55 Journaling Prompts For Self Discovery

Last Update on April 7, 2022 : Published on April 7, 2022
journaling-prompts-for-self-discovery

Journaling is a great way to express your emotions, thoughts and desires. Self-discovery through journaling can help you become even more aware of yourself, your likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses, etc.

Even though people have begun journaling, not many people know that it will be more beneficial if you journal in a certain way using a journaling prompt. If you have been journaling for a long time now, you of course know how to go about it but for beginners these journaling prompts for self discovery can be of great help.

Maintaining a daily journal is a good habit because it will relieve you of all the tough emotions, expressions, thoughts and will also help in understanding yourself better.

Without further adieu let’s get started with journaling prompts for self-discovery…

But wait, do you know how to use journaling prompts? Let’s see how…

How To Use Journaling Prompts?

First things first, journaling is not just a daily log of your activities, it’s a lot more than that. Journaling helps you understand yourself better. Journaling prompts basically helps you get an idea of what you can write and reflect upon.

Journal prompts can help you with;

  • Sort out conflicting thoughts,
  • Helps you narrow down your focus,
  • You always have a stock of ideas to reflect upon,
  • Helps you collect your thoughts, etc.

Now that you know what journaling prompts can do for you, Let’s quickly begin with journaling prompts for self discovery.

Journaling Prompts For Self discovery

Before we begin, let’s talk a little about self discovery. What is self discovery? It is all about exploring your unique self. What kind of a person you are? How are you in relationships and at work? What kind of emotions do you feel?

All these questions give answers to how you are as a whole, it’s about your self-discovery!

The following journaling prompts for self-discovery will be divided in different aspects of you (as a social being).

Shall we begin?

Journaling Prompts for Self Discovery in relation to values, thoughts/opinions and overall personality;

  1. What are the most important values that you hold?
  2. What was a strong opinion of yours which might have changed over the years? (What? how? & Why?)
  3. Describe yourself in just 15 words with respect to values and opinions
  4. Talk about 2 of your beliefs that you are willing to change or even reconsider. (What and how?)
  5. “My life is incomplete without …… …….. …….
  6. What’s the best thing about you (your personality) that you are proud of?
  7. Talk about some experiences that completely change your life.
  8. How much do you trust your instincts?
  9. What have you changed about you to honor your personal values?
  10. What is difficult for you to accept about yourself?

Journaling Prompts for Self Discovery in relation to your tough emotions, uncomfortable thoughts and feelings;

  1. What emotions trouble you the most?
  2. Do you have a decision that you regret making?
  3. Do you find any emotions difficult to accept? (What and Why?)
  4. What are you afraid the most about?
  5. What in your life causes the most amount of stress?
  6. Can you identify any self-deteriorating or self-sabotaging thoughts you have?
  7. What is something that instantly disturbs you?
  8. What’s the first thing you do to cope with a tough situation?
  9. Do you see any change in fear as you grow older?
  10. What did you learn from the mistakes you made in the past?

Journaling Prompts for Self Discovery in relation to your relationship with friends and family:

  1. Who do you trust the most in your life and why?
  2. Are you compassionate in your relationships?
  3. Do you show compassion to yourself too in your relationships?
  4. What are the 5 things you have learnt from your past relationships?
  5. What do your loved ones do that strengthens you?
  6. What are the 3 personality traits you want your partner to have?
  7. Do you set some boundaries in your relationships? What are they?
  8. Do you support your friends and family? How?
  9. What is the meaning of love for you in a relationship with your partner and other people?
  10. Make a list of things that you’d like to share with your partner (you can keep adding to it)

Journaling Prompts for Self Discovery in relation to your work life;

  1. What are your strengths and weaknesses at work?
  2. Is your work making you feel content? If not, what’s wrong with it?
  3. Where do you see yourself in the next 5-10 year in your career?
  4. What is it that you love and admire the most about your job?
  5. List your ambitions and how you plan to fulfill them
  6. What hour of the day do you feel most productive?
  7. Is your work leaving you overwhelmed? If yes, why so?
  8. Do you have any plans to improve your work life?
  9. List goals that you have accomplished for yourself in the past
  10. What do you learn from your work every day?

Journaling Prompts for Self Discovery in relation to your meaning of life and happiness;

  1. What’s the first thing you do to boost your mood instantly?
  2. What do you do to live in the present moment?
  3. Make a list of things that inspire you.
  4. What do you do for your self-care?
  5. List the things you enjoy and why?
  6. Are you kind towards yourself? State how?
  7. What is it that makes you feel at peace?
  8. List things that you are grateful for in your life.
  9. What do you do to relax?
  10. Name the small things that make you happy

Journaling Prompts for Self Discovery in relation to your personal growth;

  1. What do you look forward to in life?
  2. How do you plan to make time for yourself?
  3. What is it that you do every day to add to your knowledge?
  4. Are your set goals and desires correlating with each other?
  5. What’s the most important thing you want to achieve?

That’s All Folks!

Journaling can help you understand yourself better. It helps in building self-awareness and that further increases your chances of improving your mental health. This journaling prompts for self-discovery covering most of your self-discovery ideas.

I hope these prompts help you build a habit of journaling daily. Do share this blog with your friends and family so that this journaling prompts for self-discovery can help in promoting self-reflection and awareness.

Thanks for reading!

Take care and stay safe.

About The Author

Kirti Bhati
Kirti Bhati

I am an English literature (major) and psychology (minor) graduate from St. Bede’s College, Shimla. Postgraduate in Clinical psychology from IIS University, Jaipur. She has published a Research paper on Music therapy in the military population and Workplace stress in a national seminar conducted by Fortis hospital (gurugram) and international seminar conducted by St. Bede’s College, Shimla, Respectively. Authored a dissertation work on ‘effect of social media addiction on the mental and physical well-being in adolescents’ Currently working at calm sage as a writer.

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