having a pleasant emotional response to a sound, scent, or taste. Write down everything you can remember about the experience and how it felt. What emotions did you experience? What physical sensations were associated with those emotions?
Think about a texture that you find pleasant (this could be a food texture, clothing texture, etc.). Write about this texture in as much detail as possible. What does it feel like? What emotions do you associate with it? Why do you think you find this texture pleasant?
In an average day, how often do you consciously pay attention to and experience pleasant sensations associated with sound? Take a few deep breaths and then try to lightly focus on only the sounds you are hearing for 5 minutes. Describe the sounds you heard. How did you feel focusing on sound for a few minutes? What emotions arose for you? What physical sensations were associated with those emotions? What thoughts arose?
Journal Prompts For September
Journal through the month of September with me with these daily journal prompts for September! These September journal prompts explore a variety of topics. In September we’ll journal about memories, our first experiences of love, and the eras of our lives. We’ll also do a few fun journaling exercises involving poetry, free association, our dreams, and a personality test.
Journal Prompts for September 1st
What time period of your life do you feel most nostalgic for? What emotions accompany the nostalgia? What physical sensations do you experience in your body when these emotions arise? Why do you think you are being drawn to this time period of your life right now?
Journal Prompts for September 2nd
What is your first memory of feeling loved? Write about everything you can remember about this experience including how it felt emotionally to feel loved and what physical sensations were associated with those emotions.
Journal Prompts for September 3rd
In your journal, create a simple timeline of your life describing the “eras” of your life. How did you differentiate between the eras (schools, jobs, where you lived, friends you were close to, relationships, etc.)?
Journal Prompts for September 4th
What were your favorite books and movies growing up? Why were these favorites? If you remember the first time you read a favorite book or watched a favorite movie, write about that experience. Are there any similarities between these books and movies and books and movies you enjoy today?
Journal Prompts For August
Journal through the month of August with me with these daily journal prompts for August! These August journal prompts explore a variety of topics. In August we’ll journal about the life we imagine versus the life we live, living life with all five senses, and how we respond to the ups and downs of life. We’ll also do a few fun journaling exercises involving poetry, free association, our dreams, and a personality test.
Journal Prompts for August 1st
Think about a moment in childhood when you imagined what a future time in your life would be like. The imagined future time could be a big or small life moment; it could be an event that was happening the next week, imagining what life would like two years in the future, or what life as an adult would be like. What did you imagine this future moment would be like? What did you imagine this future moment would feel like? What was the future moment like in reality? How did the future moment feel in reality? What was similar about the moment you imagined and the moment you experienced? What was different about the moment you imagined and the moment you experienced? Did the moment you imagined influence how you experienced the moment in reality? If so, how?
Journal Prompts for August 2nd
What scent brings up the strongest emotions for you? What emotions does this scent bring up? Write about a time when this scent brought up strong emotions. Why does this scent bring up strong feelings for you?
Journal Prompts for August 3rd
Think about a time in your life when everything was going particularly well. What was going on in your life at this time? What emotions did you experience? What kind of things did you say to yourself about why things were going well?
Relaxing Summer Journal Prompts
Check out these summer journal prompts to celebrate summer!
What was the best part of your spring? What do you want to remember about this experience?
What was the hardest part of your spring? What made this experience so difficult? How did this experience make you feel?
What will you miss about this spring? What will you not miss about this spring?
Are there habits or routines that were part of your spring that you want to leave behind as you move into the summer?
What are you most looking forward to this summer?
Where in your life do you want to experience growth? What does a growth in this area of your life look like? What’s one easy first step you can take to encourage growth in this area of your life?
What positive impacts does the summer season tend to have on your mental health? What negative impacts does the summer season tend to have on your mental health? Are there ways that you can accentuate the positive impacts and mitigate the negative impacts?
Journal Prompts For July
Journal through the month of July with me with these daily journal prompts for July! These July journal prompts explore a variety of topics. In July we’ll journal about independence and interdependence, relaxation, and the role of planning and spontaneity in our lives. We’ll also do a few fun journaling exercises involving poetry, free association, our dreams, and a personality test.
