Best Journal Prompts for Self-Discovery
Unlock the mysteries of your inner world with our curated journal prompts. These thought-provoking questions, handpicked from the PocketbookPrompts newsletter, are designed to spark self-discovery and personal insight.
Ready to embark on an enlightening journey into your own psyche? Grab your journal and let's start exploring the depths of you!
11 journal prompts for self-discovery
1. Describe your perfect day from start to finish. What activities and people are involved?
So I know I’m about 20 years late to the game on this, but I just started watching Survivor.
And I’m hooked.
What I've found particularly fascinating is how the show takes ordinary, everyday things and transforms them into extraordinary luxuries for the contestants.
Every now and then, they get a chance to compete for a reward, where they might get to visit The Sanctuary and indulge in an actual meal, receive a foot massage, or read letters from their loved ones back home.
It made me think about what little things I'd really miss and want badly if all the usual comforts were suddenly taken away from me.
Journal prompt: Describe your perfect day from start to finish. What activities and people are involved?
2. Create a two-column table: "Energy Givers" and "Energy Drainers." List activities that invigorate or exhaust you in each column. Then, reflect on how to prioritize energy-giving activities and limit energy-draining ones in your life.
Have you ever walked away from something (maybe an event, a job, or a casual hangout) feeling drained? Conversely, have you experienced doing something that left you feeling completely energized and invigorated?
When contemplating things we "should" do, we often rely solely on our intellect instead of tuning into the signals our bodies send us.
For me, I've realized that going for a walk while listening to a podcast instantly boosts my energy levels and sparks inspiration. On the other hand, going out to dinner in a group setting (especially when the restaurant A/C is cranked up all the way) completely drains me.
Developing an awareness of what gives us energy versus what zaps our energy levels helps us better understand ourselves.
Journal prompt: Create a two-column table in your journal. Label one column "Energy Givers" and the other "Energy Drainers." Next, list activities, hobbies, events, etc. that either invigorate you and spark inspiration under "Energy Givers," or deplete or exhaust you under "Energy Drainers." Once you've completed populating both columns, write about how you can better prioritize engaging in the energy-giving pursuits, and how you can establish boundaries to limit exposure to the energy-draining ones.
3. Where do you get your best ideas? What about these settings sparks your creativity?
Where do you get your best ideas? It took me years to understand this about myself.
For a long time, I thought if I’d go to a coffee shop and sit there long enough, eventually I’d get the creative inspiration I was looking for.
In a way, I thought I could force creativity out of myself. But I realized that’s not the case.
My best ideas come when I’m doing these two things in particular:
Showering
Going on a walk
And it always happens the same way. I’ll be showering or walking and for the first few minutes, I run through my to-do list and all the “monkey mind” related thoughts.
Then after about 5 minutes, my mind begins to quiet down and something amazing happens. The only way I can describe it is as if a trap door opens up in the back of my head and the universe can throw in ideas I’ve never thought of before.
It never seems like these ideas come from me, rather they come from something outside of me and I’ve just quieted down my brain enough to let them through. Now whenever I need to work on a creative project I either get in the shower or go for a walk. And the ideas come flooding.
Journal prompt: Think about where you get your best ideas. What factors do you believe contribute to the emergence of your most creative thoughts in these particular settings?
4. What are you 100% committed to? How can you demonstrate this commitment to yourself and others?
This week, I found myself captivated by a Tim Ferriss podcast episode that delved into the profound importance of being all-in on something – the kind of unwavering commitment that can transform the ordinary into the extraordinary.
As Tim and his guest unpacked this idea, they shared a fascinating anecdote about a mutual friend, a chef whose culinary prowess borders on the divine.
Watching him work is like observing an artist sculpting a masterpiece - every detail is painstakingly perfect. And his kitchen runs like a well-oiled machine, with an intense focus on crafting outstanding dishes in near silence.
It's a motivating picture of what can be achieved through complete devotion to one's craft and the inspiration for today’s journal prompt.
Journal prompt: What are you fully committed to? What are you 100% all in on? Once you've identified that driving force, how will you outwardly showcase and reinforce that full devotion - both to yourself and those around you?
5. What sh*t sandwich are you willing to eat? In other words, what compromises are you willing to accept in order to pursue your passions?
I have to say I’m incredibly lucky.
As an American residing in Cape Town, South Africa, I have the privilege of living in the most beautiful city in the world (IMO), all while enjoying a significantly more affordable cost of living compared to my previous residence in California.
Heck, the latte and croissant I’m enjoying right now cost me a whopping $2. When I was last in San Diego, a cappuccino at Starbucks cost me $7.
But there are downsides to living here.
And it’s what Mark Manson calls the “sh*t sandwich.”
