Healthy Self-Esteem Journal Prompts to Improve Your Confidence and Self-Worth

• 1. Write down 3 things you have done this week which made you proud. Share them with someone special.
• 2. In what ways did you show compassion to others this week? Did you realize any benefits from doing so?
• 3. What goals do you set for yourself each day? Are you sure these goals are achievable? Can you improve the goals if they aren’t realistic?
• 4. Who is there in your life who encourages you to be your personal best? Give them a gift to thank them.
• 5. Did you do anything kind for yourself this week? Perhaps you gave up a television program or time away from work to spend some quality time with yourself.
• 6. The word ‘impossible’ seems to hold negative connotations. Do you ever use this term? If yes, why? Why not?
• 7. Think about all the things you could accomplish over the course of one week. Would you ever think those goals would happen? Don’t just do it once; make as many lists as possible. Be ambitious. Keep your mind open to possibilities.
• 8. Think of a situation where you didn’t feel confident enough. Now picture a new scenario where you feel stronger and more capable. See how different the outcome was without the previous belief system.
• 9. Sometimes we take criticism personally instead of realizing it is simply an expression of someone else’s opinion. Try to identify what you are thinking when another person says something critical and label their comments accordingly..
• 10. What has been the most difficult challenge you have faced lately? Has anyone helped you overcome this obstacle? If so, what kind of support did you receive?
• 11. Have you made a conscious effort to learn something new this year? Perhaps you started learning Spanish. Maybe you studied accounting. Whatever it is, find out how much you learned. It’s important to measure progress because otherwise you won’t be able to see how far you’ve come.
• 12. What does being present mean to you? Is it important to you? Why or why not?
• 13. When was the last time you took the initiative to help someone else? For example, helping a friend move, visiting a neighbor, bringing soup to homeless people…
• 14. If you could change one thing about yourself today, what would it be? Why wouldn’t you choose this option?
• 15. Imagine you were asked what you thought about yourself right now. What would you tell them? Use positive words. Speak highly of your strengths and qualities, no matter how small or silly you might consider them.
• 16. How can you add value to other people around you? Make a list of ideas. You might share music, art, literature, or food with them.
• 18. If you had a magic wand to give you confidence, what would you wish for? Would you use it on yourself first and then if necessary on others?
• 19. Take a moment to describe the kind of person you believe yourself to be. You may say: I am honest, caring, generous…etc.
• 20. What values do you share with your friends? Do they feel like they can trust you? Do they know that they can count on you? Do they enjoy being with you? These are questions worth contemplating.
• 21. In what ways can you encourage another person to be his best? Be careful not to put pressure on them, but try to encourage them by showing them how much you admire them. Let others know they bring out the real you.
• 22. Which aspects of yourself do you need to work on improving? List them down. Then ask yourself: To whom can I turn for advice and encouragement?
• 23. What habits makes us successful? Do you follow any rituals or routines? What ones? Could you develop one to boost your confidence?
• 24. What personal characteristic do you lack in order to succeed? Find out what aspect of your personality needs improvement.
• 25. Describe a person who inspires you. Identify all the characteristics he/she possesses and those you respect.
• 26. Are there things you don’t want to admit because you are afraid people will think less of you? Learn to accept compliments gracefully. They can make you feel good even though they may seem superficial at first glance.
• 27. Choose three things that inspire you. Write about them. Did you notice anything special about these items?
• 28. What’s your relationship status? “Single” or “in a relationship”? How does this affect your self image? What changes should you make in your life if you decide to get in a more serious relationship?
• 29. Do you have an ideal image of yourself when you’re successful? Does success always bring happiness? Think about this carefully.
• 30. Do you often compare yourself to others? What difference does comparing make? Can you afford to compare?
• 31. Do you believe you can achieve perfection? Are you willing to commit mistakes to learn from such experiences?
• 32. Is perfectionism something you struggle against? What is preventing you from achieving perfect results?
• 33. Take some time to think about your future goals. What are they? Who can support these goals?
• 34. When was the last time you felt truly happy and contented? Was it possible to make a change in your surroundings?
• 35. Why do we look for a sense of belonging and a place of comfort? Are we looking for reassurance of our existence? It all depends on whether we’ve made peace with ourselves.
• 36. Take a minute to write down everything that feels wrong in your life. Go ahead and list all the negative occurrences. Don’t hold back. This will help you focus on the areas requiring immediate attention.
• 37. Imagine going through life without taking account of your inner thoughts. If you were given the chance to go back, would you take advantage of it? Would you regret not having done so?
• 38. How do you define success? What must be accomplished before you consider yourself to be successful?
• 39. How many times have you been hurt by someone and then felt guilty about the incident? We all experience rejection at some point in our lives. Learning to forgive easily helps prevent further setbacks.
• 40. Do you ever wish you could change certain past events? How does knowing that help? What would happen if you failed to learn from your mistakes?
• 41. Forgive? Or forget? Which option sounds better? Will forgiving or forgetting ever make you happier?
• 42. Do you know anyone who has achieved greatness? How did she/he do it? What qualities are required for achievement in every field?
• 43. What advice would you give your younger self? How much would you like to change for the better?
• 44. What has helped you cope with problems in your past? Has the situation changed since the problem occurred? Have you faced similar situations throughout your lifetime? What lessons have you learned?
• 45. Are you still upset over an old argument? How is it affecting your current relationships? Be honest. You wouldn’t want to hear the truth.
• 46. How do you see yourself in five years? Ten years? Fifty years? Do you plan to have children someday? What are your expectations?