Journal Prompts for July 1st
In general, do you consider yourself a more planned or spontaneous person? Write about why you consider yourself to be a more planned person or a more spontaneous person.
Journal Prompts for July 2nd
How do you like to spend your time when you’re relaxing? What makes these activities relaxing?
Journal Prompts for July 3rd
In what areas or aspects of your life are you most independent? In what areas or aspects of your life do you most rely on others?
Journal Prompts For June
Journal through the month of June with me with these daily journal prompts for June! These June journal prompts explore a variety of topics. In June we’ll journal about friendship, intuition, and knowing ourselves. We’ll also do a few fun journaling exercises involving poetry, free association, our dreams, and a personality test.
Journal Prompts for June 1st
Think of a time you felt very connected with a sense of who you are as a person. Write down everything you can remember about this memory. What did it feel like? Why do you think you felt so connected with you in this moment?
Journal Prompts for June 2nd
How do you define “intuition”? What does it mean to be in touch with your intuition? What does it feel like to be in touch with your intuition? What does it feel like to be disconnected from your intuition? How do you know when you’re in touch with your intuition? Is being in touch with your intuition something you value? Why or why not?
Journal Prompts For May
Journal through the month of May with me with these daily journal prompts for May! These May journal prompts explore a variety of topics. In May we’ll journal about our connection to nature, the stories we tell ourselves, childhood daydreams, confidence, and internal transitions. 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 May 1st
If you had to rate the speed at which you live your daily life on a scale of 1-10, what rating would you give it? Whether you think the pace of your daily life is slow, fast, or in-between, how does this speed impact you positively? How does this speed impact you negatively? Are you happy with the speed at which you live your life? Ideally, would you live your life at a faster or slower pace than you currently live it? If you would like to change the pace at which you live, what’s one small practical thing you could do to work on that?
Journal Prompts for May 2nd
How does the changing of the seasons impact your life? How does your schedule or your daily activities change when the seasons change? What impact does the change of seasons have on your mental and emotional health and wellbeing? How can this help you reflect on your connection to nature and the natural world?
Journal Prompts For April
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 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
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?
Night Journal Prompts For A Peaceful Heart
Ending your day with journaling can be a relaxing way to ease out the hustle and bustle of the day. Journaling at night can also help you connect with yourself, understand yourself better, and ease into sleep. In this article you’ll find night journal prompts along with four fun night journal exercises that incorporate poetry, music, meditation, and free association into your journaling practice.
Night journal prompts
Here are a few night journal prompts to end your day with! Choose a few night journal prompts from the list below and use them every day, or mix up your night journal practice and choose different prompts every night.
What’s one thing I can do to make myself feel cared for this evening?
How connected with myself did I feel throughout the day today? How grounded (in the present moment and connected to my body) did I feel today? How often did I check in with myself today to see how I was doing and what I needed?
Spring Journal Prompts To Inspire Renewal
Check out these spring journal prompts to celebrate spring and the fresh start it represents as you journal.
What was the hardest part of your winter? What made this experience so difficult? How did this experience make you feel?
What was the best part of your winter? What do you want to remember about this experience?
What will you miss about this winter? What will you not miss about this winter?
Are there habits or routines that were part of your winter that you want to leave behind this spring?
What are you most looking forward to this spring?
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 to creating a fresh start in this area of your life?
Healing Journal Prompts For Mental Health
These journal prompts are designed to help you work through difficult emotions when they arise and to help you explore the state of your mental health and consider what better mental health looks like for you. I’m not a therapist and this isn’t the same thing as therapy, these are simply questions that have helped me improve my own mental health. A lot of the journal prompts on this website are journal prompts for mental health, so feel free to explore and find journal prompts that are a good fit for you. Check out the suggestions for more mental health journal prompts at the end of this article, too.
365 Daily Writing Prompts For Deep Reflection
Find daily writing prompts for a year of journaling here! Each month’s writing prompts explore a variety of topics designed to help you better know yourself and emotionally care for yourself. In addition to daily writing prompts, you’ll also find links to other journaling ideas for each month below. This daily writing prompts series is in progress, so check back for updates for future months!
