30 Future Self Journaling Prompts for Happiness

Future self journaling is something you’re probably already doing as a part of regular journaling, and you may not realize it. For many of us, journaling is one way we process our present self and set goals for our future self. This is a type of future journaling or future self journaling. Future self journaling prompts simply guide our journaling to address specific topics around building a better future and becoming the best version of ourselves.

What does it means to practice future self journaling?

In 2019, new research showed that…

“People who are connected to their future selves are better able to save for the future, delay gratification, and take care of their health, compared to people who feel less connected to their future selves.”

Interestingly enough, this study showed that people who were realistic about who they would be and what they would achieve in the future were the happiest people. The people that had lofty ambitions and projected being a totally different person in the future, were less satisfied with themselves and overall less happy. 

Future self journaling has grown in popularity in the last few years, largely as a result of this emphasis in psychology literature on present versus future happiness. And future self journaling is one way to begin to assess what we really think about ourselves - both now and in the future. 

How to start future self journaling

There are a few ways or methods for future self journaling in terms of personal growth and self-discovery.

Method #1 - The Letter Method - Some people use their journal to write about a better version of themselves. This might include working towards healthier habits, stopping bad habits, trying to gain clarity, attempting to reduce stress, and generally cultivating more positive thoughts. This is similar to certain types of manifestation journaling, which starts by writing down clear intentions and achieving or completing them.

Some people write these journal entries like writing letters, “Dear Future Me…” There are benefits to journaling this way, but it’s not the only way to start self-journaling.

Method #2 - The Looking Back Method - Another way to become conscious of your future self today is by looking back. So instead of journaling and casting this vision of a new and improved future self, think about the long-term goals you have. And then assess the person you are today. Every single day we make a series of choices that inform our daily habits. 

Sometimes it takes journaling about what we hope to accomplish and who we hope to become aware of what we need to change now. This is how future self merges with present self and, as the research above showed, we are happier throughout our life.

30 Future Self Journaling Prompts 

If you want to spend the next 30 days practicing future self journaling every day, then here are your daily prompts! Otherwise, use these as you’d like - to help you overcome writer’s block for your other journaling, to check in on your mental health, to assess your thoughts and mind, to ponder your dream life. Whatever your motivation, we have compiled these future self journaling prompts to encourage the process of personal growth and self-discovery. 

1. The little things I value most in my daily life are...
2. If I could gain clarity about [blank], then I would...
3. I’m feeling stuck right now because…
4. Some of the bad habits I wish I could break are…
5. I define a healthy habit as…
6. The positive thoughts I wish I thought about myself include…
7. “Living my best life” is a phrase I use when I’m…
8. I’m most grateful for…
9. Something I wish I could tell my younger or past self is…
10. My dream life or dream career is a life characterized by…
11. My daily routine feels…
12. Every single day I find myself wishing…
13. In my mind I know I need to…
14. One of my biggest goals is to…
15. The reason I haven’t achieved certain long-term goals is because…
16. If I had a better morning routine, I would…
17. My ideal day is one where I…
18. A better version of myself would look like…
19. I’m able to stay focused when I…
20. Last year, I was so proud of myself when…
21. The current situation causing me the most stress is…
22. Looking back, I wish I would have…
23. The most important part of my life is…
24. I would start daily journaling but I…
25. A daily affirmation I should tell myself is…
26. The people around me think I am…
27. The thing that helps me relax the most is…
28. I want to work towards…
29. In 5 years I hope I am...
30. In 10 years I hope I am…

Some of these future journaling prompts could be one word answers. Others might catapult you into pages of journaling. Either way, engage your mind. Whether you journal every day or not. Think about not only your future life and a better version of yourself. But also think about who you are today, your current daily life, and present self.

 

 

Taking those both into consideration will help you work towards becoming your future self now. Instead of just throwing rocks into the vast pond of unrealized future reflections. A quiet space, a blank page, and focus are all you need!

For more journaling prompts you can use to journal every day, go to the Silk+Sonder blog and filter by “prompts”. 

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