Some of the best journaling prompts for healing aren’t as complicated or deep as you may think. When it comes to processing our hurt and pain and pursuing healing, sometimes all we need are open-ended questions or statements to help us get started.
We’ve put together thirty-five prompts that are geared towards helping you wherever you’re at in your healing journey, whether it's related to healing from traumatic events or your physical health. Some are more pointed towards specific types of pain or hurt and others are left open for you to fill in your own experiences. Take them and use them however you like!
Healing is Hard and Journaling Can Help
Healing is a personal journey for each of us. The very fact that we are having to heal from something, means we’ve been injured. Emotionally, physically, mentally, spiritually - we can experience pain in all of these aspects of who we are as humans. And therefore we can be on very different paths to healing depending on our situations.
Wherever you’re at and whatever you’ve experienced, your feelings are valid. Your hurt is real. And you deserve to be loved and cared for by those around you.
One of the best tools we have to help us in our healing is journaling — let's call it journal therapy. Writing helps us process our experiences by putting our thoughts on paper. Plus, as we commit to journaling through our healing, with the help of journaling prompts for healing, we get the chance to look back and see our progression over time.
In fact, one of the most rewarding parts of journaling through our pain is that healing shows up on the pages of our notebooks. Healing is literally documented as we make daily deposits to show up, begin writing down our thoughts and experiences, and trusting the process.
35 Journaling Prompts for Healing Day by Day
- How do you feel about yourself today, at this moment?
- Write a letter of encouragement to your body.
- Write a letter of encouragement to your mind.
- What feelings and emotions do you experience most often?
- What do you wish you would remember on your bad days?
- What are some of the most important milestones on your healing journey so far?
- What parts of your life have been affected most by your pain?
- What do you wish you would go back and tell yourself to prepare you for what you’ve been through?
- What encouragement would you give yourself as if you were talking to someone else?
- Where do you want to be on your healing journey in 1 month? 1 year?
- Make a list of things about yourself that bring you joy.
- Make a list of small or unexpected things that have been helpful along your journey of healing? Then give thanks to them.
- How can you make progress towards healing and self-discovery this week?
- What could you do to make a positive difference in your own life?
- Describe an experience that ultimately made you stronger.
- When do you feel most alive and free?
- Are there any feelings you’re holding back from experiencing because you’re afraid they’re too raw, hard, or difficult?
- What are the most important lessons you’ve learned from your healing so far?
- What are some new things you’ve learned about yourself from your healing so far?
- If you could go back and relive any moment in your life, what would it be?
- What do you fear most about the future?
- What excites you most about the future?
- What will be the mark of the “end” of your healing journey?
- What has your pain taught you?
- Write down 10 affirmations for yourself related to where you are in your healing.
- What could you be doing to bring more peace into your life?
- If I eliminated (fill in the blank) from my life, I would be further down the road to healing.
- If I added (fill in the blank) to my life, I would be further down the road to healing.
- What is something you would love to do, but you’re not sure you can?
- What does unconditional love and support mean to you?
- Who are some people that taught you about unconditional love when you were at your lowest point?
- Write down five aspects of your identity (personality, routines, relationships, hobbies) that have changed because of your pain and journey to heal.
- Today I am hoping for…
- Today I am working towards…
- What is one gift this season of healing has given you?
- Write a letter to someone you need to forgive
- What are three actionable steps you can take today to bring more peace into your life?
- Use five positive words to describe yourself.
- What would you tell your best friend if they were going through the same challenges you are right now?
- What are some anger and frustrations you're holding onto?
- What's something you need to let go of?
- What external circumstances are bringing the most stress and anxiety to your life?
- What kind of person do you want to be?
- What's your biggest fear about the future?
- Who do you know you can count on for support?
If you’re looking for journaling prompts specific to grief, check out:
- 25 Journaling Prompts for Anyone Dealing With Grief.
- 8 Ways to Trust the Process for Deeper Personal Growth
For more resources on self-discovery, healing, and personal growth, we have lots of resources on the Silk+Sonder blog.