Journal Prompts I used in 2025
Note:
These are just personal prompts I have used that I am offering for exploration and self reflection. They are not a form of therapy and should not be used as a replacement for professional mental health care. You are encouraged to avoid any prompt that brings up intense emotional discomfort or material that feels unsafe to explore alone. Support from a therapist or trusted professional is recommended when navigating deeper or distressing experiences.
Before/ during/ after journaling
Grounding Prompts for self
I use these activities before and after journaling.
Basic needs: Have I used the bathroom? Do I need food or water?
With Breath:
Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly while breathing deeply. How does the pace of your breath impact the sensations you feel? How does sensation change with pace and depth of breath? What pace feels more grounding?
With Sensation:
What are five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste right now?
With Movement:
Take a short walk, notice the pace of your walking.
What happens if you slow down or speed up your pace? How does it feel when your feet touch the ground?
Put on music and let your body move freely.
What sensations arise as you dance?
What type of movement or physical activity did you love as a child (e.g., skipping, dancing, rocking, rolling)?
How can you embody this sense of play today?
Stretch a part of your body that feels tense, make as small of movement as you can and as big of movement as you can. Go back and forth with what is comfortable.
With Bilateral Stimulation
Cross your arms over your chest so your hands rest on your upper arms or shoulders. Begin gently tapping one hand, then the other, in a slow, alternating rhythm like butterfly wings. As you do, take slow, deep breaths.
Lift one arm above head then the other, alternating arms, add alternate feet taps. Raise both arms over head and take a deep breath and then slowly bring them down as your feet slowly stop tapping.
With two colored markers/ pens/ crayons one in each hand, scribble across a page crossing colors over until the page is full.
Put headphones in and listen to bilateral music.
Pass a ball or an object between hands
Reach/ Pull/ grab/ hold/ push/ throw/ release
Use a stuffy, a ball, a rope, and go through a cycle to reach/ pull/ grab for the item. Push it away/ throw when needed. Hold item and release when needed. Repeat any part of this if needed. What feels grounding for you?
Grounding practices for connection
Earth as energy: Imagine the earth beneath you holding the energy of life, ancestors, and connection. How does seeing the ground as life energy shift your sense of belonging and support?
Energy into the Body:
Sit quietly and place your hand on your heart or belly. As you breathe, imagine energy (from nature, the universe, or your faith) flowing into your body. What does this energy feel like?
Being Held: Imagine being held by something greater than yourself, the universe, ancestors, or a higher power. What does this presence look or feel like? How does it change your perspective on the challenges you’re facing?
Grounding with Nature:
Go outside or visualize being in nature. Imagine the wind, water, or sun connecting with your spirit. What messages or sensations arise? What would these elements say about what you are currently facing or experiencing? How can you carry this connection into your daily life?
Spirit and Ancestors as Guides:
Call upon your spiritual guides, ancestors, or a higher power for support. What guidance or wisdom do you receive? How does this connection impact your sense of grounding and purpose?
Grounding Through Prayer or Affirmation:
Write a prayer or affirmation that honors your connection to the earth, your ancestors, greater consciousness, or a higher power. How does saying or writing it affect your energy and grounding?
Body awareness prompts to use while journaling
Listening to the Body: Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. What sensations do you notice in your body right now? Where are they located, and how would you describe it
Body Awareness and Emotions: where do you feel emotions in your body? What hap pens when you focus on those sensations with curiosity?
Discomfort as a Messenger: Is there an area in your body that feels tense, tight, or heavy? If it could speak, what would it say? What does it need from you? Where do you feel the trigger in your body? How can you stay present with the sensation without judgment?
Titration Practice: When tension/ discomfort or a trigger arises- Can you gently focus on it for a moment, then shift your attention to a place of safety or calm or neutral in your body? Write about what this process feels like.
If sensation could speak: What does the sensation want to say or do physically (e.g., scream, run, cry, sleep create)? Is this sensation a response to current or past events? What information does this sensation share?
Integration Through Movement: What movement, stretch, or gesture would help release the tension you feel? Write about the experience before and after trying it.
Dialogue: Write a dialogue between a sensation and your conscious self.
Challenging memories: when challenging memories arise what images, sensations, or emotions arise? How can you offer comfort to yourself (e.g., self-hug, rocking, ground-ing touch)?
The gaze and sensation: Slowly look left to right, up and down, notice if sensations change based on where you are looking. If you experience heightened sensation when looking in any direction, remain curious about sensation and feel free to explore it with above prompts.
Creative Prompts
If your sensations were a color, shape, and/ or a texture what would this look like? how would they move?
If your body was a road map right now, what would it look like?
Listen to a song that fits your current emotional state and draw/ paint/ scribble to the song
Create sounds that express your current emotional or sensational state
Create movement that expresses your current emotional or sensation state
Journaling prompts
Journaling with my parts
Identifying Parts:
What are the different “parts” of you? Give each part a name or description (ex: parent, teacher, student, sibling, caretaker, manager, peacekeeper, perfectionist, critic, creative, worker).
