Journal Writing Prompts for Youngsters in Their 20s

• 1. How would your best friend describe you? In your own words, how do others see you? Do you agree with the perception?
• 2. What do you want to be when you grow up? If you could be anything, what would it be?
• 3. Who’s been there for you through a difficult time? Have any friends/family members helped out? How did they help? Who helped out first?
• 4. Do you think you’ll ever settle down? What does it take to make you feel settled? Think about being married, having kids, etc.
• 5. Has anyone told you something they wish they hadn’t said? What was the result of saying such things? Did you learn to deal better with certain people?
• 6. What’s your ideal work environment? Would you like your workplace to be structured or casual? What kind of culture, if any, makes you happy at work?
• 7. Where do you spend most of your free time? Are you spending too much or not enough time doing certain activities? Does this change as you get older? Explain why.
• 8. Is there anyone that has meant more than just one person to you? Describe them, their personality, their qualities, and how they impacted you.
• 9. Have you had an experience that changed you? That left you feeling different? Talk about what happened. Were you surprised by how it turned out?
• 10. Write about a dream you once had; compare it to reality now. Was it accurate? Why or why not?
• 11. Do you believe in love at first sight? Or do you need proof before you commit? Do you know where you stand?
• 12. If given a chance to travel anywhere in the world, which place would you choose?
• 13. What does happiness mean to you? Think about who defines happiness for you…and explain.
• 14. Why do some people seem so confident around others while others struggle all day? Think about your closest confidants–who are they? How do you differ from them?
• 15. Who’s influenced your life positively? Do you look for people like these in real life? What characteristics define them? What kinds of experiences do these individuals offer you?
• 16. Write about your best memories of childhood. Where were you? When were they? Did you play sports or participate in other activities?
• 17. What are your goals? What keeps you going, despite setbacks? How important is family and loved ones in achieving success?
• 18. Do you prefer working alone or with a team? Why?
• 19. What’s the last major achievement you accomplished? Did it require more effort than expected? What was your motivation behind it?
• 20. What does friendship mean to you? How often do you find yourself surrounded by true friends? Do you consider yourself fortunate? What do you value most among friendships?
• 21. What do you think of the future? What will you do after college? After you graduate? Will you go straight into work or explore other options first? What are those options?
• 22. If you could change anything in the world today, what would it be? Explain your reasoning behind the change.
• 23. Look back on your past year. Did you achieve some big goals you set for yourself? Are you proud of the path you took?
• 24. What kind of relationship do you want? With whom? Explain why.
• 25. In what ways have you been treated unfairly? Do you hold grudges against people who treat you badly? Explain.
• 26. Have you ever felt like you couldn’t trust anyone because no one seemed genuine? If yes, how did you cope with that? Could it still happen to you today? Explain.
• 27. Have you experienced any recent trauma (a death, illness, broken heart) that left you shattered? Describe your feelings.
• 28. What are your greatest strengths? Your greatest weaknesses? Which areas do you excel at? Which areas need improvement?
• 29. Have you ever felt guilty about something you did? Forgive yourself, then move on. Remember: It wasn’t intentional.
• 30. If you were stranded somewhere in the world today, where would you spend the night? Explain why.
• 31. Why is getting ahead such a hard thing to accomplish? Do you think you can pull this off? Explain.
• 32. What’s an issue that needs addressing in our society? Is there anything we should all try harder to fix? If not, what can we do instead?
• 33. How are you currently feeling about your place in the world? About yourself? Does this help or hinder your progress and career? Explain.
• 34. What motivates you? Think about when things didn’t go well for you; describe the emotions arising within you.
• 35. What makes you feel alive? Do you feel fulfilled?
• 36. What would make someone successful in your eyes? Do you admire certain qualities in others? Give examples.
• 37. Who gives you strength? Do you have heroes? Explain.
• 38. Is there anything you wish you knew before graduating from high school? Talk about how that knowledge has helped guide you.
• 39. To what degree do you practice self-care? Can you explain why?
• 40. Has something important happened in your life recently? Were you able to cope with it better than you thought? Share your story.
• 41. Where do you see yourself in ten years? The next decade? Beyond that? Do you envision having children someday? A family? Explaining further.
• 42. What would you say if I asked you to tell me more about your childhood? Where was your favorite place growing up?
• 43. What is your biggest regret? What have you learned from making that mistake?
• 44. Tell me about your greatest dream. Write down everything you know about this dream—its nature, obstacles you must overcome, whether you’re likely to succeed.
• 45. If you were given a chance to live anywhere else in the world, where would it be? What appeals to you so much about this location?
• 46. At which time in your life do you believe you had the least control over your destiny? Explain fully.
• 47. When did you last cry? Why? Was it difficult to speak freely about it?
• 48. What’s the most interesting thing that has happened to you since you started college?
• 49. Tell me about a moment of intense happiness
• 50. What is the best advice you’ve heard? Whose words changed your outlook? Explain briefly.
• 51. On a scale of 1-10, how satisfied are you with your current life situation? Explain. What factors contribute to your satisfaction level & why?
• 52. What would you wear if you could choose only one piece of clothing to take with you into space? Why?