• 47. What has caused you to break out into tears over recent events? Are there any secrets behind such occurrences?
• 48. Write down three things that you value most in your life. Make sure each item is as important as the other two. Do you agree with your values?
• 49. Do you feel comfortable expressing your feelings to others? Does this bring true happiness to you?
• 50. How do you deal with disappointments? Are you able to remain positive while experiencing failures? How do you overcome despair?
• 51. Do you always keep calm under pressure? Do you feel confident enough to let loose when the occasion calls for it?
• 52. What would life mean to you if you didn’t exist? Can you imagine anything more than living forever? Would your family members miss you? What would they say about your lack of presence?
• 53. Is there something you just can’t get over? How long ago did the incident occur?
• 54. Are you willing to live differently in order to achieve personal goals? Can you commit to the changes necessary? Do what you need to do now in order to move forward.
• 55. How often do you compare yourself to others? How does that affect your relationships?
• 56. What do you believe the purpose of life to be? Do you feel responsible for making a difference in your community, nation, or world?
• 57. Do you consider yourself to be intelligent? Why or why not? Who among today’s population would you regard as intelligent?
• 58. Do you see yourself playing a role in humanity’s future? How will you contribute to the greater good?
• 59. What is your life goal? How soon might it be attained? Do you already have a vision for your future? Explain how.
• 60. What makes you tick? Why do you find pleasure in doing certain activities? What sets you apart from others?
• 61. Do you believe that people can change their lives through hard work? How do you judge success?
• 62. What is going on inside your mind right now? Do you think about things which don’t usually occupy your thoughts?
• 63. What gives you confidence? How do you boost your courage when facing difficult challenges?
• 64. What gives you peace of mind? Why is it so significant to you?
• 65. Do you believe that everyone has a destiny to fulfill in his/her lifetime? Do you think that God plays a role in that process?
• 66. Are you satisfied with your life? If so, explain how. If not, how could you improve yourself?
• 67. Do you like being around people? What qualities should someone have to make you enjoy spending time with them?
• 68. Are you happy with who you are? Why or why not, depending upon your answer? Will you be content with your life tomorrow?
• 69. Has anyone ever told you that you were born with great potential? Could be a compliment, but also an insult. Explain.
• 70. Have you ever felt unappreciated by the people closest to you? Why do you think that happens?
• 71. When was the last time you made a decision without thinking twice about it first? Did you regret taking such action? If so, what did you learn from the experience?
• 72. What are some of the reasons why you feel overwhelmed sometimes? Do your reactions give your emotions control over your actions and decisions?
• 73. Does your behavior reflect your values? Describe two examples where you failed to do so.
• 74. How much control do you really have over your own life? Why is self-awareness so important to your sense of identity?
• 75. Would you agree that one definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results each time?
• 76. Do you remember times when you wanted to quit? How did you overcome those feelings?
• 77. Why is it important to maintain a healthy lifestyle? What can you do to help keep fit? How else is health related to your sense of well-being?
• 78. Do you know anyone whose behavior reminds you of yourself? How has that person influenced you?
• 79. Is self-worth based solely upon external factors? Or does it matter more than anything else? How would you define “self?”
• 80. How do you handle criticism? How often do you take kindly to constructive feedback?
• 81. List three things you enjoy most about your job or career. Then list three things you dislike most and try to figure out why they bother you so much.
• 82. Do you need to feel superior to other people before you feel confident about yourself? Who do you admire most in your life? Why?
• 83. What are five areas where you need improvement? Can these be changed? Why or why not according to you?
• 84. What has caused you pain? What kind of hurt does it take to reach this level?
• 85. Do you tend to dwell on negative events in your past? Or do you look at all aspects of your present existence as positive ones?
• 86. What steps do you plan to take to enhance your overall physical fitness? Do you work out regularly? Where can you get better information to use during workouts?
• 87. Is something holding you back? If so, what? What can you do today to help eliminate that obstacle?
• 88. Write down ten things about yourself you don’t often say aloud. Then write down ten things you wish you didn’t hide from others.
• 89. What has been your greatest failure? What will you do differently next time?
• 90. In what ways do you want to enhance your personality? What are some practical ways to achieve that goal?
• 91. How much power do you believe you have over your future success? How do your emotional responses influence your thoughts and attitudes concerning your choices in life?
• 92. Think of someone who represents a role model for you. Are there any similarities between them and how you see yourself? How are their successes similar to yours?
• 93. Do you consider being perfect a desirable quality? Why or why not?
• 94. Do you believe that perfectionism is an admirable trait? Explain.
• 95. What type of individual are you? Give examples and describe how you might act under specific circumstances.
• 96. Do you think it’s possible to change your beliefs about yourself? How would you go about changing such views?
• 97. When was the last time you looked at yourself objectively as if you were viewing another person? What did you notice?
• 98. Do you think there’s a difference between a successful person and an unsuccessful person? Describe what makes one successful and the other unsuccessful.
• 99. What do you like best about yourself? What do you dislike about yourself? How could you improve your attitude towards yourself?
• 100. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to achieve greater satisfaction in life? Would that include giving up certain pleasures in life?

Conclusion

I hope that these self-esteem journals have helped you to cultivate healthy relationships and many more positive qualities of yourself, as well as improving your quality of life in general.

Having a healthy self-esteem is important because it allows you to function effectively in your personal relationships. It also helps you deal positively with life’s challenges and situations. It enables you to accept yourself as you are.

Best of luck!