Sometimes, it can feel unclear what it means to journal, is there a right way to do it? To cut to the point, no, there is no right way to journal. But, any way that you gain some clarity and perspective over what you’re thinking and feeling is a great way to journal. Maybe you can accomplish that just by free journaling, which means answering the intentionally broad question of “What’s on your mind?” or maybe you would benefit from some guided journaling.

So, for this exercise, try journaling every other day, and if you have many things on your mind already, just free journal. Or, if you don’t know what to write, use one of the prompts below.

If possible, I recommend writing by hand, since writing by hand forces your brain to slow down to the point where you can focus on just one sentence at a time. Usually, journaling for at least 10 minutes gives you enough time to be introspective and gain some insight into what’s going on inside. But, if you can’t make time on a day to sit down and write, you can also record yourself answering one of these questions on a voice memo on your phone as you drive, and then listen to the voice memo after you record it.

So, if you would benefit from guided journaling with prompts, here are eight prompts to try in your journaling:

• What am I thankful for? What parts of life are going really well right now?
• What am I angry, frustrated, or confused about?
• What have I been doing well to care for my physical, emotional, and spiritual health recently? What could I be doing better?
• Where have I experienced disappointment or been letdown recently? When have I felt sad?
• Who has loved me and cared for me very well recently, how have they done that? How can I show them how much I appreciate them?
• Name two emotions you’re feeling, and write about what’s led to you feeling that way.
• In the past, when did things seem really bleak, but then turn out for the good? When was it hard to believe that anything good could come from a situation, and where was I surprised when some good did result?
• What can I do to serve, love, and care for others? How can I use my time, energy, or money to be kind to others?

Also, if you’re religious, you might want to incorporate your faith into your journaling. So, here are the same eight prompts from above, with some faith elements mixed in.

• What am I thankful to God for? Where has God blessed me?
• What am I angry, confused, or frustrated with God about? Which of God’s promises am I still waiting to be fulfilled? In what parts of life am I confused about what God is doing or allowing to happen?
• What have I been doing well to care for my physical, emotional, and spiritual health recently? What could I be doing better?
• Where have I experienced disappointment or been letdown recently? When have I felt sad?
• Who has loved me and cared for me very well recently, how have they done that? How can I show them how much I appreciate them?
• Name two emotions you’re feeling, and write about what’s happened recently to contribute to these feelings.
• In the past, when did things seem really bleak, but then turn out for the good? What was God doing in the midst of those hard times in the past?
• What can I do to serve, love, and care for others? How can I use my time, energy, or money to serve God?

I hope these are helpful, and even if you’re hesitant about whether or not journaling can be helpful, I encourage you to give it a try. This is an exercise in gaining self-understanding, mental clarity, and stability, and I promise you it is worth it!

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