• 53. In your own words, define love. Describe its effects, give specific examples. Have you experienced any kind of deep, meaningful, loving relationship? Explain.
• 54. What would you be doing right now if you weren’t a student in college? Describe.
• 55. What do you like most about your home city? Why?
• 56. Think back to the beginning of this year. How does your perspective on life differ from then (now)? Explain.
• 57. Are there still times you struggle to forgive people who hurt you? If yes, name those individuals and explain their impact on your life. Don’t be afraid to elaborate; share experiences, personal details.
• 58. What’s been said in class today sticks with you and influences your thinking?
• 59. What do good relationships look like? Imagine being in a relationship with a person whose presence left an impression on you. What made them special? Could you identify traits they possess?
• 60. How can you make your life as meaningful as possible? How do you become happier? Helpful? Creative?
• 61. As you grow older, how will you handle change? What does “change” mean to you?
• 62. Have you ever felt like giving up? Tell me about a time when you needed all your strength just to continue.
• 63. Think about times when you’ve given someone a compliment or shown appreciation. Does this practice influence the way others treat you? If not, what’s stopping you? Explain.
• 64. Describe a few things you hope never happen in this lifetime. Discuss.
• 65. What keeps you grounded? Have you recently lost touch with something that once brought you great joy? Explain.
• 66. What makes you feel proudest about yourself? Can you describe a similar feeling in relation to another individual? Explain.
• 67. You’re going through a rough patch at work or in other areas of your life. What do you wish you could say out loud? Do you wish you hadn’t said anything? Explain.
• 68. What was the worst decision you’ve ever made? Which one comes closest to defining the essence of who you are today? Explain.
• 69. What motivates you to succeed? Describe how you stay focused during tough times.
• 70. Has anyone ever had insight into your deepest thoughts or feelings? Were you able to recognize it, or did you have no idea? Did this experience affect you?
• 71. Think about times when something has happened that feels very important to your identity. What has changed since that day?
• 72. What is the first thing you remember wanting to accomplish? When and where were these goals realized?
• 73. How has self confidence been defined by others? Do you think there’s anything wrong with having low self esteem? Explain.
• 74. How much control do you believe you have over your future? Would you rather live under a dictatorship or in anarchy? Explain.
• 75. What does success weigh in your mind? For whom do you want to achieve success? For yourself? An employer? Your family? For whom else?
• 76. Describe three characteristics you admire most in others. Explain why each is important.
• 77. Who is the person you would choose if you were stranded on a desert island? Why?
• 78. What is the best advice you’ve gotten? Share the wisdom behind it.
• 79. Write out five words describing what you love most about your own personality.
• 80. Think about times when success seemed difficult but you worked hard anyway. How did you keep moving forward?
• 81. Describe a few ways you’d like people to see you. Do any of those ideas differ from the ones you share with friends?
• 82. In what area(s) of your life do you need improvement? What are some specific steps you can take now to get closer to becoming the person you want to be?
• 83. Who taught you the most valuable lessons? Is there an inspirational figure you look up to? Explain.
• 84. What qualities do you most appreciate in a partner? Who are they?
• 85. How do you show appreciation? Do you believe it’s enough to tell someone he or she means a lot to you? Do you know how many times you say “thank you”? Give me examples.
• 86. What are things you find difficult? Can you describe the difference between people who enjoy their lives and those who seem dissatisfied?
• 87. What is the greatest gift you hope to give someone? When and how will you offer it?
• 88. Think about times when you struggled with something. What helped pull you through? How did you learn to cope?
• 89. What do you think of when you hear the word courage? Do you think there’s anything wrong with having low levels of fear? Explain.
• 90. How do you define courage? If you don’t agree with my definition, explain what you understand by the term.
• 91. Describe one way you maintain mental health. Do you exercise regularly? Find time to relax? Take some kind of medication? Try other methods?
• 92. What does it mean to be happy? Are there certain conditions that make you feel more satisfied than others? Are happiness and satisfaction mutually exclusive concepts?
• 93. Who was the last person who made you laugh so hard you cried? Tell me what you recall about the experience.
• 94. Of what positive influence should we try to leave behind us on this earth beyond our own lives? What might this influence be called? Why?
• 95. What are some things you wish you could change about yourself? What are some of your strengths? How do you stay focused on the good things instead of dwelling on the bad?
• 96. What do you consider the most beautiful thing in the world? Why?
• 97. What makes you smile? What gives you joy? What brings you happiness? Would you care if someone could read your mind and knew exactly what you wanted at any given moment?
• 98. Have you ever been angry enough to consider doing something terrible? How did you manage not to follow through with your anger-fueled plan? Were you able to talk sense into yourself? Did anyone else stop you? If so, why didn’t they?
• 99. Who were your role models growing up? What traits do you admire most about them?
• 100. What is your proudest accomplishment? What was the biggest challenge you faced? What advice would you give to somebody trying to achieve this goal?

Conclusion

I hope that this journaling session has helped you to reflect what you want to achieve in your 20s, as well as paving the way for you to build your dream life.

Best of luck!