Journaling (or writing in a diary) is something I did pretty consistently from grade school until college. Then I stopped for quite a while. I consistently journaled and read every morning during the first year of the pandemic. And then I stopped again. I pay to use Reflect and have often considered journaling again but on my laptop where I can type as fast as my brain moves through thoughts.

I write slowly now. Which makes sense because I don’t write a lot by hand.

But maybe the slowing of my brain to match the pace of my right hand isn’t a bad thing. I want to start journaling again consistently because I know it helps me 1) remember things and 2) process things so that I can verbalize them and make decisions.

I’ve kept a long list of journaling prompts in my notes app on my phone for over a year. I thought I’d share. Happy brain slowing to us.

1. Name one of your big goals. How long have you wanted to achieve this goal? What has been keeping you from achieving it? What excites you about the process? What terrifies you? What is the smallest possible first step you can take?Break your goal down into a series of steps.
2. What do I want out of my teammates at work?
3. What do I want to give to my teammates at work?
4. Who would you be if work was no longer the axis of your life? How would your relationship with your close friends and family change, and what role would you serve within your community at large? Whom would you support, how would you interact with the world, and what would you fight for?
5. Who were my role models for balancing work and life?
6. How is my identity tied to my work?
7. What are my goals for my life? Are they all tied to my career?
8. What qualities do you look for in a friend? Do your friends obtain those qualities? Do you?
9. How do you think your friends would describe you? Do those descriptions feel authentic to you? Do you think you’re a good friend?
10. Friends are supposed to make you feel good. Are there any friends in your life that don’t make you feel good? Ones that pull you down or hold you back? How can you work on either communicating a boundary with them or distancing yourself from them? List 3 intentional and specific ways.
11. Are you willing to let your friends know when you need something? Why or why not?
12. Have you ever experienced a friendship breakup? How did it feel? What did you learn?
13. List 3 ways you can work on being a better friend this week.
14. When was the last time you were vulnerable with a friend? How did it make you feel?
15. How are your adult friendships different from your childhood friendships? How are they the same?
16. Make a list of the people in your life who genuinely support you, and whom you can genuinely trust. Then, make time to hang out with them.
17. Am I putting enough effort into my relationships?
18. Name a compassionate way you’ve supported a friend recently. Then, write down how you can do the same for yourself.
19. I am grateful for…
20. I am letting go of…
21. I will focus on…
22. Who has helped you live more freely by being free themselves?
23. What is not serving you that you can let go of?
24. What small actions do you feel would enrich your day?
25. What will add to your growth?
26. What sucks, but you need to keep at?
27. What can you switch around?
28. What is it that you need to really bloom?
29. What are the most valuable things you feel you can do with your time?
30. The least valuable?
31. Looking back on your life, what have been the greatest investments of your time?
32. The most ginormous wastes of your time?
33. You can’t go back and change anything, but what can you change going forward?
34. What exactly are my needs, and what’s at the core of them?
35. What would it look like to take full responsibility for these needs without hyper-individualism or shutting others out?
36. Are these needs that I feel strongly about sharing with others? Why?
37. Are these needs that I could best fulfill myself?
38. Are these needs that don’t really warrant a seat at the table of my life anymore, but are still hanging on for dear life?
39. What survival skill from my past is now holding me back?
40. What’s my perfect day?
41. Does the path I’m on get me closer to my perfect day?
42. What fear are you willing to release in order to live with more courage?
43. What does 5 year old you need?
44. Am I using my time wisely?
45. Am I taking anything for granted?
46. Am I living true to myself?
47. Am I waking up in the morning ready to take on the day?
48. Am I thinking negative thoughts before I fall asleep?
49. Am I taking care of myself physically?
50. Am I letting matters that are out of my control stress me out?
51. When was the last time I felt really happy?
52. What was I doing at that time in my life?
53. Is my current path growing me or leading me to growth?
54. What advice would I give to someone in my shoes?
55. What is my fear in going after the thing I want?
56. Whose voice do I hear in that fear? My parents? My friends? Society?
57. What could go right?
58. My favorite way to spend the day is . . .
59. If I could talk to my teenage self, the one thing I would say is . . .
60. The two moments I’ll never forget in my life are . . . (Describe them in great detail, and what makes them so unforgettable.)
61. Make a list of 30 things that make you smile.
62. “Write about a moment experienced through your body. Making love, making breakfast, going to a party, having a fight, an experience you’ve had or you imagine for your character. Leave out thought and emotion, and let all information be conveyed through the body and senses.”
63. The words I’d like to live by are . . .
64. I couldn’t imagine living without . . .
65. When I’m in pain—physical or emotional—the kindest thing I can do for myself is . . .
66. What does unconditional love look like for you?
67. What things would you do if you loved yourself unconditionally? How can you act on these things, even if you’re not yet able to love yourself unconditionally?
68. I really wish others knew this about me . . .
69. Name what is enough for you.
70. If my body could talk, it would say . . .
71. What do you love about life?
72. What always brings tears to your eyes?
73. Write about a time when your work felt real, necessary and satisfying to you, whether the work was paid or unpaid, professional or domestic, physical or mental.
74. Write about your first love—whether it’s a person, place or thing.
75. Using 10 words, describe yourself.
76. What’s surprised you the most about your life or life in general?
77. What can you learn from your biggest mistakes?
78. I feel most energized when . . .
79. “Write a list of questions to which you urgently need answers.”
80. Make a list of everything that inspires you—whether books, websites, quotes, people, paintings, stores, or stars in the sky.
81. What’s one topic you need to learn more about to help you live a more fulfilling life? (Then, follow through and learn more about that topic.)
82. I feel happiest in my skin when . . .
83. Make a list of everything you’d like to say no to.
84. Make a list of everything you’d like to say yes to.
85. Write the words you need to hear.
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Of The Week:

Grampa's Weeder: For those of us who don’t have landscapers...

Throwback: I had this coat as a tween/teen and I can’t believe they’re back.

Still Learning: Started using this book in my journey to learn Spanish

Mosquitos: I’ll be taking two longer (very warm) vacations next year. Any favorite bug spray?

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Take Five and Eat Lunch

1. My dad used this recently while making wings and I loved it.
2. Entering my dry bean era​
3. Are you a chewy or crispy chocolate chip cookie fan?
4. But I think sugar cookies are my favorite cookie. And I love anything with browned butter.
5. I started a broadcast channel on my Instagram where I’ll share my lunches every day. Join here from your phone.​

Talk to you next Sunday,

Allie(pal)

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