Writing in a journal can be one of the most rewarding hobbies ever.
It is creative and inspirational.
However, sometimes, we may need a little bit of inspiration to start writing.
We have compiled 60 of our favorite journaling ideas for those days where you just need an extra push to help get you motivated and inspired to write.
We have a lot of wonderful inspirational journaling ideas to share with you so we are just going to get right to it.
Happy writing!
1. Write about your day
A simple one to start with. If you are feeling stuck on what to write, you can write about the events of your day.
Start at the beginning, writing about your breakfast, that yummy coffee you had, your commute to work, and all the friends and colleagues you talked to.
Sometimes it can be nice just to keep a little day-by-day log detailing what you got up to.
2. Write about the weather
Hear us out with this one. It may seem boring to write about the weather, and it certainly will be if you simply write “Today it rained”.
Go into detail about how the weather unfolded over the day. Maybe it did rain, but we are sure that the sun shone through a little. How did that sun look when it shone upon the wet road? Did the rain feel cold on your skin?
Was it a light shower or did it come down heavy and fast? Was it accompanied by a storm? Any wind, or thunder and lightning?
Maybe you got to see a rainbow. Get into the details about the weather, and most importantly, how the weather made you feel.
3. Write a letter to your childhood self
A really lovely journaling idea is to pen a letter to your past self. What are some things that the child version of yourself would have liked to have known?
Maybe you have some words of encouragement that you could have used during a difficult time. You could share some words of wisdom, or write to your childhood self to tell them not to worry so much about what other people think.
This can be a cleansing and cathartic experience.
4. Write about your favorite meal
You could write a whole page on your favorite meal ever. Write about the starter, the main meal, and the dessert.
You could also write about any sides and drinks you would have. Make sure it is your absolute dream meal. You can detail the texture of each dish, the flavors that are the most present, and why you like them so much.
Maybe they are a comforting food that reminds you of your childhood or a special person. Food can trigger all sorts of wonderful memories, and writing those down on a page means you can keep hold of it forever.
5. Write about your favorite book
We all have our favorite book, but do we ever think about what exactly it is that makes us like it so much? You could try and answer that for yourself by writing your own review of your favorite book.
You could give a plot synopsis, write about your favorite character, the themes it explores, and your favorite quotations from the novel.
Remember to write about how it makes you feel too.
6. Write about something someone said that day
As we go through our days, we hear lots of people say lots of things. Maybe you overheard a funny joke whilst at work.
Or maybe your loved one said something kind to you. Whatever you have heard that has stuck in your head, you could write it down in your journal so you never forget it.
It doesn’t have to be verbatim – you can write it how you remember it, that way it will be more personal to you.
7. Write about something you are looking forward to that day or week
Maybe you have a big date night planned, or maybe you are going on a day trip to a new place. It could even be something as simple as catching up on your favorite TV show.
Whatever it is that you are looking forward to, no matter how minor it may seem, write it down in your diary and explain why you are so looking forward to it.
8. Write to your future self
Earlier on in the list, we suggested writing a letter to your childhood self.
You could also write to your future self, detailing what goals you want to achieve, and wishing your future self happiness and health.
You could even write about yourself now, making sure you date it so that when you look back on it in the future you can see how much has changed.
9. Create a paper playlist
Why not write about the music you are loving right now? Perhaps your music taste changes continuously and you want to keep track of what you like at certain times of your life.
Write a list of your top 10 favorite songs that you listen to a lot, explaining why you like them and how they make you feel.
In the future, you can look back and see how many you still listen to, or maybe rediscover some old favorites you forgot existed.
10. Self Care Plan
If you are someone who sometimes struggles to dedicate time to themselves (which we are all guilty of sometimes!) you could write up a plan to help you with your self-care practices.
Write down some things that you can do to take care of yourself, whether that is having a bubble bath or relaxing shower, taking a nature walk with a hot thermos of tea or coffee, or even having a Netflix marathon with snacks.
Whatever helps you to feel more comfortable pop them all into the journal entry so you can look at it when you are feeling stressed.
11. A family recipe
A recipe is so much more than just the ingredients and method. Does your family have a much-adored apple pie recipe?
Maybe you have a gumbo recipe that has been used for generations. We’re sure that whatever it is you know the recipe like the back of your hand, but how about writing about the story of the recipe?
You could write about who was the first family member to use it. Maybe you remember the first time you ever tried to make it yourself, how did your family react to it?
Write about this favorite recipe and the emotions it makes you feel.
