143 Journal Prompts to Start the Day

Journal prompts are great ways to get started each morning. They help you focus on what matters most to you, and they also provide a structure to your day.

If you’re looking to improve certain areas of your life—as well as start the new year with clarity and direction—then journal prompts can be helpful. It’s all about using these prompts in different ways, though.

You may want to use them to help you set an intention for the day—and then write it down so you don’t forget!

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Journaling Prompts to Start Your Day and Morning Right

1. What is my purpose today?
2. What am I grateful for this week?
3. Who do I want to spend time with today?
4. How do I plan to make a positive impact on someone else?
5. What activities did I enjoy doing last night? What was I thinking? Why?
6. Whose energy uplifts me? The people who inspire me or energize me?
7. Am I taking enough time every day to connect deeply with myself? Are there parts of myself that need attention?
8. How can I take care of myself better with my daily habits?
9. What would I like for my body and mind to be tomorrow?
10. What brings happiness to me? Is my definition of “happiness” accurate? If not, how could I change it?
11. Describe one person who has had a large impact on you.
12. What was I feeling when __________________ happened?
13. How can I support my parents more effectively?
14. What does stress and negative emotions look like for me? What’s healthy? What isn’t?
15. Reflect upon something painful from my past—what’s changed now? Has anything stayed the same?
16. Do I ever feel guilty about any things I’ve done?
17. What is a lie I tell myself?
18. If you knew you were going to die tonight, what would you do differently?
19. What are three words to describe me?
20. Is there something I really regret? Is it important to let go of those regrets or move forward?
21. What are the three biggest fears holding me back right now?
22. What kind of relationship do I have with money? Is it comfortable? Do I trust it?
23. Can I find creative solutions to problems instead of being stuck because I’m afraid to fail?
24. What do I appreciate about my family members?
25. What makes me laugh? Do I take advantage of opportunities to connect with others?
26. What do I see for myself in five years? Ten years? Twenty-five years from now?
27. When do I feel inspired by nature? Nature is a source of inspiration. Does it give me peace? Joy? Love? Connection?
28. What am I excited about over the next few weeks/months/?
29. Have I taken good care of myself recently?
30. Where will I visit on vacation this year?
31. What activity will I try out that sounds fun?
32. What am I creating for my future self?
33. What changes in my life will enhance what I love most?
34. How do I treat other people?
35. How many hours per week should I allow myself to relax and de-stress?
36. What have been some of my best days?
37. What is my favourite thing about this month (this year)?
38. What are the things that bring me joy? Can I do more of those things?
39. What is one moment of gratitude I have right now?
40. What motivates me? What gives me comfort?
41. What are my strengths? How do they contribute to my life?
42. How would I regulate my painful emotions?
43. What do I wish for myself? For other people around me?
44. What is my outlook on life?
45. What is the most meaningful goal/objective I have set for myself?
46. What is the most important lesson I learned this week? This month? Year?
47. How important is forgiveness to me?
48. What do I want to get rid of?
49. What do I miss in my current relationships?
50. What would I say if someone asked me “What’s your secret?”
51. What kind of music do I listen to? What movies do I watch? Who inspires me?
52. What keeps me grounded? What helps me sleep at night?
53. What qualities do I admire in other people?
54. What quality in my life need improvement?
55. What do I think is beautiful?
56. What positive changes do I want to make today?
57. What do I hope people know about me soon after meeting me?
58. Am I willing to change my mind if it becomes too hard to keep up with the pace of life?
59. What does it mean to be happy?
60. What do I most enjoy doing?
61. What can I learn from my own mistakes?
62. What are the most difficult times in my life?
63. How much energy do I dedicate to what I fear? To what I don’t like? To what I hate?
64. What do I believe about myself? Why do I believe what I do about myself?
65. Are there any aspects of myself that I don’t even realize exist?
66. How well do I understand my own needs? What do I value?
67. How much room do I leave within myself for growth? Will I ever reach my full potential?
68. Can anything truly stop me? If so, which ones?
69. Which choices seem easier than others? Which ones will lead to trouble down the road?
70. How do I show appreciation when I’m feeling grateful or appreciative?
