Journal Prompts for Those Who Want to Achieve Happiness Through Forgiveness

• 1. Write about how you felt when someone hurt you as a child. When did you first realize that person had hurt you?
• 2. Describe what you were thinking or feeling when you made a mistake. What went through your mind while making this decision? What was going on inside of you at that time? What was the reason for you doing what you did?
• 3. Did you ever lie to another person? Why would you do such a thing? Was there anything wrong with lying to someone if they asked?
• 4. Think about the last time you saw an angry face or heard shouting. Write down everything that happened. Describe the tone of voice and facial expression used by the other person. Also write down everything else that occurred before, during, and after seeing or hearing this angry person.
• 5. In general, why is it more difficult to forgive others than ourselves? Do you think this is true? Explain your views.
• 6. How does forgiving yourself affect your ability to forgive others? Can forgiving others be difficult? Explain your views. Is self-forgiveness possible?
• 7. Do you tend to focus on the good things that have happened to you? Or do you often dwell on the negative things that have taken place? Explain your view.
• 8. Have you ever failed to forgive yourself? Explain your views and experiences.
• 9. What are some reasons that people may not change their behavior? Explain your views. Are these reasons related to family background or societal norms? Would changes in education systems help people overcome their past mistakes?
• 10. How have you dealt with anger over the years? Can you look back at past events in which you became angry and recall what occurred? What actions did you take to resolve the situation? Consider your present relationships and ask yourself if you still act the same way.
• 11. Have you ever held grudges towards anyone for no apparent reason? Explain your views. Were you able to put your anger aside? If so, explain how this took place.
• 12. Do you believe that all human beings are basically good? Explain your views. Could you point out instances in which human beings have acted in ways that are contrary to this principle?
• 13. List three examples in which you have experienced regret over something you have said or done. Were you sorry for your action? How did you deal with your regret?
• 14. Why is it important to forgive yourself? Does forgiveness benefit you in any way? Explain your views. Has forgiving yourself helped you become a better person? Explain your views. Do you feel less guilty now than you used to feel? Explain your views.
• 15. Why doesn’t everyone try to be the best kind of person he/she can possibly be? Explain your views. How should one go about becoming a good person? Are there any guidelines that you might suggest? Explain your views. Why do you think these questions are relevant?
• 17. Why should we be forgiven? Explain your views. Shouldn’t those who have offended us be punished instead of being given “a second chance”? Explain your views. Suppose that we refuse to forgive others because we fear we will lose what has been lost. Explain your views. Explain why you disagree with the preceding statement.
• 18. Some people say they don’t know whether they should forgive someone who has hurt them. Explain your view. Do you think that you should forgive such persons? Explain your views. What would make it impossible for you to forgive that person? Would this make it right for you to hold onto resentment against that individual? Explain your views.
• 19. What should society do in order to correct its problems? What should individuals do? Explain your views. Which group (society, government, etc.) is primarily responsible for correcting society’s problems? Explain your views. Who is ultimately responsible for fixing our political system, educating young people, caring for the poor? Explain your views. Give an example from history when justice was served by one particular group rather than another.
• 20. Did you grow up learning that you were expected to behave morally? Explain your views. Was there ever a time when you didn’t understand the importance of behaving morally? Explain your views and share your experience with other students.
• 21. In what circumstances could you forgive someone who has wronged you? Describe some situations in which you had difficulty forgiving a friend or relative. Were you able to overcome your difficulties? Explain your views. Share with one or more fellow students the manner in which you overcame your own difficulties.
• 22. Why do we often hear that it isn’t worth trying to make amends after someone has injured you? Explain your views. Is this true? Explain your views. When is it worthwhile to try to make peace between two parties who are having trouble establishing a relationship with each other? Explain your views. Describe an occasion when you failed to make amends for causing harm to someone else.