12. A film review of the recent film you watched
Have you just watched a film in the theaters? Or maybe you managed to catch a new film on your favorite streaming platform.
Why not capture those new film feelings in your journal by writing a small review? You could write about the themes the film explored, and the actors that are in it.
You could even rate it with your own rating system, and make it a regular occurrence on your journaling journey.
13. Write about something that has made you sad today
This may not seem particularly fun to write about, but the premise is that writing about a sad event can help you cope with it and power through it.
Writing your emotions down has long been used as a coping mechanism. You can use your journal as this coping mechanism too.
Writing it down can help you reflect on what happened and what it is about an event that has made you sad. You may find that you feel much better after writing it down.
14. Write about one moment in your day
We talked about writing about your whole day at the beginning of the article. However, you could take that a step back and write about just one small moment of your day.
It could be something as minute as that very first sip of coffee, or a passing glimpse you caught of a pretty flower whilst on a run or car journey.
Keep the moment simple and see what comes into your mind to write about it.
15. Write one gratitude each day
Even on the most terrible day imaginable, we are sure that you could think about just one thing that you are grateful for.
This can be as tiny as you want it to be, it could even be that you managed to get out of bed (but if you didn’t manage that, then that’s ok too).
Keep this one as simple as possible if you need to. Doing this daily will help you to be grateful for the little things.
16. Write about your dream last night
We all dream, even if we don’t remember them. Experts seem to think that we can forget our dreams within ninety seconds of waking up.
Keep your journal right next to your bed so you can jot down your dreams. This sort of journal entry can quickly form into a habit, and analyzing your dreams can give you a deeper insight into your mind.
Having them all in your journal makes for a fun reminiscing experience later in life too.
17. Write about something that scares you
This could be about a fear such as spiders or clowns or could be a deeper fear you have about not achieving something or even a bad memory that frightens you.
You could use this journal entry to dig deep inside to see what it is about this thing that scares you. Only do this if you feel safe and comfortable to do so.
You may find it very cathartic, and it may even give you a whole new perspective on it.
18. Goals for the day, week, or even the rest of your life
Making goals is one of the most motivating things we can do. Having them written down makes us more likely to do them.
Start your day by writing one or two things you want to achieve that day – it could be to start a new book or something as simple as catch up on laundry.
Follow suit for the rest of your week, or even year. Make these longer goals more meaningful to you. You can then look back at the end of the week or year and see if you achieved any.
19. Copy out your favorite poem
Your journal doesn’t have to be all your own words. Why not write out your favorite poem and then write a response to it?
You could do some good old literary analysis, or if that isn’t your thing you could just jot some ideas about how the poem makes you feel.
You could even use it as inspiration for your own poem.
20. Write down a positive thing about yourself
Sadly, this one stumps a lot of people. It’s super easy to think of things we love about our friends and loved ones, but when it comes to ourselves, often our minds draw a blank.
Challenge yourself to write one thing every single day.
Eventually, this may even become a habit and will improve your self-esteem a huge amount.
21. Get creative
To make a change from writing, why not spend one journal entry doodling instead? Just let your mind wander freely and draw whatever comes out.
You don’t need to be artistic by any means, just do it for the fun of being creative.
22. Analyze your doodles
You know those doodles we just talked about? Well, the day after you have done then, you can use your journal entry to think about what you drew, why you drew it, and how it makes you feel.
Think about any colors you used and what that might represent for you.
Did you draw a happy scene? A sad one? Lots of love hearts?
It may mean nothing at all, but then again, it might do. It will be fun to find out!
23. Where do you want to visit?
Write a list of all the places in the world you want to visit. Write about each place separately if you want to, detailing all the things you’d like to do and places you want to explore when you are there.
Making these travel plans may even come to fruition with enough planning.
24. Track your water intake (or exercise, or fruit intake, or mood)
Using journals as a way of tracking healthy habits is becoming an increasingly popular thing. You can easily draw out a simple tracking sheet in your journal and keep track of those healthy habits you want to take up.
If you need to drink more water each day, you can keep track by drawing a little cup of water each day for how many cups you drink.
Likewise, you can do this for your veggie intake, or even your mood each day. There are many templates to show you how to do this!
25. Write a letter to yourself now
We’ve talked about a letter to your past and future self, but we shouldn’t estimate the powers of giving ourselves a pep talk now!
Use this letter to list the things in your life that are going well. Tell yourself what you love yourself. Make sure to take note of all your achievements to date and be proud of yourself for them.
Be your biggest cheerleader!
