Grounding Journal Prompts

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a writer.

I didn’t begin calling myself one until my late 20s (you know, imposter syndrome). However, there is a mountain of journals in my attic dating as far back as 2006-from 1994-2005 is lost somewhere in a landfill. I’ve always written about my life. I’ve always written about my perspective of the events around me. I’ve always wanted to share my story.

The imposter syndrome kicks in when it feels like it’s worthless sharing my story. What is my story, anyways? It’s still being written. Trauma and grief and heartbreak aren’t the only reasons to share a story.

My best friend used to give me the advice whenever I felt the writer’s block was creeping in, “Vomit on the page. Write whatever, even if it doesn’t make sense. Do that until it makes sense again.” I’ve followed that advice since she said it to me. However, it sometimes keeps me too much in a dark place and too far into my head to find the joy in writing again. One of the most grounding activities - before I can even put a name to it - were writing based on journal prompts.

With the advancement of AI and the endless mindfulness cards and books, it’s easy to find the simplest or the most complex of journal prompts. Some guide you to an answer while others allow you to be free with your thoughts. Some incite the most creativity while others demand certainty.

Here are journal prompts for different situations we find ourselves in:

Anxiety Journal Prompts

• The Place Where You Are -Where are you right now? Describe the space you’re currently occupying. Why are you there? How does it make you feel to be here right now? What’s the most beautiful thing in this place? Why is it beautiful? What can you change right now from where you are sitting?

• Food Callback - What is the last thing you ate that tasted really, really good? What was it? Was it savory or sweet? Did you make it or buy it? Is it something you’ve enjoyed before or was this your first time trying it? What was your reaction to the first bite? The last bite? Was there a surprising aftertaste?

• To Whom My Anxiety Concerns - You’re thinking about a distant future that, at this present moment, cannot be altered by your current actions. Write a letter to your anxious thoughts. Tell them your concerns. Tell them why they came up, or if you don’t know why they came up. Talk about your unhealthy relationship. Talk about how to meet a middle ground as not to disrupt your daily life.

Each of these prompts is to keep you in the present moment and not to let your anxiety distort your reality. Write for as long or as little as it takes to bring your down those anxious thoughts.

Depression Journal Prompts

• Climb - You have a goal but it seems far off and you don’t know where to begin and you feel yourself losing hope at even the possibility of it happening. Draw a flight of stairs. On each step, write a short term goal that edges you closer and closer to your ultimate goal. This is not a calendar nor a weekly planner. For every major goal, there are many small obstacles you must overcome. When thinking of what you’d like to achieve, refer back to these steps. Have you overcome the first one? Move to the next. Step by step, reaching your goal.

• Dear Depression - We’re writing letters again. This time, write to your future self. Talk about all the things you’re feeling. Elaborate on how bad it is and how it feels like you’ll never recover. Now remember all of the times you didn’t feel this way. Remind your future self that this too shall pass. Tell future you that this feeling will not last forever.

These prompts aim to focus on things getting better. Knowing this is a bad moment because of either external circumstances or internal turmoil, and even so, this too shall pass.

Consistant Wellness

• Relations - Think about your best friend. Now think about your other friends. What differentiates your best friend from the rest? How do you interact when you go to your best friends house? How do you react to their good news? To their bad news? Think about every aspect of your relationship with your best friend. Do you want these attributes in all of the people you call your friend?

• A Time to Rest - Think back on the last time you felt rested. Like truly rested and rejuvenated. What did you do before? What was different from this rest than others when you still felt like you wanted to go back to bed? How can you incorporate habits that led to this peaceful feeling into every day? What are stressors that you can begin to remove from your life to allow your mind and body to relax?

• Soft Moment - What does “soft life” mean to you? How realistic is a soft life? Right now, what is preventing you from living a soft life? What are moments throughout your day that make you feel peaceful? What are the steps that can lead you closer to a soft life?

These prompts aim to teach outline diligence in continued mental wellness practices.

Use these prompts to write as much or as little down as you see fit. Writers block, depressive episode, anxious moments, or every day. These journal prompts have forced me to slow down and think about my mind and body in a way that is often difficult without guidance. I hope these allow you to stop, ground yourself, and write your story.