• 23. Why do you suppose that many people seem to have difficulty forgiving themselves for having done something wrong? Explain your views. Can someone who consistently holds himself accountable not be regarded as a moral person? Explain your views and provide specific examples.
• 24. Why do some people become angry when they remember their parents’ mistakes? Explain your views. If you were a parent, how would you react if your child remembered your own misdeeds and seemed unwilling to forgive you even though you sincerely wanted to change?
• 25. Discuss several incidents in your life in which you felt humiliated, victimized, cheated out of money, lied to, physically abused, sexually assaulted, or otherwise mistreated. What effect did these experiences have on you? How did you attempt to repair the damage caused by these experiences?
• 26. Have you ever tried to persuade yourself that it wasn’t really so bad, that no real harm had actually occurred? Explain your views. 
• 27. Suppose you were going to meet someone whom you hated. What kinds of things might prevent you from doing just this? Explain your views. To what extent does hatred and anger interfere with the ability to love others? Explain your views. How can we best deal with anger or hate? Share your thoughts about this subject with at least three classmates.
• 28. Has anyone ever told you he or she loved you when he or she meant only good-will toward you? Explain your views.
• 29. Discuss any ways in which you have hurt other people. Explain your views. How have you attempted to repair any damage that you may have caused through your actions or omissions? Share your views and experiences with at least three other students.
• 30. Think of a time during your childhood when you knew that you weren’t being treated fairly by someone (e.g., teachers, parents, siblings). What feelings arose within you? How did you respond to those feelings? 
• 31. Do you think that some people deserve to be harmed because they act badly? Explain your views. Why? Explain your views. Tell why you hold such opinions. Explain your views and share them with at least three colleagues.
• 32. Think of a time when you hurt another person with words. What sort of words were used? Were you aware that you were hurting the person? Explain your views. Was there anything you could have said that would have been kinder? 
• 33. Tell of a situation in your life when you found yourself feeling guilty, ashamed, disappointed, scared, lonely, confused, anxious, depressed, or embarrassed. Think back over the incident and the feelings you experienced. Describe what happened next. Did you do anything to alleviate these negative feelings? Explain your views and share your experience with at least three classmates who have different views than yours.
• 34. Why do we sometimes make ourselves feel better by punishing others? Explain your views and describe an incident where you punished someone else for behaving like you once behaved yourself. 
• 35. In what situations is lying acceptable, in spite of its consequences? Explain your views. Is telling the truth always right? Explain your views. Are there times when it is right to lie? Explain your views. Should we always tell the truth? Explain your views. Which lies are most often accepted? Whose lies should we accept? Explain your views. Under what conditions is lying never allowable? 
• 36. Tell about a time when you felt guilty in order not to disappoint another person. Describe how you dealt with this guilt. Explain your views on whether guilt is appropriate. Tell of a time when you lied to protect someone from embarrassment or humiliation. Describe how you handled this lie. Explain your views on lying versus honesty.
• 37. Think of a time you felt angry but were able to control yourself. Why was this difficult for you? Describe how you succeeded in controlling your emotions. Explain your views on self control and its necessity.
• 38. Have you ever felt that another person’s point of view was wrong? Explain your views. What if another person’s view didn’t matter as much to him or her? Explain your views. Can an entire group of people have the same opinion? Explain your views. Describe a group whose members all held the same beliefs. Explain your views.
• 39. Describe a way in which people can learn from their mistakes. Discuss cases in which one individual learns some important lesson from another. Explain when it is appropriate to forgive others. Why is forgiveness so necessary?
• 40. Tell about a time you made a mistake in judgment. You may not know whether you have done something bad, right, or wrong. How did you deal with the consequences of your error? Explain your views. In what ways can we help each other avoid making mistakes? Explain your views.
• 41. Think of a time in your life when you felt betrayed by a friend or acquaintance. Explain your views on friendship and betrayal. Share your views with at least two friends who have different perspectives.
• 42. Describe a time when you failed to live up to your own standards. Explain your views. How can we become more realistic in our expectations of ourselves and others? Think carefully before answering!
