25 Journal Prompts for Self-Discovery
In the 10 spiritual practices to try in 2022 post, I ended with a brief discussion of shadow work. Perhaps it sounded like the most intimidating just based on the name, but I’ve found few spiritual practices that are as beneficial to my mental well-being.
And contrary to how it may sound, not every question involves looking at or reflecting on the shadowy parts of ourselves. Some are quite positive and ask us to acknowledge the things we really love about ourselves.
Now, I do have to be honest and say that my temperament leans towards introspection. There are few things I love more than getting to just spend a bunch of time sifting through my thoughts and emotions. Trying to understand how I view and think about myself and the world around me.
But I get that not everyone is super into that idea. In fact reading that last paragraph could have filled you with sheer horror. Or you could have found yourself saying “Yeah, no. Not for me.” That’s totally fair.
That said, I would encourage you to give it a shot at least a few times.
You don’t need to spend all the time in your day dissecting your thoughts and trying to get to the root of them. That’s not really the point of practicing something like self-reflection or shadow work.
The point is to try and become a bit more aware of your thoughts. Of what you’re telling yourself without even realizing it.
The goal of introspection isn’t to judge yourself for how you think. When you catch thoughts coming up that are less than pleasant, you can respond with “That’s interesting. Why do I think this way?”
Instead of spiraling in the emotion or trying to rush to positivity as soon as possible, you give yourself space and become an observer. You aren’t calling yourself bad or shaming yourself for feeling/thinking the way you are. You’re simply acknowledging the emotions/thoughts, and then digging a little deeper to see what’s underneath it.
This practice is something that should be done when you feel drawn to it. Maybe you’re really into the idea and you answer a question every day or multiple times a week. Maybe you only want to answer a few a month.
These questions are designed to help you get to know yourself better. To try and understand why you respond to certain situations or ideas in the way that you do.
Plus, there’s no right or wrong answer to the questions. It’s just your perspective and how you view life. You are free to do whatever you so choose with the information that comes up (provided it isn’t harmful to yourself or another).
When you have the time and feel drawn to do so, pick a question from the list and write it down or type it at the top of a fresh piece of paper. Then sit and wait until the answer comes up.
Don’t try to force it. Just wait as long as it takes and then write whatever comes to your mind. Don’t worry about editing your thoughts or trying to sift through them at this moment. Just write until you have nothing else to say.
Then take a few deep breaths and read through your answer. What came up for you? Was there a general theme or feeling? Did you have some memories from the past come up? What do you think of yourself or others?
Remember to be gentle with yourself as you go through this practice. You are not bad or wrong regardless of what you wrote on the paper.
As you sift through this information, you can decide the appropriate action that you feel called to take next. Maybe there are some things or ideas that you want to let go of. Maybe you want to forgive yourself or others. Maybe there’s a new habit or mindset that you want to slowly start incorporating into your life.
I pray that you find this exercise fruitful. That as you get to know yourself better, you learn to trust more and more that you are worthy, loved, and enough.
Questions for Self-Discovery
What is one thing I would do if I knew I couldn’t fail?
Have I ever felt like I disappointed myself? Why?
What are negative traits I don’t like about myself? Should I fix them? Why or why not?
How do I define success? Would I consider myself successful? Why or why not?
Who or what inspires me the most?
What do I love about myself?
What trait in others do I wish I had? Why?
If I could relive one moment, what would it be?
Do I express my feelings and opinions to others openly and honestly? Why or why not?
How do I hold myself back in life?
What parts of my life do I love?
What are things in my life that I can release and get rid of?
What is self-care for me? How can I incorporate this more into my life?
What do I believe I am incapable or unworthy of?
What do I want to learn more about? Why?
How have the challenges I’ve faced in life made me the person I am today?
Who has taught me some of the biggest lessons in life? What are those lessons?
What is a common sentence I say to myself when I am criticizing myself? Where does that come from?
What is one thing I do really well?
What does my ideal day look like? Are there ways I can start living that out now?
How do I handle stress in my life?
What does acceptance mean to me? Is there anything in myself or my life that I don’t accept? What can I do about that?
How do I define wisdom? Where do I look for wisdom in life?
If I could say anything to the kid version of myself, what would it be? Why?
What is one thing I need to forgive myself for?