journaling +prompts
The most frequent questions you ask me on Instagram are about journaling …
What journal to use? How to journal? How to start journaling? Why journaling? etc. etc.
Why Journal?
Journaling is a habit that, with daily practice, can help you break out of autopilot - we therapists call this the subconscious or “Automatic Negative Thought Pattern" - that keeps you stuck. We can remain stuck in autopilot through our negative or anxious thoughts, our habits, our choices, who we choose to hang around or date, etc. etc.
Key: Autopilot isn't helping you get to where you want to be.
When you take up a daily habit of journaling, you:
Bring awareness to the ways that you remain in autopilot/stuck.
Set a conscious, focused intention to change and grow.
Bring awareness to positive thoughts and gratitudes.
Begin to see yourself in new and expanding ways.
Set small, actionable steps to begin making daily choices towards your future self.
“You can rewire your subconscious through constant repetition until you have established a new program. To create sustained change, our brains need consistent practice - to lay down and strengthen new neurons and connections”
Journaling for even 3-8 minutes per day makes a difference long term on our subconscious mind.
My Top Suggestions for Starting a Daily Journaling Practice:
First, journal about the patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors where you feel stuck or on autopilot. Get any blank journal. No fancy journal needed.
Pick one feeling, thought, or behavior that you'd like to change or work through. Ex. “I want to experience more calm throughout my day." "I want to feel less irritable." “I want to feel less fearful of taking risks.”
Schedule 5 minutes everyday to create a new daily journaling habit.
Set your timer for 5 minutes at that scheduled time to journal using the daily prompts below, or advanced prompts once you are in a rhythm of daily journaling.
Have patience with yourself. Mental resistance WILL come when you are starting a new habit. If you miss a day, don't judge yourself. Simply begin again the next day.
Celebrate your accomplishment each day as you show up for yourself in this new way. Even by journaling for 5 minutes you are on your way to change. Notice personal changes and mindset shifts. Celebrate these shifts.
Advanced: Partner daily journaling with 10 minutes of mindfulness or guided meditation.
Daily Prompts (Beginner):
Today I'm practicing …. (pick the area where you'd like to see changes)
Today I'm grateful for an opportunity to …
Today I am … (thought or affirmation)
Today I will feel … (choose the new feeling word you'd like to feel)
Today I'm stepping into my future self when I …. (choose one new behavior or action)
Repeat these same prompts every day for 30 days using the same area where you'd like to see changes.
Example:
Today I'm practicing … noticing how anxiety feels in my body.
Today I'm grateful for an opportunity to … increase my awareness of anxiety & create more calm in my life.
Today I am … calm in mind and body.
Today I will feel … calm, peace, grounded.
Today I'm stepping into my future self when I …. pause and take deep breaths when I notice anxiety settling in my gut/stomach, instead of avoiding.
Self Reflection Prompts for Anxiety (Advanced: Once daily practice is well established):
Today I am courageous when I …
I handle fear best when I …
Today I can be generous to myself when …
Today I can serve others by …
My future self is …
The legacy I want to leave is …
I feel most calm when …
Have questions about daily journaling, establishing habits, or anxiety tools? Email me or check out my 1 hour mini training on Building Better Habits. I'm honored to show up in the space week after week to talk about all things anxiety, high performance, and mental health. I hope that you will begin to use these daily prompts to shift from autopilot to conscious living. You are capable of change.