January Daily Writing Prompts
Find daily writing prompts for January here. These daily writing prompts explore change, memories, relationships, and relaxation among other topics.
Journal Prompts For March
Journal through the month of March with me with these daily journal prompts for March! These March journal prompts explore a variety of topics. In March we’ll journal about what you value in life, self-love and acceptance, self-doubt, and future dreams. We’ll also do a few fun journaling exercises involving poetry, free association, our dreams, and a personality test.
Journal Prompts for March 1st
Think about what’s important to you in life. Write a list of your top five values. For each value you listed, write about a time that holding this value informed a decision or helped you approach some aspect of life.
Journal Prompts for March 2nd
How often do you feel engaged in the present moment in the course of your day as opposed to thinking about the past or future? When you are thinking about the future, why are you focusing on the future? What emotions, experiences, or day-to-day realities tend to get you focusing on the future? When you are thinking about the past, why are you focusing on the past? What emotions, experiences, or day-to-day realities tend to get you focusing on the past? Are you happy with the amount of time you spend focused on the past, present, and future? If not, what could help you strike a balance that you’re happier with?
Journal Prompts for March 3rd
On a scale of 1-10, how hard on yourself do you think you are? In what ways are you hard on yourself? In what ways are you compassionate with yourself? Are there certain areas of life where it’s more difficult to be compassionate with yourself? If so, why do you think that is?
Dig Deep With These Travel Writing Prompts
Travel writing prompts for your travel journal
A travel journal is a wonderful keepsake souvenir and an amazing way to reflect on your experiences and get the most out of your travels. These travel writing prompts are set up to guide you through your traveling experience with prompts for before your trip, daily travel writing prompts for during your trip, and writing prompts for reflecting on your travels afterwards.
Travel writing prompts for before your trip
Prepare for your travel adventures with these travel writing prompts to help you reflect on your travel plans and your expectations for your trip.
What’s your itinerary? What are you planning to see and do? Where will you stay?
What do you think you’ll most enjoy about your trip?
What are you most excited to see or do on your trip?
What are you nervous about for your trip?
Why did you choose this travel destination?
Who are you traveling with? What do you think your travel companions will most enjoy about this trip?
What are you most excited to eat on this trip?
Sweet Valentine’s Day Journal Prompts
Valentine’s Day is a wonderful time to reflect on the love in your life. These Valentine’s Day journal prompts are designed to help you notice and honor the love in your life so that you can experience love in all its forms. Use these Valentine’s Day journal prompts to recall loving memories, explore your love language, learn more about your approach to self love, reflect on the different types of love, and understand what love means to you. Happy Valentine’s Day!
Valentine’s Day journal prompts for recalling loving memories
Think about a time in recent years when you felt loved by someone. Write about the memory in detail. How did you know you were loved? What feelings did you experience? What physical sensations did you experience? What thoughts went through your mind?
Think about a time in recent years when you felt love for someone or something. Write about the memory in detail. How did you know you loved this person or thing? What feelings did you experience? What physical sensations did you experience? What thoughts went through your mind?
Think about a time in your childhood when you felt loved. Write about the memory in detail. How did you know you were loved? What feelings did you experience? What physical sensations did you experience? What thoughts went through your mind?
What Does A Water Dream Mean?
What does your dream about water mean?
Your dream symbols are unique to you, but sometimes it helps to have a little guidance about what a particular symbol in a dream might mean to get you on the right path for interpreting your dream. Use the information here about water dreams as a guide, but don’t let it override your intuitive sense of the water dream’s meaning for you.
Before you read about what your water dream might mean, try answering these questions to tap into your intuitive sense of the meaning of your water dream before you’re too influenced by the information in the rest of this article. It can help to write out the answers to these questions in a dream journal.
What did the dream water look like? Was it a river, pond, lake, ocean, sea, puddle, pool, drinking water, etc.? What color was the dream water? Was there a current? Was the dream water calm? Was the dream water frozen?
Where was the dream water located? Was the dream water in a natural location for water?
Does the dream water remind you of any particular water you’ve seen before (perhaps in a movie, television show, art, real life, or a previous dream)?