For each part answer the following:
What values, motives, intentions do each of the parts engage with?
Where do these parts show up the most?
With whom do these parts show up the most?
What is your relationship to this part?
Getting to know your part’s:
Choose one part of yourself that’s been active recently.
What does it want you to know?
How does it try to protect or help you?
How did this part show up in your body (what sensations did you notice)?
Are there sensations you experience that trigger this part?
Witnessing With curiosity: Are there any parts you feel resistant toward, ashamed of, or experience tension with?
What happens when you simply witness them with curiosity?
Notice how they show up in your body.
Creating safety: Is there a wounded part of you that needs attention? What might it say if you gave it a safe space to express itself?
Empowered parts: Recall a time when you responded to a challenge with calmness, clarity, or compassion. What parts of yourself were engaged at this time? How do these parts feel in your body?
Relationship of parts: If your parts were stuck in an elevator with each other, what / how would each part say, do, react or respond.
Parts in Conflict: Are there any parts of you that feel in conflict with each other? Imagine them having a dialogue—what would they say to each other? What sensations are evoked when these parts communicate?
Roles and Burdens: Is there a part of you that feels overburdened or stuck? What would it need to feel relief?
Creating Harmony: Imagine all your parts gathered together in a room. What would it take for them to feel safe and unified? What sensations would this evoke?
Parts and childhood: How did your parts develop or show up in your childhood? Do you connect or associate specific parts of yourself to people in your upbringing?
Journaling with my inner child
The hurt child: what is a memory from your childhood where you felt hurt or misunderstood?
How old is this version of you?
What are they feeling, and what do they need from you right now?
How would your adult self comfort or support your inner child in that moment?
How does this pain and need show up currently in your life?
Exploring childhood events: Is there a specific event or relationship from your past that left a lasting impact? How does this show up in your body? How can you validate your inner child’s feelings about it today?
Childhood grief: Does your inner child grieve any experiences, people, connections to culture, land, ancestors, supports?
How did your inner child learn to cope with this grief?
How has this grief shown up in your body?
Gifts and Strengths: What gifts or strengths could lie hidden within the parts of your self you often try to suppress or avoid?
Looking up: What is something your younger self would be proud of or excited about in your life now? How can you honor them for getting you here?
Childhood joy: What activities did you love as a child? How can you bring more of that playfulness and joy into your life today?
Journaling with my shadow
Protecting the inner child:
Explore each of your parts and make a list for each part naming the ways these parts have learned to protect your inner child.
Reflect on a time when you felt powerless as a child. What emerged from that experience? How can you reclaim your power now?
Are some of these parts ones that you feel resistant towards?
Do they act or behave in ways outside of your core values?
Do some of these parts cause current disconnect or result in self sabotage?
Are there behaviors, patterns, experiences, moments that you feel ashamed of or wish you could change?
What role did your inner child and different parts have in these experiences?
Patterns: If you reflect on past relationships, discord with self or others, are there common patterns that you engage in? What parts show up, how does this reflect your inner child’s experience? Are there ways your parts engage that you have been resistant to acknowledge (the shadow).
Inner child and shadow: If your inner child and a shadow aspect of yourself could talk to each other, what would they say? What service has the shadow provided, what insight does the shadow provide now?
Letter to inner child: Write a letter to your inner child, acknowledging the shadow parts they’ve inherited or developed. Offer love and guidance for moving forward together.
Loving the inner child: what did your childhood self learn about love? Do you currently agree with these teachings? What do you wish your childhood self knew about love? Is there anything about love that continues to confuse you now?
Wholeness: If all parts of you were in the same room with your inner child, your shadow, what would love look like? What would it sound like? How would it feel?
Journaling about relationships
Current:
How does your definition and understanding of love impact the ways you show up in your relationships?
What is the current landscape of your close relationships?
Conflict: Who are you in conflict with?
What qualities or behaviors in others trigger a strong emotional reaction in you?
How might these reflect an unacknowledged part of yourself?
Are there qualities they have that remind you of you?
Are there qualities they have that create unease for your inner child? If so, how come?
How would it feel to hold the parts of you that show up with this person?
What do these parts say about the conflict?
Think of someone you envy. What qualities do they have that you might also possess but haven’t fully owned?
What qualities do they have that you weren’t able to nourish in yourself either through childhood or currently?
What emotions arise when you think about these qualities?
Hiding: Is there a part of you that feels too “unacceptable” to share with others?
What would it say if it felt safe to express and explore itself?
Are there aspects of this part that has strengths, and beauty?
Are there aspects of this part that has historically or currently caused harm or damage?
If both sides could have a conversation what would that sound like?
Admiration: Think of someone you admire.
What qualities do they have that you might also possess but haven’t fully owned? How do others inspire you? How can you honor them and share gratitude? What ways may you inspire others?
Wholeness: If your whole self (all your parts, shadows, gifts, etc) and another person’s whole self were in a room together, what would a conversation sound like?
