45 Journal Prompts for Beginners

Journal prompts are a great way for beginners to dip your toes into journaling, especially if you don’t want to overwhelm yourself or feel as if you’re out of your depth.

Journal or writing prompts aim to guide you with what to write in your journal and usually have a specific theme or direction they want you to head in.

However, even this might sound daunting if you’ve never used journal prompts or even journaled before.

What type of journal prompts should you choose?

How else do you start a journal as a beginner?

How often should I journal?

This is why using journal prompts aimed at simply helping you to gently open up and get into the habit of writing about your feelings can be really useful.

They’re not overwhelming or too deep, but help you cultivate the positive habit of journaling, while also experiencing the benefits of venting onto the page, such as stress relief, increased self-awareness, and improved mindset.

Journaling prompts for beginners

Some of the best journaling prompts for beginners are:

1. Why do you want to start a journal?
2. How are you feeling today on a scale of 1-10? What word would you use to describe how you feel right now?
3. What are five things you’re grateful for?
4. What are 10 things that make you feel happy?
5. What are 10 things that make you feel safe and loved?
6. What are five self-care activities that you can do this week?
7. What are 10 things you like about yourself?
8. What are three long-term goals you want to achieve?
9. Write about one of your favourite people.
10. What’s an area of your life you’d like to improve and why?
11. What’s your favourite quality in other people?
12. What’s one quality you wish you possessed?
13. What does your dream life look like?
14. What are three small goals that you want to achieve today?
15. How does journaling make you feel?
16. What’s something that triggers you?
17. Write about a problem that you’ve overcome.
18. What’s something you’re really proud of?
19. What’s one thing you can do today to make yourself feel better?
20. What was the last reason you smiled?
21. What are three songs that put you in a good mood?
22. What makes you feel positive?
23. What are your favourite comfort movies/TV shows?
24. When you’re feeling anxious, what instantly calms you down?
25. What are you looking forward to this week?
26. What’s the last kind thing someone did for you?
27. What’s the kindest thing you’ve done for someone else?
28. What’s your favourite way to move your body?
29. What affirmations do you want to work on this month?
30. What’s your favourite food? How does it make you feel?
31. What’s the last thing that made you cry with laughter?
32. What can you do for yourself to prevent feeling overwhelmed or burnt out?
33. What’s your favourite season and why?
34. What holiday is your favourite and why?
35. What do you love about nature?
36. What’s one life lesson that you’ve learned?
37. What’s your favourite colour? Has this changed over time?
38. How do you like to spend your spare time?
39. What qualities do you look for in a friend?
40. Is there anything bothering you right now? If so, what is it?
41. How do you deal with stress?
42. What cheers you up when you’re down?
43. Who is your role model?
44. How do you feel about your body?
45. Write about your most vivid dream.

(Check out my Journal Prompt Library for 750+ journal prompts to help you transform your mindset all in one place.)

How to use journal prompts as a beginner

Choosing a journal prompt is as easy as that: picking a journal prompt and writing about it.

For these particular journal prompts for beginners, I invite you to pick one a day.

You can pick one that you feel called to answer on any given day, or simply go down the list in order if you’d like to take out the guess-work.

Once you’ve picked a journal prompt:

1. Write it at the top of your journal page so that you can look back on your answer if you wish.
2. Answer the prompt underneath. Write as much or as little as you like, or as time allows.
3. Set a timer if you’re strapped for time.
4. Turn off or remove all distractions, like your phone, for example. This is your ‘you’ time.
5. Try to meditate or practise some sort of self-care afterwards.

Most importantly, I invite you to be honest and approach your journal practise from an open place.

Look at it as an opportunity to learn more about yourself and what makes you tick. Journaling is amazing for self-awareness and mindfulness.

Most importantly, enjoy the process.

Journaling has been one of the best habits I’ve ever implemented. It’s helped improve my mindset, relieve anxiety, and truly embrace who I am as a person. It’s a crucial part of my self-care routine.

My Master Your Mindset with Journaling workbook goes through the exact steps I personally take during my journal practise.

These steps have helped me transform my mindset from a place of negativity, to a place positivity, balance, self-love, and productivity.

Check out my Master Your Mindset with Journaling workbook.

How do you start a journal as a beginner

Starting a journal may sound like a daunting task, especially when you’re being told to by people who have been journaling for years and years.

The idea of journaling every day forever sounds impossible when you can even string a few days together, or don’t even know where to begin.

Don’t worry: I’ve been there.

Journaling really doesn’t need to be this massive hurdle that you have to overcome, nor should it be a chore that you dread doing.

My top tips for starting a journal as a beginner are:

• Think about your ‘why’: Why do you want to start journaling in the first place?
• Buy a notepad or journal that fits your ‘why’: For example, if you want to think more positively by practising gratitude, you might choose the Five Minute Journal, which promotes happiness through gratitude.
• Bonus: Get a journal that you like the look of and actually feel called to pick up and write in.
• If you buy a blank journal – like this one from Amazon – map out which journaling techniques you want to use that align with your goals. Do you want to set goals for motivation, write affirmations for confidence, or simply use journal prompts?
• Buy printables and workbooks: Don’t be afraid to simply buy printables that map out your journaling sessions for you.
• Set reminders so that you remember to journal and set timers if you’re strapped for time.
• Practise meditations and/or self-care afterwards to help clear your mind and form a positive association with your journal practise.
• Commit to 30 days: Instead of aiming to journal forever, just try to stick to 30 days if you’re a beginner. This is long enough to form the habit without it being a daunting amount of time.
• Don’t beat yourself up for skipping or forgetting days. You’re only human. It’s okay. No harm done.

I have a blog post how to start a journal, if you want to find out more.

I also have a 30-day journaling for your mindset challenge that you can sign up to for free below.