Journaling Prompts
When you don’t know what to write, but you know you need to write something.
Some days the words come easily.
Other days, the page feels heavy and blank.
This page exists for those days.
These prompts are not exercises.
They are not meant to be completed, solved, or done properly.
They are simply openings, something to lean on when starting feels hard.
You don’t need to answer every prompt.
You don’t need to write in full sentences.
You can stop halfway through, or write one line and close the book.
Let the prompt do the work.
You just show up as you are.
Before You Begin (optional, but helpful)
You might like to:
set a timer for 5–10 minutes
write without rereading
stop when your body says “enough”
If nothing comes, that’s information too.
Gentle Prompts to Begin
Use these when you’re feeling unsure, flat, or overwhelmed.
Right now, my body feels like…
The thing I’m most tired of carrying today is…
If I didn’t have to explain myself, I would say…
Today’s grief feels different because…
What I wish people understood is…
Prompts for When Grief Is Loud
These are for days when emotions are sharp, restless, or demanding attention.
The thought that keeps circling is…
What hurts most in this moment is…
The anger I don’t usually admit is…
The part of this that feels unfair is…
If I let myself feel this fully, I’m afraid that…
Write as much or as little as you need. You don’t have to finish.
Prompts for Love, Memory, and Longing
Grief is not only pain. It is love with nowhere to go.
Today I remembered…
The thing I miss that surprises me is…
If I could tell them one ordinary thing, it would be…
The version of me that existed before would want me to know…
Love still shows up for me as…
Prompts for the Hard Questions
These are not meant to be answered. They’re meant to be held.
What I don’t understand yet is…
The question I keep asking is…
If there were no pressure to “heal,” I would…
What scares me about the future is…
What I need permission for right now is…
Prompts for Closing (or Stopping)
You don’t have to end neatly.
One thing I want to leave on the page today is…
What feels slightly lighter now is…
I’m allowed to stop because…
If this is enough for today, it’s because…
Close the notebook. Drink some water. Breathe.
A gentle reminder
You don’t have to write every day.
You don’t have to like what you write.
You don’t have to keep any of it.
Journaling here is not about progress.
It’s about companionship.
And if today isn’t a writing day, that’s okay too.
