“How are you feeling?” Simple enough of a question, until someone asks you. Suddenly your mind goes blank, or you toss out a “Oh I’m good!” when that might not feel authentic. You know something feels off but you can’t tell if you’re stressed, sad, anxious, overwhelmed, burnt out, or just tired. Our emotions don’t always come wearing a name tag, so sometimes they can show up as brain fog, irritability, doomscrolling, or feeling like you want to cry but can’t. The good news? You don’t have to know exactly what you’re feeling before you start writing. Journaling isn’t about having the right answer, it’s about getting curious.
Pull up your notes app, get your favorite journal, or grab that random piece of paper sitting on the counter. Here are 20 prompts to help untangle what’s going on in your mind.
- What’s been taking up the most space in my mind lately?
Sometimes our thoughts reveal our emotions before we become aware of them. What topic, person, or situation keeps coming back?
- If my emotions could send me a text right now, what might it say?
Get creative! Maybe your anxiety has sent you 15 unread messages or your joy is asking why it’s on DND.
- What’s one thing that’s been bothering me that I’ve been pretending doesn’t bother me?
Sometimes the things we brush off are the things we need to pay attention to the most.
- When was the last time I genuinely felt peaceful? What was different then?
Notice what was happening around you, who you were with, and how your body felt. Peace leaves clues.
- Am I emotionally drained, physically tired, or a combination of both?
They can look super similar! Figuring out the difference can help you uncover what you actually need.
- What’s something I’ve been putting pressure on myself to do or to be?
Ask yourself where the pressure came from. Is it your own expectation, or someone else’s?
- If I didn’t worry about being judged, what would I admit to right now?
Imagine you had a completely judgement-free space. What truth would finally come out?
- What have I needed lately but haven’t asked for?
Maybe it’s help, rest, reassurance, space, or simply someone to listen.
- What scene keeps replaying in my head?
A conversation, mistake, future worry?
- Is there something I need to forgive myself for?
We’re often much harder on ourselves than we are on anyone else.
- What emotion have I been avoiding?
If your sadness or anger had a voice, what would it want you to hear?
- What made me smile this week?
Noticing tiny moments of joy helps train your brain to recognize them more often.
- If my body could talk, what would it tell me?
Your body can notice stress before your brain. Is it asking for sleep, movement, food, stillness, or a break?
- What is one thing completely out of my control that I keep trying to control?
Letting go is not giving up. It’s allowing your energy to go somewhere more helpful.
- What version of myself needs a little extra kindness today?
Picture yourself at a younger age, last week, or even this morning. What do they need to hear?
- What am I afraid would happen if I slow down?
Staying busy can feel easier than sitting with uncomfortable feelings, but what might come up if you paused?
- What’s one belief about myself that I’ve never questioned?
Maybe you’ve accepted something as a fact when it’s really just an old story you’ve been telling yourself.
- What do I need more in my life right now?
Think beyond material things. More laughter, more boundaries, more sleep, more honesty?
- What do I need less of in my life right now?
Less comparison? Less pressure? Less scrolling? Less apologizing for taking up space?
- If my emotions today had a weather forecast what would it be? Why?
Maybe it’s sunny with scattered anxiety. Cloudy with moments of hope. A thunderstorm that’s ready to pass. Metaphors can make emotions easier to understand.
There Are No Wrong Answers!
Your journal is not being graded. No one is reading over your shoulder. You don’t have to sound deep, poetic, or insightful. You don’t have an audience reading your work. Some days you might write three pages, other days you might answer a prompt with “I honestly don’t know” and that’s okay! The goal isn’t to perfectly identify every emotion you have, just to make space for them. Clarity likely won’t come because you’ve decided you will write, it often comes as you are writing.
If you’ve been feeling disconnected from yourself lately, pick one prompt. Just one. You might be surprised by what comes up.
-Haley Martin, LMSW, LMAC