That is, nothing is incredible all of the time. Everything involves some sort of sacrifice, it’s just a matter of knowing what unpleasant experiences you’re able to handle.
For me, the downsides of being occasionally homesick and not being able to drive my car are worth living in this colorful city with my partner.
In other words, I don’t mind eating the sh*t sandwich.
Journal prompt: What sh*t sandwich are you willing to eat? In other words, what compromises are you willing to accept in order to pursue your passions? Where do you set your boundaries?
6. List your irrational fears holding you back. Why are they illogical? What small step can you take this week to express your true self, despite discomfort?
This journal prompt was inspired by Tim Urban’s article on the "Social Survival Mammoth" - that ancient part of our brain that craves approval and fears rejection.
This mammoth helped our ancestors survive by fitting into small tribes 50,000 years ago. But in modern times, letting it control our thoughts and actions is irrational and stifles our true, authentic selves.
So how can we tame this mammoth that lives inside all of us?
By first getting a clear and honest assessment of what’s going on in our heads, figuring out where the mammoth is hiding, and deciding where it needs to be ousted.
Journal prompt: Identify some irrational fears your "mammoth" has that are holding you back from being yourself. Write about why those fears don't make logical sense. Then, ask yourself what is one small step you could take this week to start expressing your true self more, even if it feels uncomfortable at first. How can you build courage?
7. What dream or unconventional path have you been afraid to pursue? How does reframing it as "getting away with” something make it feel more approachable?
I came across this quote recently and loved it: "See what you can get away with."
What appeals to me is how it takes the pressure off things. Instead of saying "I want to become a DJ" which can feel like this huge daunting mountain to climb, rephrasing it as "I want to see if I can get away with becoming a DJ" makes it feel lower-stakes and more fun.
With that phrasing, it becomes an adventure rather than an immense challenge. If you don't end up making it as a DJ, no big deal - you were just trying to see what you could pull off.
The inherent message is to not take yourself too seriously.
So, now I want to ask you:
Journal prompt: What's something you'd like to try "getting away with"? What's a dream or unconventional path you've been curious about but haven't pursued because it seemed too difficult or far-fetched? Reframing it through this lens makes it feel more approachable and liberating.
8. How does "memento mori" (remember you must die) affect you emotionally? What thoughts arise when you consider life's finite nature? Is there something you should prioritize more?
I had a friend who I met while traveling through Portugal a few years back. He had the phrase “memento mori” tattooed on his wrist and his phone background was a clock that was counting down the days, hours, and seconds until he turns 90, or essentially when he thinks he’ll die.
At first, I thought it was a bit morbid.
But the more I thought about it, the more I appreciated his approach to life.
The phrase, “memento mori” is a Latin phrase that translates to, “remember you must die.” And my friend used the countdown as a gentle reminder of life's finite nature.
One day we won’t be here anymore. So don’t postpone the things that matter most to you because tomorrow is never promised.
Journal prompt: How does the Latin phrase "memento mori" resonate with you on an emotional level? When you think about the the inescapable reality that your life will one day come to an end, what thoughts and emotions arise within you? Is there a recurring issue or ambition that you feel you should be prioritizing more?
9. Reflect on what "living with little" means to you. What essentials would you include in your metaphorical backpack? What material possessions or comforts could you live without?
This journal prompt was inspired by a quote Tim Ferriss shared from Kevin Kelly.
Journal prompt: Reflect on what "living with little" means to you. What essentials would you include in your metaphorical backpack? What material possessions or comforts could you live without?
10. What does freedom mean to you? Take this question in any direction and see what it brings up for you.
Juneteenth is a day that commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S. on June 19, 1865.
It honors the resilience of African Americans who endured slavery and fought for freedom. It also reminds us to reflect on racial equality's progress and the work still needed.
This brings us to today’s prompt:
Journal prompt: What does freedom mean to you? Take this question in any direction and see what it brings up for you.
11. Reflect on areas of your life where you may be unconsciously allowing tasks to fill up all available time, even if they don't require that much effort. How can you become more efficient?
Have you heard of Parkinson’s Law?
It’s the phenomenon that work will expand to fill the time allotted for its completion.
In other words, things become harder to complete when more time is given to complete them as the anticipation of the task becomes stressful and daunting.
In Parkinson's original example, a woman's simple task was to mail a postcard, but with the entire day at her disposal, she ended up spending hours on various aspects, such as finding the right postcard, writing, searching for a stamp, addressing the postcard, and walking to the post office.
In reality, this task would’ve taken just 3 minutes to complete.
Journal prompt: Reflect on areas of your life where you may be unconsciously allowing tasks to fill up all available time, even if they don't require that much effort. How can you become more efficient? (For example, by setting shorter deadlines, finding an accountability partner, limiting distractions, etc.).
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