Journal Prompts About Friendships and Cultivating a Healthy Relationship with Others

• 1. Write down the name of your best friend in elementary school. What did he/she look like? How old was he/she when you met him/her? Did you have any trouble adjusting to high school life with this person? Do you still keep in touch with him/her? Is there anyone else who fits as your best friend?
• 2. Imagine that you knew someone from preschool, and imagine how their life has changed over the years. Was it better than yours? Worse? Has the relationship grown closer or become more distant? Explain.
• 3. Describe some qualities you admire most in your friends. Be specific; think about what makes them so special. Are these traits shared with other friends or unique to the ones you mentioned?
• 4. Describe a situation where you felt insecure socially. Were you able to overcome this feeling or were you unable to connect with others? Explain.
• 5. Journal about how an experience made you realize that all human beings deserve love and respect. Share something positive that happened in your life recently.
• 6. Create a list of three adjectives that describe your best friend. Now, create a story using those same words to explain why she is your “best friend.”
• 7. List five people who have been important to you throughout your life. For each person, give reasons why you care for them and have developed a close relationship with them.
• 8. Think back to a moment when you realized that you could trust another person. Try to recall exactly how this came about. Describe the event and what you were thinking at the time.
• 9. Make a list of 10 reasons why you don’t want to lose touch with your childhood friends. It may help to make your list organized by age and year. Or, if you wish, jot down your thoughts without order.
• 10. Give us two examples of how you’ve tried to improve your social skills. One example should involve an interaction with a group setting (e.g., a class), while the other involves a one-on-one conversation.
• 11. Make a letter to your best friend. Try to answer the following questions: Why does my friend mean so much to me? Would I do anything for my friend? What kind of impact have we had on each other? When you find your answers, take a few moments to share them in your letter.
• 12. What kind of advice would you offer a younger version of yourself? Be honest!
• 13. Write about one of your favorite quotes on friendship. Try to include details about the context and circumstances surrounding its discovery. For instance, if you found it online, why is it meaningful to you? If it’s a quote you heard in passing, try to remember where and when you first heard it.
• 14. Write about a memory in which you experienced disappointment with your peers. What led you to feel disappointed? How might you feel differently now?
• 15. Describe how an act of kindness has impacted you. Tell us what it meant to you. Does this type of behavior occur frequently in your peer group?
• 16. In a journal entry, write about a time in your life when you felt lonely and isolated. What did you do to pull yourself out of that state? Did your efforts work? Explain.
• 17. How well do you understand someone else’s perspective and point of view? Do you generally agree with their opinions? Is there anyone you can talk with concerning a disagreement over which perspective seems more valid and correct?
• 18. Write about an embarrassing incident from your past. Was the behavior acceptable, or does it still upset you to think about? Have you ever regretted a mistake like this?
• 19. Look through old photos and videos of you playing sports together. Think about the role these experiences played in building community bonds among friends.
• 20. Which character are you most similar to? Who was your role model as a child? Do you relate to him/her better than any other adult?
• 21. What type of person are you most comfortable around? How has your outlook changed since you started school? Were you always outgoing? Does having a set schedule affect your ability to be social?
• 22. Remember a time when you made a choice to put your own needs aside. Was it easy? Why or why not?
• 23. You are spending a day with your best friend. What will you do? Are you planning to get into trouble? Whose idea was it to hang out with your friend? Can you imagine a world based solely on the friendships you share today?
• 24. Write about your best memories growing up. Describe what makes them unique. Include details about your home environment, teachers, coaches, parents, siblings, pets, etc.
• 25. Now that you know who you are, what do you hope to accomplish? Do you plan to change others to become more like you? Has your goal been met? What changes should you make next year?
• 26. Create a list of 10 things that you value about your best friend. Then spend 5 minutes thinking of ways you could show appreciation for her.
• 27. Imagine a situation in which you become emotionally vulnerable to your closest friend. What prompts you to open up? Do you usually initiate such conversations?
• 28. Ask yourself: “What qualities define my identity?” How have those qualities influenced your relationships with people you meet? What factors have contributed to friendships forming and fading away?
• 29. List three positive personality traits you admire in another individual. Choose one trait whose significance you don’t quite understand (e.g., honesty). Draw a picture representing your thoughts about this quality.
• 30. When you feel down, ask yourself: “Did I reach out to my friends before feeling blue?” To whom would you turn in times like this? Would you prefer to talk about something else entirely?
• 31. Write about your hopes for the future. Consider the following questions: Who do you hope to influence? Will you continue learning new skills? If so, what ones? What do you want to learn?
• 32. Decide what is important to you. Would you rather see your friends happy or content? Would money matter if either wasn’t possible? Which activities give you the greatest sense of personal fulfillment?
