Leila Kalmbach - 111 Journaling Prompts for Self-Reflection, Self-Discovery, and Self-Care

111 Journaling Prompts

for self-reflection, self-discovery, and self-care

By Leila Kalmbach

Copyright 2018 by Leila Kalmbach. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright holder, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, contact Leila Kalmbach at . All rights reserved by the author.

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Table of contents

Also by Leila Kalmbach

Introduction

For a long time, I saw journals only as a way to keep a record of what was going on in my life. Sure, Id write about how I felt about those events, and it would often help to release pent-up emotion. But every time I wrote, I felt an obligation to chronicle all the main events that had happened since Id last written which is a lot of pressure in busy times.

Gradually, I started writing less and less, which meant there was more to catch up on each time I did write. Journaling started to feel more like a chore and less like a useful part of my day. It felt like I was journaling for the future, as though someday Id want to go back through these writings and relive the experiences.

Spoiler: I never do.

Eventually, I realized that journaling can be less about preserving memories and more about working through current challenges, nailing down goals, and getting rid of mental blocks. This realization was very freeing. Once I realized that, journaling suddenly didnt feel like a chore anymore; it felt like a tool and my relationship with the activity changed entirely. It felt less like writing a memoir and more like having a conversation with a friend.

Journaling can be used to help you stop churning things over in your mind and begin to release them.

But its still sometimes hard to remember that journaling doesnt have to be complicated, or take a long time, or encompass a wide variety of topics.

Staring at a blank page still sometimes makes me feel like I have to start at the beginning and keep writing til I reach the end.

Thats where writing prompts come in. I find that having prompts really helps to narrow my focus so that journaling is helpful to me, not frustrating.

The prompts in this short e-book are meant to be a starting place for journaling sessions, whether you have a couple of minutes or a whole hour to sit and write. Some are meant to help you work through blocks in your life or figure out where youre headed, while others are more lighthearted though you never know where your next big insight will come from. Some are work-related, but most are personal. Some encourage you to reflect on the past, while others ask you to imagine the future and many more have you look at your current reality.

Overall, however, the goal of these prompts is to help you see yourself and your life more clearly, so that you can keep what works and change what doesnt.

You may find it useful to go through the prompts one by one, but I prefer to read through until I find one that speaks to me on a particular day or at a particular moment. The prompts arent in any order, and this is on purpose; journaling is meant to be a stream-of-consciousness activity, so dividing the prompts into categories felt too structured.

So find a comfortable spot, grab your pen and paper, and get going. You can set a timer if youd like, or just free-flow. I hope this brief e-book will help you to have incredible insights into what is and isnt working in your life, release emotions that arent serving you, and generally help you move forward into a happier, healthier place.

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111 Journaling Prompts

1. What makes you feel good right now?

2. What old hurts are you holding onto that you either need to share with someone or release?

3. When was a time you ignored your intuition or gut feeling about something? How did things go, and what did you take away from the experience?

4. When was a time that you did follow your intuition, and how did that go for you?

5. How is something from your past holding you back in the present? How can you let go of whatever is holding you back?

6. When do you feel most inspired?

7. What activities make you lose track of time?

8. If you had endless money, how would you use it?

9. What causes or movements are you most passionate about and why?

10. What activity that you spend lots of time on daily feels most frustrating or stressful to you? Why does it feel so bad, and is it really necessary to do? If so, is there some change you could make to reduce the stress or frustration involved?

11. What is your favorite part of your day? Favorite part of the week? Of the year?

12. What are some ways youve been following the rules even when the rules dont make sense to you or feel right to you?

13. What were your favorite activities as a child?

14. What makes you most angry, and what does that say about you and your values?

15. What makes you scared?

16. Whats a conflict youve been having between your head and your heart? Imagine a conversation between the two where each in turn explains their point of view to the other.

17. What is your current morning routine? How does it make you feel for the rest of the day? Have you tried out any changes to your routine that make you feel lit up, and do you now incorporate those changes on a daily basis?

18. What are some words you associate with yourself or use to describe yourself? Do those words feel aligned with who you actually are? Do they help or hurt you?

19. If I could be anyone on earth, I would be

20. What character flaws or attitudes drive you crazy in other people? Do you have those flaws as well?

21. Whats an experience you feel guilty about? Is that guilt serving you, or can you let it go?

22. When is the last time you felt in flow in your life or work? What were you doing, and what happened beforehand that helped you get into that flow state?