Opening your journal and free-writing based on a morning journaling prompt is one of the absolute best ways to get your day started. The right writing prompts can help get anything off your mind that might be lingering from the day before, make a long day feel less intimidating. Journaling in the morning can also help you get excited and motivate for the day ahead.
Want to get started? Write down (or print out!) these prompts, and get ready to journal. You'll have a a better day because of it!
1. What do you have planned for today?
2. How did you sleep last night?
3. What are you excited about today?
4. Is there anything you're worried about today? What is it?
5. Describe everything you around you this morning including what you smell, see, and hear
6. One thing that will bring about a sense of accomplishment today is ...
7. Name one thing you can eliminate — like sugar, social media, alcohol, or something else — that will make your day better. Explain why this thing typically brings you down.
8. What's one thing that will get you outside of your comfort zone today?
9. What does your perfect morning look like?
10. What can you do to feel happier and more energized today?
11. What's one thing you want to let go of today?
12. How can you work toward your goals today?
13. Describe an act of self-care you can engage in today.
14. What did you dream about last night?
15. How often do you feel you really live in the present moment?
16. What do you feel challenged by today?
17. What's your favorite song right now?
18. What's something that was bothering you yesterday that you want to let go of today?
19. Write about how you'll move your body today
20. What is one thing that made you laugh yesterday?
21. When you think about the future, what is your primary emotion?
22. What have been your biggest victories recently?
23. Journal about when you'll take a break today, and what you'll do on that break
24. What's one easy thing you can do to take care of your mental health today?
25. What would you do today if fear wasn't part of the equation?
Why is journaling in the morning so beneficial?
Journaling in the morning is beneficial for a few reasons. When journaling is the first (or one of the first) things on our agenda for the day, it's harder to talk ourselves out of journaling, and other obligations don't get in the way as easily.
We're also more clear-headed in the morning (especially when we're equipped with a strong cup of coffee), which can make a journaling session more productive. Finally, when you journal in the morning you're typically thinking and writing about the day to come, versus journaling before bed when you're reflecting on how the day went. While it's beneficial to journal at both times of day, journaling in the morning has a more motivational and hopeful tone to it.
How to start a morning journaling routine
To start a morning journaling routine, it's important to be realistic about it. For example, if you know you don't function well without coffee and a bite to eat first, you shouldn't expect yourself to roll over and immediately start journaling. Instead, brew your coffee, eat breakfast, and then sit down to write.
If you have kids, it may be worth it to do your best to wake up before them so you have uninterrupted time to write in your journal. If that's not possible for you, communicate to them — or your partner, if you have one — that you need some time to journal in the mornings.
Finally, find a peaceful space to write, and set the scene. You may want to pair a ritual — like lighting a candle, for example — with your journal-writing time. By creating a calm, peaceful space to journal, the thoughts will flow so much more easily.
Want more journaling prompts? Try these ones:
- 50 Night Journaling Prompts to Help You Put Your Thoughts to Bed
- 80 Journaling Prompts for When You Don't Know What to Write About
- 50 Journaling Prompts for Self-Love
- 35 Journaling Prompts for Self-Discovery and Personal Growth
- 50 Emotional Journaling Prompts