• 33. Identify a relationship you have that serves no purpose at all. Is there anything negative keeping you stuck in this pattern?
• 34. Write about a recent argument you had with someone. Were you right or wrong? Did you feel good afterward? What role did your emotions play in this interaction?
• 35. Consider how you can help improve the world around you. How can you create a meaningful impact in your community? Would you prefer to take action alone, with a group of people, or with a specific individual?
• 36. Write about a friendship that ended badly. How did the experience affect you? Was anyone hurt by your actions? Explain.
• 37. Share a recent memory you treasure. Why does it mean so much to you?
• 38. Write about five moments that changed your life. Be honest about which ones caused you the most pain. Describe the emotions you experienced at each moment.
• 39. Think back on how far you’ve come. At what point did friendships really begin to shape your life?
• 40. Name three people with whom you share an intellectual connection. Are any of these individuals close friends?
• 41. Think about the person you love the most. What qualities would you add to their list of virtues?
• 42. Take time to appreciate the many aspects of friendship that enrich your everyday experiences. Which friendships have transformed your life?
• 43. Write about your current state of mind. What inspires you? What discourages you? Does this state remain constant throughout your day? For how long?
• 44. When considering your goals, be aware of what influences you may encounter along the way. Can you control every factor? If not, look for other means of achieving your desired result.
• 45. What three things would you need to accomplish to be truly successful? Which of them will require significant effort?
• 46. Recall a time when you felt extremely grateful toward a friend. You may have been glad the situation occurred, but were you still thankful afterward? Explain.
• 47. Write about a time you were able to make a difference in another’s life. As a result, was he/she happier or sadder than usual?
• 48. Imagine several ways you could change your life for the better. Describe your response to these ideas. Do they make you more excited to work hard?
• 49. Look for areas where you are not living up to your potential. Discuss your feelings and intentions moving forward.
• 50. Think about your relationships now. In what ways do they differ from those created years ago? How might you better handle conflict?
• 51. Explore whether there is anything you wish you knew earlier in your life. What changes might have been made if only you had understood these new insights sooner?
• 52. Select five traits that define your personality. What would you like to keep the same? What would you like to change? Explain your reasoning behind each choice.
• 53. Recognize that your true purpose depends on who you are becoming rather than who you already are. In what ways has this concept shaped your attitudes and decisions? Has it altered your desire to pursue a particular goal?
• 54. Express gratitude for one thing you value deeply. Is this something you readily admit to others? If not, why not?
• 55. Ask yourself: “What am I willing to sacrifice in order to gain greater happiness and fulfillment?”
• 56. Define your greatest fears. Compare your responses to these thoughts today with those you gave 10 years ago. Now, consider a possible future scenario and ask yourself if you are prepared to cope with such a possibility.
• 57. What kind of relationship do you want to maintain over the next two decades? Is this realistic? Why or why not? If not, what can you do to improve your chances?
• 58. Write down all of the people whom you admire. Choose one in particular and describe his/her influence on you. Who inspires you the most? Why?
• 59. Make a list of the qualities you believe are vital to maintaining any meaningful friendship. Write briefly about your own personal experience regarding friends.
• 60. Make an inventory of your memories with certain individuals. Then recall events that have special meaning or significance to you.
• 61. Consider the nature of your closest and dearest relationships. Are they healthy enough to withstand a test of time? Do you feel comfortable sharing details of past experiences or even sensitive subjects?
• 62. Identify three kinds of friendships you enjoy right now. Which ones will you cultivate going forward?
• 63. Choose three goals that are important to you personally. Why are they so significant? Do you view them as attainable?
• 64. Take some time to reflect upon the way in which your present circumstances compare to your expectations when you first began this course.
• 65. Reflect on the major accomplishments of your lifetime. Were you surprised by your progress? What factors played key roles in achieving success?
• 66. Consider the characteristics necessary to develop into a person who is wise and mature. Does this sound familiar? Would cultivating these qualities advance your spiritual development? Why or why not?
• 67. How many different people do you regard as close friends? Do they differ from those described above? Discuss your feelings about having more than one friend.
• 68. Can you identify someone whose friendship has made a difference in your life? Describe how the impact was created.
• 69. Recall the specific attributes that make up a good friend. Based on your observations, how much do you agree with the following statement: People often confuse true friendship with mere familiarity.
• 70. Imagine that you could create the perfect social circle. How would your group be organized? Where would you place yourself? What would characterize your conversations?

Conclusion

I hope that these friendship journal writing prompts have helped you to cultivate healthy friendships, as well as strengthening every aspect of friendship that you have in your life.

Best of luck!