75 Journaling Prompts To Make You Think

Let's talk journaling prompts.

Some journalers love them. Some hate them. Others pretend to hate them - but secretly love them.

Wherever you fall, there's no denying that journaling prompts can be helpful - perhaps even a secret weapon of journaling consistently without getting burned out.

Even if you don't directly respond to them or answer them as intended, they help start a creative process of figuring out what to fill that blank page with. Often, you'll find a prompt.

You probably don't want to read through every prompt at once, so we've made a tool that will pick a random prompt for you - just hit "Generate Prompt".

If you prefer to pick your own, I've also listed them out here.

Without further ado, here are 75 thought-provoking prompts to kickstart today's journal entry:

• Reflect on a moment when you felt completely out of place. What made you feel that way, and how did it change your perspective?
• If your life had a soundtrack, what would be playing right now? Why that particular song or sound?
• Describe a smell that instantly transports you to a specific memory. What emotions does this trigger?
• Write about a time when you surprised yourself. What did you learn about your capabilities or character?
• If you could have a conversation with your 10-year-old self, what unexpected questions might they ask you?
• Think about a belief you held strongly five years ago that has since changed. What caused this shift?
• Imagine your ideal day, but with one twist: it has to take place entirely in your mind. What would you experience?
• Reflect on a small, seemingly insignificant decision you made that ended up having a big impact on your life.
• Write about a skill you have that you've never had to use. How might it come in handy in an unexpected situation?
• Describe a recurring dream you've had. What do you think your subconscious is trying to tell you?
• If you could experience the world through someone else's senses for a day, whose would you choose and why?
• Think about a time when you felt two completely contradictory emotions simultaneously. How did you reconcile them?
• Reflect on something you're procrastinating. What's the real reason behind your reluctance?
• If your future self could give you advice in the form of a single object, what would it be and what might it symbolize?
• Write about a compliment you received that you didn't know how to accept. Why was it challenging?
• Imagine you wake up one day with the ability to see one year into the future, but only for trivial matters. How would this change your daily life?
• Reflect on a personal rule or boundary you've set for yourself. Where did it come from, and how has it served you?
• Think about a time when you were completely absorbed in an activity. What was it about that experience that captivated you so thoroughly?
• Write about a fear you've overcome. What strategies did you use, and how do you feel about it now?
• If you could cultivate one new habit instantly, without any effort, what would it be and how would it change your life?
• Describe a place you've never been to but feel a strong connection with. What draws you to it?
• If you could have a conversation with any part of your body, which would it be and what would you discuss?
• Write about a time when silence spoke louder than words. What did you learn from that experience?
• If your emotions were colors, what color palette would represent your day today? Why?
• Imagine you could relive one day of your life with your current knowledge. Which day would you choose and why?
• Reflect on a seemingly useless object you own but can't bring yourself to discard. What's the story behind it?
• If you could bottle up one feeling and save it for later, what would it be and when would you use it?
• Write about a time when you felt truly seen by someone. How did it impact your relationship with them?
• If your life was a book, what would the current chapter be titled? Why?
• Describe a personal ritual or habit that grounds you. How did it develop and why is it meaningful?
• Think about a time when you had to choose between logic and intuition. What guided your decision?
• If you could trade one of your senses for a supernatural ability, which would you choose and why?
• Write about a question you've always wanted to ask but never had the courage to. What holds you back?
• Reflect on a moment when you felt completely in tune with nature. How did it affect your perspective?
• If you could send a message to everyone in the world, but it could only be three words long, what would you say?
• Describe a pivotal conversation that changed the course of a relationship in your life. What made it so impactful?
• Imagine you could experience time at a different pace. Would you slow it down or speed it up, and why?
• Write about a time when you felt like an outsider in your own life. How did you navigate that feeling?
• If you could create a new holiday, what would it celebrate and how would people observe it?
• Reflect on a piece of advice you've given but struggle to follow yourself. Why is it challenging for you?
• Think about a time when you witnessed a small act of kindness. How did it affect you?
• If you could have a conversation with your future self 20 years from now, what would you ask?
• Write about a time when you had to let go of something you loved. How did it shape you?
• Imagine you could relive your dreams while awake. How would this change your perspective on life?
• Describe a moment when you felt truly alive. What elements contributed to that feeling?
• If your life had a theme song, what would it be and how would it change throughout your day?
• Reflect on a time when you had to stand up for something you believed in. How did it make you feel?
• Write about a place that exists only in your imagination. What makes it special to you?
• If you could cultivate one quality in abundance, what would it be and how would it change your life?
• Think about a time when you misjudged someone. What did you learn from that experience?
• Imagine you could see the world through the eyes of any animal. Which would you choose and why?
• Describe a moment when you felt completely at peace. What elements contributed to that feeling?
• If you could have a conversation with a younger version of yourself, what advice would you give?
• Write about a time when you had to adapt to an unexpected change. How did it shape your resilience?
• Reflect on a personal belief that you've questioned recently. What prompted this introspection?
• If you could create a new word to describe an emotion you've felt but couldn't name, what would it be?
• Think about a time when you felt truly understood by someone. How did it impact your relationship?
• Imagine you could step into any painting and live in that world for a day. Which would you choose and why?
• Write about a small, everyday pleasure that you're deeply grateful for. Why does it bring you joy?
• If you could have a heartfelt conversation with anyone in history, who would it be and what would you discuss?
• Reflect on a moment when you felt completely out of your comfort zone. What did you learn about yourself?
• Describe a personal tradition you've created. What does it mean to you and why did you start it?
• If you could instantly master any skill, what would it be and how would you use it to impact others?
• Think about a time when you had to forgive yourself. What made it challenging and how did you move forward?
• Write about a book, movie, or song that changed your perspective on life. What resonated with you so deeply?
• Imagine you could send a message to your past self at any point in time. What moment would you choose and what would you say?
• Reflect on a time when you felt truly proud of yourself. What accomplishment or quality led to that feeling?
• If you could illuminate one truth to the world, what would it be and why do you think it's important?
• Describe a personal challenge you're currently facing. How are you growing through this experience?
• Think about a time when you witnessed true courage. How did it inspire you?
• Write about a place that makes you feel most like yourself. What is it about this environment that resonates with you?
• If you could have a deeply honest conversation with your deepest fear, what would you say to it?
• Reflect on a moment when you realized you had grown as a person. What sparked this awareness?
• Imagine you could see a visual representation of your impact on others. What do you hope it would look like?
• If you could leave a time capsule for future generations, what would you put in it and why?

Phew, that was a lot!

Hopefully you found them helpful, and maybe sparked your mind to go in a direction it wouldn't have gone otherwise.

And please don't take them too literally: they're not rules or assignments. They're just there to help get you going.

Now, pick a prompt that resonates with you today (or whatever the random prompt generator thought you'd like!)

Set a timer for 5 or 10 minutes, if you want.

Write until the words stop flowing or until you've uncovered something new about yourself.

Remember, there's no "right" way to respond to these prompts.

In fact, you could give the same prompt to 100 people and you'd get 100 different answers.

Your thoughts are entirely yours, and that's what makes them special.

-- N. L.