By Anne Peters, LMFT

Journaling. It’s a tried-and-true way to increase your self-understanding and to manage your feelings. Can’t quite decide which option is best for you? Feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, or down? Working through a conflict with a loved one? Setting new goals for yourself? Proud of what you have accomplished? The list goes on and on.

Journaling can be used at any point, no matter what stage of life you’re going through. Some people are natural-born writers and some people (myself included) need a little boost to know what direction to go in. There are so many amazing guided journals on the market right now. Bullet journaling is one of my favorites! Even without a guided journal, just do a quick Google search on journaling prompts and it will produce thousands of ideas. Here are 10 journaling prompts that I love to get you started. Happy journaling!

1. If I could talk to my teenage self, I would say…
2. Make a list of 30 things that make you smile.
3. Make a list of everything you’d like to say “no” to.
4. Make a list of everything you’d like to say “yes” to.
5. Write the words you need to hear.
6. If you could only accomplish three things today, what would be the most important items on your to-do list?
7. Write a letter to someone you really admire. It could be a public figure or someone you know. What do you admire about them? How have they inspired you?
8. Write a letter to yourself in five years.
9. Write about a moment in your life when you felt most proud of yourself.
10. Write about a time you overcame a challenge.