71. How can I become happier? More content? Less stressed?
72. What can I control? What can I not control?
73. How much do I really trust myself?
74. What areas of my life could use improvement? Why haven’t I improved these areas already?
75. What has changed since yesterday? Since last week? Last month?
76. What parts of my personality need development? Where are gaps in knowledge?
77. How’s my mental and physical health?
78. What are my weaknesses? My strengths?
79. How do I behave with others? With myself?
80. Is everyone equal? Should we all be treated equally?
81. Do I try to please everyone else as opposed to just pleasing myself?
82. Have I taken time out to meditate?
83. What am I afraid of asking questions? What do I want to ask but don’t know how to word it?
84. How do I react to criticism? What do I believe about giving compliments?
85. What do I feel the deepest feelings about?
86. How is my health? In general? At home?
87. When was the last time I felt happy and content?
88. How do people see me? Do they dislike me? Love me? Hate me?
89. What do you wish you had more of? What do you wish you didn’t have more of?
90. How can I contribute to this world instead of being a burden on it?
91. What did I learn this week? What did I forget?
92. What is a good way to celebrate success? Failure?
93. Did I choose a job I love because of money? Because of prestige? Or both?
94. Have I given enough love to those close to me? Given to them freely? Without expectations?
95. What am I afraid will happen if I let go of the past? Of my present situation? My future?
96. Am I too self-conscious? What would help me get over my shyness?
97. What would I like to say at certain points during the day?
98. Does everyone deserve happiness?
99. How much attention should I pay to things outside of the boundaries of my family?
100. How do I treat others? By their actions? By their words?
101. Do I give to others without expecting anything in return? Do I expect something in return? If so, what?
102. How often do I listen to the messages that come through?
103. How do I deal with disappointment? When does it occur? How do I handle it?
104. What am I doing now to make positive change in my life? How am I choosing to live?
105. How do I act toward other people? To strangers?
106. Could it work better if I acted differently? How do I treat myself?
107. What do I think of my physical appearance?
108. How much do I respect myself?
109. Who do I talk to in order to develop myself?
110. How do I treat someone who treats me poorly?
111. How do I allow joy into my day?
112. What do I enjoy most?
113. What part of my life needs strengthening? What part of my life could use some repairs?
114. Is there an area of my life where nothing changes, no matter what I do? Why is that?
115. How do I spend my free time? What do I watch or read or play?
116. What kinds of people interest me? What kind(s) of people turn me off?
117. How often do I express gratitude to anyone? For any reason?
118. Are there any people around me whom I would dearly like to say “Thank You” to?
119. What is important to me? Important to others?
120. What would life be like if I stopped having judgments and opinions about people? About situations?
121. How easy is it for me to forgive? Forgive myself? Others?
122. What are some ways I can improve my relationships? With myself? With others?
123. Which areas of my life need improvement? Why?
124. Do I think that God is concerned about me? About the state of my life?
125. What do I need to accomplish today in order to reach one of these goals: to be rich, powerful, healthy, etc.?
126. How can I help others?
127. What would it take for me to feel truly contented? Uncomfortable? Happy? Contented?
128. What do I want to do when I grow up?
129. How do I react when I see someone doing well financially? How do I react when they are struggling financially?
130. How do I behave toward someone else when I know he/she is not being honest? Selfish? A bad influence?
131. Do I respond positively when a stranger offers me assistance? Help? Support?
132. How easily do I give away money? Money that seems too difficult to earn?
133. How do I view the world? How do I view myself?
134. Where do I find the energy to keep going with all that I have to do each day?
135. What is it that I value? At least twice a week? Daily?
136. Would I choose this as a career? As a hobby?
137. How do I get along with children? Adolescents? Adults?
138. What do I love? My family? My pets? My friends?
139. Am I a good listener? What kind of listener do I need to become?
140. How well do I know myself? How well do you know yourself?
141. How do I treat myself physically? Mentally? Spiritually? Emotionally?
142. Can I tell the truth? Be real? Be authentic? How well do I know things that aren’t true? Things that might hurt or upset others?
143. How do I deal when I don’t get what I want? Need? Must have?