• 43. Think of a time when you told a lie because you believed it would be best for someone else. Explain your reasons for believing the lie. Was it true or false? Explain your views. Do you think it’s ever alright to lie? Explain your answers.
• 44. Think of a time someone hurt your feelings. Explain why it might happen and how you dealt with this problem. Describe a similar confrontation you’ve had. Has learning from previous experiences been helpful? Explain your views.
• 45. Write about a past experience wherein you suffered abuse, especially physical or psychological. What effect has this experience had upon you? Why did it occur? What actions do you think will prevent such abuses in the future?
• 46. Tell of a time you behaved badly. Try to honestly evaluate whether you deserved being treated so badly. How could you change things next time around? Explain your views. If you are unable to admit fault, try again. Make sure to follow the directions closely.
• 47. Think of a person who has let you down: family member, friend, teacher, or someone else. List the reasons you thought that person would behave like he or she did. Explain your reasoning (if any). How do these reasons affect you now? Do you still feel the same way today? Explain your views. Explain the difference between forgiving and forgetting.
• 48. Tell of a time in your childhood or youth where you were abused physically or mentally. Describe the impact this event has had on your life. How do you feel about yourself since then? Explain your views. Are there certain kinds of people who should never make demands on us? Explain your views.
• 49. Do you think that we should always hold grudges against those who cause us harm? Explain your views. Is it possible for us to forgive without necessarily giving up the right to seek revenge or punishment? Explain your views.
• 50. Does forgiving mean letting go of our anger? Explain your views. It means forgiving even though the offender hasn’t changed his or her behaviors. Explain your views. If it doesn’t mean that, what does it mean? Explain your views.
• 51. Think of an instance in which you’ve lied. Would you want anyone else to lie to you like you’re lying? Why or why not? Would you prefer to use the truth or lies in most situations? Why or why not. Remember: don’t answer until you have given careful consideration to your thoughts.
• 52. In what ways have you been mistreated? Identify what you believe are the causes for the mistreatment. Have you allowed such mistreatments to continue or even gotten worse over time? Explain your views. Can’t you “forgive” some forms of mistreatment? Explain your views. Don’t hold back if you truly cannot find forgiveness within.
• 53. Describe a time in which you made fun of another person. Explain your motives for doing so. Did it work? Explain your views. Could you see anything good in his behavior? Explain your views. What about all the times you’ve mocked someone? Explain your views.
• 54. Give specific examples of times when you have been a bully. Was this fair? Explain your views. Should other people be held responsible for their own acts of cruelty? Explain your views. Were they justified? Explain your views. Do you ever bully others? Explain your views. Why is bullying wrong?
• 55. Share with me one incident from past experiences that left you feeling bitter and angry. Look at the situation objectively. Were you just as guilty as the victim was? Explain your views. Have you ever forgiven? Explain your views. Was it worth it? Explain your views. Would you forgive again? Explain your views. To whom can you forgive? Who deserves forgiveness? Explain your views. Whom can you trust?
• 56. Describe a person you know well. Describe this person’s faults. Do you respect him or her? Why or why not? Explain your views. Give specific instances where you felt you could not respect the individual. Why? Who else do you respect? Explain your views. Does everyone deserve to be respected? Explain your views. When is respect deserved—and when isn’t it? Provide examples.
• 57. Take me through a time when you made fun of someone for no apparent reason. Explain your actions. What happened next? Explicate your views.
• 58. Do you see any positive qualities in those who hurt you? Explain your views. How do you respond in similar situations in the future? Explain your views. Write down all the things you learned from this exercise. Use the information to plan your life.
• 59. Have you ever hurt a loved one because he or she did something you didn’t appreciate? Explain your reasons. Were you wrong? Explain your views. If so, how can you avoid making such mistakes again? Explain your views, and write them down.
• 60. Are there times when you feel you need to get revenge on others? Explain your views, including whether or not you would take revenge on yourself.

Conclusion

I hope that these journal prompts have helped you in your journey towards forgiveness in your daily life. Forgiving yourself and others is hard, and it takes a lot to be a forgiving person.

There’s no doubt that the power of forgiveness will help you lead a happier, healthier life.

Best of luck!