Let's Talk About Journaling Part 3: Using Prompts
- Jessica Schladt
- Oct 30
- 4 min read
Journaling can take endless forms. The important thing is that there’s no right way to do it. There are completely unstructured ways where you can just open up your journal and start writing. If you feel free to do so, please write to your heart’s content.
What I’ve found in my work, particularly among people new to journaling, is a desire for more structure. Structure can help bring focus, and it can also help when people need assistance finding the words to express themselves. It can also be helpful when used alongside previous journal prompts, as it enables you to get to the truth faster. When we’re free-writing, we sometimes spend a lot of time documenting the things that lead up to our feelings or the development of our insights. In contrast, a more structured approach can help us dive in faster because it’s more targeted toward the feeling or problem.
One structured approach is the use of prompts. Prompts are a question or a series of questions that help you explore a particular topic. Depending on how long a person wants to write, they might pick one prompt and write a good bit on that one, or they might pick ten prompts and write a short amount for each answer. There’s no correct answer, and it really depends on the depth of the questions themselves.
You may ask, “Where do I find these prompts? Do I make them up myself? I already have a hard time writing. How am I supposed to do that?” I have two suggestions. One, there are tons of prompt journals that offer topics for you to write about. If you find a theme you connect with, you can find prompt journals for veterans, parenting, personal growth, career exploration, anxiety, really anything. The second suggestion, which was brought to my attention during a CEU class, is the use of AI such as ChatGPT. If you ask ChatGPT for prompts on a particular topic, that’s something it’s really good at. Now, to be clear, I do not encourage people to use AI as a replacement for therapy BUT AI can be used to provide
therapeutic tools, like in this case of prompts. I’ve asked ChatGPT to create prompts for a few different topics, which you’ll see below. Feel free to use these at your discretion, or again, ask ChatGPT yourself for something more tailored to what you’re looking for.
Stress:
What situations or people tend to cause the most stress for you right now, and why?
How does your body let you know when you’re feeling overwhelmed?
What are three things within your control when you’re stressed—and three things that are not?
Describe a time you handled stress in a healthy way. What helped?
What would “being gentle with yourself” look like during a stressful week?
Self-esteem:
What are three qualities you appreciate about yourself, even if they feel small?
How do you usually talk to yourself when you make a mistake?
Write about a time you felt proud of yourself—what made that moment meaningful?
What does “enough” mean to you? How do you know when you are enough?
What’s one way you can show yourself kindness today?
Life transitions:
What are you leaving behind in this transition, and what are you gaining?
How does uncertainty show up for you during times of change?
What helps you stay grounded when life feels unpredictable?
Write about what this new chapter might teach you about yourself.
What would it look like to trust your ability to adapt?
Grief:
What do you miss most, and what memories bring you comfort?
How has grief changed the way you see the world—or yourself?
What helps you feel connected to what or who you’ve lost?
What emotions come up that surprise you in your grieving process?
If your grief could speak, what would it want you to know right now?
Depression:
What does a “low” day feel like for you, physically and emotionally?
What are some small things that bring you a moment of relief or comfort?
How do you want to be supported when you’re struggling?
What does hope mean to you right now—even if it feels distant?
What would it look like to give yourself permission to rest?
Anxiety:
What are the thoughts that tend to loop in your mind when you feel anxious?
How does anxiety try to “protect” you, even if it’s unhelpful?
What coping strategies usually help calm your body or mind?
Describe a recent moment when anxiety felt strong but you got through it.
What might it look like to let go of needing everything to be certain?
Relationship Conflict:
What emotions come up for you most often during conflict?
How do you typically respond when you feel unheard or misunderstood?
What needs are you trying to express when you argue or withdraw?
How does your communication change when you feel safe versus when you feel threatened?
What would a healthy resolution look like for you in this relationship?
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