Guide

Journal prompts

Journal prompts are questions to write about when you do not know where to start. Here are forty in five groups: pick one, write for five minutes, and stop when the timer ends.

Updated 21 October 2026. Sources named on the page.

Forty prompts in five groups
Thought prompts and self care prompts included
How to use a prompt, and what to do when one gives you nothing
A free printable with thirty of them

Every claim names its sourceNothing you type is savedFree, no sign upFor adults aged 19 and overPrivate by default

Daily Journal

Keep your results in the Daily Journal

Habits, food, mood and sleep in one private place, with progress charts and a daily research card. Free to start.

Every claim names its study
Alone, as a couple or with a group
Private by default

Prompts for an everyday check-in

What is one thing I am looking forward to this week?

What went well today, and what did I do to help it?

What would make tomorrow a good day?

What did I learn this week that I want to keep?

What small thing could I stop doing that would give me time back?

What is taking up more space in my head than it deserves?

How do I want to feel at the end of this week?

What is one thing I did well even though it was hard?

Thought prompts: when your head is full

What am I thinking about most right now, in one sentence?

What would I tell a friend who had this thought?

Is this thought a fact, a guess or a worry?

What is a rule I follow that I could question?

What is something I have changed my mind about?

What am I avoiding, and what is the smallest first step?

What do I know for sure about today?

What can I let go of for now?

Not sure which tool you need?Ten examples, each with a worked screen and the prices of the paid apps.

See the ten tools

Self care journal prompts

What did my body ask for today, and did I listen?

What is one kind thing I can do for myself this week?

Where could I rest, and what is stopping me?

What makes me feel calm, and when did I last make time for it?

What do I need more of, and what do I need less of?

What boundary do I want to keep this month?

What did I eat or drink today that I enjoyed?

Who could I ask for help, and what would I ask?

Looking forward and back

What does a good morning look like for me?

What am I curious about at the moment?

What would I do this week if I were not worried about the result?

What is a memory I would like to hold on to?

What do I want to remember about this season of my life?

What am I proud of that nobody has noticed?

Which habit is helping me most right now?

When did I feel most like myself lately?

Your entries stay yours.Private by default, shared only with the people you choose.

Start a private journal

Gratitude prompts

Who am I grateful for right now, and why?

What small thing today made me smile?

What is something ordinary that I would miss if it were gone?

What is one thing about my body I am thankful for today?

Who helped me recently, and have I said thanks?

What is a place I am grateful to have?

What made me laugh recently?

What is one kind thing someone did that I can pass on?

How to use a journal prompt

Choose one that catches your eye and skip the rest. Set a timer for five minutes, write without stopping to edit, and stop when it ends, even in the middle of a sentence. If a prompt gives you nothing, swap it for another.

Work it out first, then keep the result.Ten free calculators, no sign up needed to use them.

Open the calculators

When a prompt feels too big

Answer it in one sentence. A short, honest line is a complete entry. If something you write brings up more than you want to handle alone, it is fine to stop, and a doctor, counsellor or support line such as Lifeline on 13 11 14 can help.

Print them or keep them in an app

A free page with thirty of these prompts is on this site to print and tick off. If you would rather write on your phone with a reminder and a streak that allows rest days, the Daily Journal does that, and the first three habits are free.

Questions

What are journal prompts?

Questions or starting lines you write about, so you never face a blank page.

How many prompts should I use a day?

One. Write for five minutes and stop.

What are thought prompts?

Prompts that help you look at a thought: whether it is a fact, a guess or a worry, and what you would say to a friend with the same thought.

Are there prompts for self care?

Yes. The self care group asks about rest, boundaries, what your body asked for and who you could ask for help.

Keep going

Write your prompts in a private journal

Sign up free for the Daily Journal: a short entry each day, with a reminder and a streak that allows rest days. Private by default.