Journaling with my ancestors
History of connection: What has your connection to your ancestors been like up to this point? What do ancestors look like for you?
What forms of connection make up your ancestry?
Feeling Connected: Where do you feel the most connected to your ancestors both internally and externally?
What sensations arise when you feel connected to them.
Honoring Survival: Your ancestors endured challenges and hardships.
How does acknowledging their resilience bring grounding or strength to your current experience?
Accountability and Repair: do you have grievances with any ancestors?
If they showed up as their whole self, what would a dialogue with them sound like?
Values: Reflect on a value or practice passed down from your ancestors.
If you connect to this value: How can you use it to ground and guide your actions today?
If you are disconnected from this value: what would your ancestors say about this value, does this value relate to their survival at some point in time?
What would it sound like to have a conversation about this value and the harm or damage it has done?
Inherited gifts: What qualities, talents, strengths, medicine, magic, have you inherited from your ancestors? How can recognizing these gifts help you feel grounded in who you are? How can you provide thanks and reverence for these inheritances.
Healing the Lineage: Imagine grounding yourself not just for you, but for your ancestors and future generations. Imagine what it would feel like for your lineage to heal and repair. How does this perspective shift your sense of purpose or connection?
Ancestors and land: write a timeline of how your ancestors valued or harmed connection to land. Write about what was going on before and after the shifts.
Reconnect: Visualize your ancestors as a tree with deep roots connecting you to the earth.
How does it feel to draw strength and stability from their grounding foundation?
What gifts would you want to give the earth?
What protection?
How would you continue traditions or repair?
Carrying Their Stories: Reflect on a story, tradition, or value passed down from your ancestors.
How does connecting to this lineage help you feel rooted and present?
How can you continue to share these stories?
What value does story telling give you and others?
Creating an Ancestral Altar: Imagine, describe, doodle, or get started creating a small altar for your ancestors.
What objects, photos, or symbols would you include to honor them?
How would this physical space help ground you?
Writing to Ancestors: Write a letter to your ancestors, expressing gratitude or seeking their guidance. If your ancestors were to receive you from a place of fullness, how would they respond?
Ancestral Art: Create something inspired by your ancestors (a drawing, poem, or
song). How does this creative process help you feel connected and grounded?
Love: If your whole self and your ancestors were to be in the same room, what would love look like? Sounds like? Feel like? How can you learn/ resource from this experience of love?
Connection to the Collective
Through wounds: Reflect on a societal issue that deeply impacts you.
How does it connect to your own shadow, your ancestors, or how different parts of you navigated the world?
How do your personal wounds connect to larger systems (e.g., family, society)?
How might your healing contribute to collective transformation?
Our bodies know resistance: Write about a time your body resisted oppressive systems (e.g., through tension or fatigue). How can you honor that resistance?
What societal beliefs have shaped how you see yourself? Which feel oppressive, and how can you release them?
Guides/ mentors/ inspiration: who historically and/ or currently, have shared knowledge and wisdom that relate to systemic and societal issues that you relate to?
How have they done this (story telling,music, writing, essence?).
How have these folks guided, held you, and provided companionship on your journey? What parts of you mirror parts of them?
Wholeness: Imagine a whole, whether your family, community, or society, and invite love in. Imagine a whole that values individuals as part of a connective whole. what would this look like? What would this sound like? How can you embody this?
Future ancestor: If you are the ancestor of future generations, what seeds would you want to plant to support them in thriving? What strengths do you have that may help embody a system grounded in love?
Exploring Spirituality
State of connection: what is your current relationship with spirituality? What was your ancestors?
What parts of you feel connected and what parts of you are resistant? How did spirituality support or cause harm in your life?
Connected to the whole: Reflect on a time when you felt deeply connected to something greater than yourself.
What was the experience like, and how did it affect your perspective?
How would experiencing this connection feel now?
Symbolism: What dreams or intuitive nudges, or symbolism have you had recently, or begin to be pulled towards noticing?
How might they be guiding you or offering spiritual insight?
Explore what symbolism means to you and use it to write a poem!
Intuition: Reflect on a time when your intuition led you to make an important decision. What did you learn from following your inner guidance?
Duality: How do you experience the balance and move between duality?
Are there two opposing forces or narratives currently tugging on you?
What would it sound like if these two forces had a conversation?
How does the different parts of you engage in this conversation?
Non-attachment: What is the difference between non-attachment, detachment, or avoidance?
How do you know this within yourself?
Reflect on a time when you let go of an expectation or outcome, and something greater unfolded. How did this deepen your trust in yourself, others, or the world?
How do you stay connected while practicing non-attachment? How do you see this dynamic in nature?
Healing and connection impact on each other: Write about an area of your life where you are seeking healing and connection either for yourself or others.
How does this impact your sense of self, relationships, community?
How does your body/ mind/ and spirit already know how to heal? In what ways do you already have wisdom or an internal compass? How does this change the relationship you have with yourself and others?