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Journaling Prompts to Help with Anxiety

Journaling is a tried and tested way to manage anxiety and get your thoughts together. Italso offers many other benefits, such as better emotional processing, reduced stress, and a reprieve from negative thoughts and emotions.

However, journaling can seem daunting at the beginning, and many people struggle with knowing what they should put down on paper.

If you are a journaling beginner and aren’t sure where to start, here are a few helpful prompts to get you into the habit of journaling:

Set a 5-Minute Timer and Write Whatever Comes to Mind

Five minutes might not seem like a lot of time, but it is enough to get down a stream of consciousness and get into the habit of journaling. You might also be surprised what you manage to write when you don’t take too much time to think about it beforehand.

Write a Review of Your Day So Far

A simple linear narrative of your day can help you determine patterns in your daily life and figure out things you want to avoid or things you want to spend more time doing.

Write Down the Highlights from Your Week

Writing down all the good things and the highlights from your week can help you focus on the positives rather than the negatives in your life.

Observe Your Surroundings and Write About Them

Writing a detailed description of your surroundings can help you feel more present and grounded and give you a better appreciation for the mundane things in life.

Make A Gratitude List

A gratitude list can help bring you out of any genitive thought loops and remind you of everything you must be grateful for.

Need More Ideas?

  • Write about a challenge you’re facing. What is a challenge you’re facing right now? How are you dealing with it?
  • Write about a positive experience you had. What is a positive experience you had recently? What made it so positive?
  • Write about a dream you have. What is a dream you have for the future? What would it take to make your dream come true?
  • Write about a time you were proud of yourself. What is a time you were proud of yourself? What did you do that you’re proud of?
  • Write about a time you learned something new. What is a time you learned something new? What did you learn?
  • Write about a time you made a difference. What is a time you made a difference in someone’s life? What did you do that made a difference?
  • Write about a time you were happy. What is a time you were happy? What made you happy?
  • Write about a time you were sad. What is a time you were sad? What made you sad?
  • Write about a time you were angry. What is a time you were angry? What made you angry?
  • Write about a time you were scared. What is a time you were scared? What made you scared?
  • Write about a time you were lonely. What is a time you were lonely? What made you lonely?
  • Write about a time you were loved. What is a time you felt loved? What made you feel loved?
  • Write about a time you were grateful. What is a time you felt grateful? What made you feel grateful?
  • Write about a time you were at peace. What is a time you felt at peace? What made you feel at peace?

Don’t Get Caught Up in the “Right Way”

There are no rules when it comes to journaling. Just write whatever comes to mind, and don’t worry about grammar or spelling. The important thing is to get your thoughts down on paper so you can process them.  Be honest with yourself and see where your thoughts take you!

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