Basic Journal Prompts for Beginners

I have always been a writer. When I was young and writing short stories about my stuffed animals, I knew that writing was something that I enjoyed. And soon after that, I discovered journaling. Like anything else, when you start journaling you have to start somewhere. This list of basic journal prompts for beginners is a fantastic jumping-off point if you are interested in having a meaningful and useful experience with starting a journal.

There are so many benefits of journaling. I am sure you have heard about it being a great way to process and understand your emotions, which is true. Journaling forces you to slow down and sit with what you are feeling and process those emotions rather than ignoring them or stewing in them. I truly believe that anyone can benefit from journaling.

However, with any new skill, it can be difficult to know where to start. Opening up a journal or a word document and staring at the blank page can be overwhelming. What the heck do you even write about?

If you kept a diary when you were younger, you may think that you know exactly how to journal. When I look back to my childhood diary, I see recounts of sleepovers I had, and complaints about fights with my mom. While this is useful, and a form of journaling that some may find calming, it isn’t always productive. While I enjoy recounting my day , it doesn’t always let me sit with how said day made me feel, which is my goal in journaling.

If your goal for journaling is simply a recount of your day, then go for it! But if you are looking for ways to be a little more productive in how you journal, stick around! I have a long list of basic journal prompts for beginners that will turn your regular diary into something useful and engaging.

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Types of Journaling

Not every person is the same, and the way we process emotions is just as diverse. While some people can talk about how they are feeling with others, others need something more internal. There are so many different ways to process emotions, which is why there are so many different types of journaling! Here are a few:

• Classic journaling- simply writing in a notebook or digitally, on the computer
• Art journaling- using your creativity to process emotions through art (for more information on art journaling, click here)
• Video journaling- talking through your emotions to a camera. This is now often called vlogging, but you can do it just for yourself, without putting it on social media
• Gratitude journaling- using your journal to specifically talk about things you are grateful for, and things that make you happy
• Guided journaling – using a journal with pre-made prompts like this one from Amazon
• Bullet journaling- mixing everyday to-do lists and schedules with various art and journaling techniques to create a useful book you can carry around with you wherever you go
• Dream journaling- recounting every single dream you have so you can understand what they mean and how they made you feel

For a deeper look into the different types of journals, check out this post on Skill Share Blog about the various types of journaling and their benefits!

For the purpose of this blog post, I will be talking about the classic form of journaling, which only requires a pen, some paper, and your brain (or a computer if you’d like). However, many of these journal prompts can be used for other forms of journaling as well.

Where to Find Journaling Supplies

As I said, for this type of journaling, all you need is something to write with and your brain. However, if you are like me when you start something new you like to have all the supplies ready and accounted for.

The easiest way to start journaling is with a pen/pencil and a notebook. You can find super cheap and good quality notebooks at stores like Target, Office Depot, Staples, and more. You can even find some notebooks are your local grocery store if they have a small office supplies section.

I personally enjoy using the small, 3.5″ x 5.5″ Moleskine notebooks. They sell them in 3-packs on Amazon for a good price, they are easy to take with you wherever you go, and they are high quality. They also come in a variety of colors so you can match them to your personality!

Purchase these notebooks from Amazon here!

In terms of writing utensils, use whatever you have around! Some pens are built better than others, we all know that. But it is also a matter of preference on which one you choose. I personally love the classic BIC Cristal Xtra Smooth Ballpoint pens. They are cheap, found at most stores, and they work really well. You can purchase those on Amazon here!

Or, as I mentioned, you can journal digitally, with your computer, iPad, smartphone, or any other device you have access to. You can even head to your local library and use the computers they provide.

And, if you don’t want to go through the hassle of getting all of these journaling supplies, you can simply find a piece of scrap paper and a pen and start journaling! There is no right way to journal, it is not about where you put the words, what matters is the intention you put behind the words.

Basic Journal Prompts for Beginners

Alright, you have you know what type of journal you would like to start and you have your journaling supplies. It’s time to start writing! The point of these beginner journal prompts is to start the process of writing, and dip your toes into processing emotions through the written word.

1. Why do you want to start journaling?
2. What is your favorite method of creative expression? How does it make you feel?
3. What do you do when you are sad to make you feel better? Does it work?
4. What are your comfort TV shows and why do they make you feel so good?
5. Write about something that made you happy this week.
6. Make a list of 10 things you are grateful for right now.
7. What is something you regret?
8. What is something you are scared to tell someone?
9. If you could put yourself in any book, movie, or TV show, which would you choose and why?
10. Write about your favorite childhood toy.
11. Describe the perfect day. Who would you like to spend it with?
12. Write about your biggest fear. How does writing about your fears make you feel?
13. Write from the perspective of your younger self. What were your thoughts like back then?
14. What was your dream job as a child? Is it the same as now?
15. Name a song that you feel describes your life. Why do you feel that way?
16. Are there any new hobbies you want to try?
17. What is your favorite thing about yourself?
18. Who is the one person you would like to have a conversation with, dead or alive?
19. What is something you wish you learned as a child and why can’t you learn it now?
20. What is one place you have always wanted to travel to?
21. Is there anyone in your life that you wish you were closer to?
22. Write about your favorite book and why you love it so much.
23. Write about a time when you had to make a hard decision. Do you think you made the right choice?
24. What qualities do you look for in others when starting relationships?
25. What is the one thing you value most in your life? Friendships, family, money, career, etc.
26. Do you think your life would be different if you had different friends?
27. What do you want your life to look like in 5 years? How can you get there?
28. In what situation and with who do you feel the most yourself?
29. If you could change one thing in your life what would it be and why?
30. List some ways you can practice self-care this week.
31. Do you make your hobbies a priority in life? If so, why or why not?
32. Have you ever had a dream that you still remember years later? If so, write about it.
33. Is there something you always wanted to do as a child but couldn’t? If so, write about it.
34. Write a letter to yourself in 10 years. Write about your hopes, dreams, and how you want your life to look.
35. Write a letter to your younger self. What is something that you needed to hear back then that you can tell your younger self now?
36. Have you ever learned something about yourself as a result of something someone else did for you?
37. Is there a time in your life during which you felt the most comfortable with who you are? If so, what was the reason you felt this way in this moment in time?
38. If there was one language you could learn, however long it would take, which would you choose and why?
39. Do you have someone in your life you trust implicitly? How did they gain that trust?
40. If you had to choose, which animal would you want to turn into and why?

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These basic journal prompts for beginners are a simple, surface-level exploration of your feelings. Their purpose is to allow you to get a hang of the art of journaling. It is an opportunity to get used to the process of writing without the pressures of going into too deep or too complicated feelings.

Plus, the best part of journaling is that it is completely personal. All you have to do is find a good hiding place for your journal and you can write whatever you want without fear that someone will read it. For all of your deepest, darkest thoughts, you can even write them down on scrap paper and burn or shred them! That way, nobody needs to know what you are thinking.

Related: Journal Prompts for Autumn!

Journaling is one of the most rewarding activities I have done with the goal of self-care and improving my mental health. Therefore, I will never stop suggesting it to anyone who will give me a minute of their time. So I thank you for doing just that, and I hope you find some solace and some creative release in these basic journal prompts for beginners.

In conclusion, journaling has numerous benefits for you and your mental well-being. It is also simply a fun and cathartic way to work through your emotions. So go write, and have some fun while doing so!