Best Journal Prompts for Self-Love
Embracing self-love isn't always easy, but it's a journey worth taking. To help you along this path, we've curated a collection of powerful journal prompts designed to boost your self-esteem and nurture a kinder relationship with yourself. These gems are handpicked from the daily offerings of the PocketbookPrompts newsletter, a treasure trove of inspiration for self-reflective writers. Whether you're a seasoned journaler or just starting out, these prompts will guide you towards deeper self-appreciation and confidence.
8 journal prompts for self-love and building confidence
Grab your pen and your journal and let’s start writing!
1. How can you take up more space by allowing yourself to be seen and heard today?
If you live in L.A. or Austin, I'd bet you've heard the term "taking up space" more times than you've had avocado toast this week.
But in truth, it's an important concept that many find challenging.
Taking up space means having the confidence to be visible, express yourself, and claim the space you rightfully deserve.
Journal prompt: How can you take up more space by allowing yourself to be seen and heard today?
2. Describe a moment when you felt truly alive. What were you doing, and why did it make you feel that way?
For this prompt, we're taking a trip down memory lane.
It could be from decades ago or just a few days back.
Journal prompt: Describe a moment when you felt truly alive. What were you doing, and why did it make you feel that way?
3. Create a Sabbath for yourself.
In Casper ter Kuile’s book, The Power of Ritual: Turning Everyday Activities into Soulful Practices, he argues that you don’t have to be religious to take a Sabbath.
In fact, carving out time for restorative rest and deep self-connection is a practice from which we could all benefit.
Sabbaths can manifest in various forms—it could be a tech sabbath, where you unplug from digital devices, a solo sabbath dedicated to introspective 'me time', or a sabbath centered around playful, creative pursuits.
However, the defining characteristic of a true sabbath is establishing a structured set of rules and boundaries that dictate what activities are permitted and prohibited during that period.
As Kuile elegantly simplifies it, taking a Sabbath “draws us out of our everyday habits and into a deeper presence… [and a Sabbath] inverts some of the most destructive stories we tell ourselves: that we are what we do, that we’re worth only what we create.”
Journal prompt: Create a Sabbath for yourself.
What day and timeframe will you claim as your Sabbath? (e.g. on Sundays from morning until 5:00 pm).
What rules will you set for yourself? (e.g. I’ll turn off my phone and commit to spending time in nature with my loved ones).
What do you hope to get from the experience? (e.g. To allow new ideas to organically emerge, without forcing anything).
4. Create a list of all the things you deserve and are worthy of experiencing.
I've come to recognize a deep-rooted limiting belief that seems to be pervasive not just within myself, but in most people I encounter. It’s this:
“I’m not worthy.”
It personally took me years of therapy to pinpoint when I started believing this. But I eventually figured it out.
In 2nd grade, I really struggled with reading. So much so, that I was eventually taken out of class with the “normal kids” to go sit with the “slower kids” at Reading Partners to get me up to speed with the rest of the class.
This, of course, isn’t how the teachers phrased it. Reading Partners was meant to be fun and engaging. Not a punishment. Unfortunately in my 7-year-old brain, I understood it as: “I’m not worthy to be with the ‘normal kids’ in class.” And good god has it been one hell of a journey to re-write that limiting belief operating in my subconscious.
Thankfully, I’ve slowly been chipping away at it over the years and found that taking the time to write down what I AM worthy of helps tremendously.
Such as being worthy of a safe place to live. Being worthy of meaningful friendships. Being worthy of love.
Journal prompt: Dedicate at least 15 minutes to journaling about all the things you deserve and are worthy of experiencing in life. Consider making a list starting each point with "I am worthy of..." and allow yourself to freely explore where those thoughts lead you.
5. What is that "something" you can do every day to keep you centered?
This journal prompt was inspired by this short article from Ryan Holiday. In it, he describes his ideal Saturday routine, which involves going for an early morning walk with his son, followed by writing.
The crucial point is that it's not about feeling productive in a way that perpetuates the constant grind or "rat race." Instead, the emphasis is on engaging in an activity that doesn't feel forced or like an obligation, yet still provides a sense of accomplishment.
Holiday quotes Callie Oettinger, who said: "You don't have to do a lot every day, but you have to do something."
He emphasizes that when you know what that "something" is, you gain power, clarity, and control over your life. You know what to prioritize and what to say no to, and you understand what your life needs to be built around.
Journal prompt: What is that "something" you can do every day to keep you centered? Something that never feels forced, but primes the pump for a creative and centered day ahead. (Besides journaling, of course 😉).
6. Acknowledge and honor something positive about yourself.
This writing prompt was inspired by The SuperOptimist Guide to Unconventional Living.
In the book, the authors dedicate a page to showing just how insane it is that we’re here, alive on this planet.
“Scientists have estimated the probability of you being born at about one and four hundred trillion…So the odds that you exist are basically zero. But because you do exist, and you’re now aware of how precarious that is, you’re the big winner today in the jackpot of life. Even if all you’re doing right now is eating a chicken burrito with extra hot sauce.”
Journal prompt: Let's take a moment to acknowledge and honor something positive about yourself. Perhaps you've recently achieved a goal or milestone that deserves recognition? Or maybe you simply want to celebrate the remarkable fact of your existence, defying the infinitesimal odds? How do you plan to celebrate yourself today?
7. Reflect on the uncertainties you're currently facing and how even though you don’t know now, you will know soon.
Despite popular belief, the simple phrase "I don't know" is a perfectly adequate response for nearly 95% of the situations we encounter.
You don't need to have a strong stance on the latest policy debate or even a ready answer to something as mundane as "what do you want for dinner?"
The wisest approach is to confidently say "I don't know" when that's the truth, while understanding that you'll arrive at an answer in due time.
Journal prompt: Reflect on the uncertainties you're currently facing where you don't yet have a clear answer. Acknowledge those situations honestly, then write your own affirmation along the lines of, “I don’t know right now, but I’ll know soon.”
8. Begin by completing the following sentence: "Today I'm feeling ___." Then elaborate by addressing this follow-up question: "How long have you felt this way?
For this journaling exercise, use a format similar to this previous journal prompt.
I'll give you a basic question for you to expand on in detail.
Journal prompt: Begin by completing the following sentence: "Today I'm feeling ___." Then elaborate by addressing this follow-up question: "How long have you felt this way?
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