26. Your funniest memory
We all have those memories that make us laugh out loud whenever we think of them, no matter how long it has been.
You could write yours into your journal so you have a copy of it forever. Look back at it whenever you are sad, and you will always get a chuckle out of it.
27. A restaurant review
Did you eat somewhere new today? Maybe you just tried a different coffee shop than usual.
You could dedicate some space in your journal to write about the new place, reviewing whether you would go there again, and how eating there made you feel – for example, does it have calming and casual vibes or is it more high-class? Is the food yummy?
You can keep track of all the new places you eat throughout your life, and you can remember where the best places are.
28. What are your most self-sabotaging traits?
This is a little deep but an important one, especially if you are using your journal to help your journey of self-discovery.
Identifying these traits will benefit you hugely. For example, are you your own worst critic, picking apart everything you do?
This is actually very counter-productive, and recognizing traits like this early on will help you in the future.
29. Say your prayers
If you use your journal for your spiritual journey or to help with your religious practice, you could write daily prayers.
Connect with your chosen Divine Being or God through paper and pen as a change to spoken word.
30. What emotion is ruling your life right now?
Sometimes we can get into a bit of a lull, letting one emotion lead our lives. That is great if that emotion is a positive one.
However, if you find yourself in a constant loop of sadness or anger, you may have something you need to address.
Writing down that leading emotion will help you get to the bottom of it. Remember, it doesn’t all have to be sunshine and rainbows, but striving for that happy medium will be a good place to start.
Try and use this journaling idea to get to grips with what is going on for you.
31. To be read….
How many journalers out there are also self-proclaimed bookworms? We certainly are. How many books do you have sat on yourself just waiting to be read?
If the answer is lots then how about making a list of all the books you want to read next?
Making yourself a ‘to be read’ (TBR) list that you will see every day in your journal can be super helpful to motivate you to get through the pile, and then you can even write a review after each book as we suggested in number 5 on the list.
32. What gets you up in the morning?
We all have those days where the thought of leaving our cozy beds is too much, but in the end, we get up and out anyway.
Have a little think about what it is that gets you up on those days. In other words, what motivates you?
Is it the thought of your dream life? Providing for your family? Pure love of your work? Other responsibilities?
Write down your motivation to get out of bed, and what makes you want to get on with your day, even on the worst days.
33. What have you learned today?
Sure you might not be in school or college anymore (or maybe you are in which case this will be easy), but we all learn every single day.
It could be a super cool science fact that you’ve learned that day, or it could be that your colleague doesn’t like beets.
Anything that you’ve learned counts. It doesn’t have to be academic by any means – if it is a fact or opinion that you have learned today, then write it down.
34. Write a letter to a loved one
You don’t have to send this, so don’t panic.
You can keep it just for yourself. Address someone you love in a letter, tell them what you love about them, why you are grateful for them, your favorite memory with them, and anything else that comes to mind.
Maybe it is someone who doesn’t know you love them. You could pen a love letter to a crush and pour your heart into it – you may even feel like you want to show them!
35. Write a letter to someone who has wronged you (or vice versa)
Do you have someone in your past who has hurt you? Maybe you never could find a way to tell them how their actions affected you. If you felt comfortable you could write it all into a letter.
Again you don’t have to share this with anyone, even keeping it for yourself can be cathartic. If you wanted to, you could rip that page out of your journal and rip it up!
Maybe you didn’t get a chance to apologize to someone for something you had done wrong – use your journal to apologize. You may feel a huge weight lifted off your shoulders.
36. Your biggest inspiration
Identifying our inspirations can be one of the most beneficial things we do for our journeys of self-discovery.
It may be a celebrity, a fictional character, a family member, or even ourselves! Write down what it is about this person that inspires you, and what traits of yours you value the most. This will then give you answers about yourself and your values.
What we value most in other people generally are the most important values we want for ourselves.
For example, if you aspire to be like your Grandma because of her generosity, being generous is likely to be one of your most valued traits, and you may even want to be more generous yourself.
37. Your perfect day
Envision your perfect day. Think about every minute of it, from the moment you wake up to the moment you put your head on the pillow.
Where are you?
Are you in a different place for each part of the day?
You can make it as realistic or as far-fetched as you’d like. Write about what makes a day perfect for you.
38. Start with a quotation
What quotations have meaning for you? Is there something that just speaks to you? It can be from your favorite book, poem, or movie.
Maybe a celebrity said it, or a great thinker. Your mom or dad may even have had a saying that you adore.
Whatever it is, write it down as the start of your journal entry, and base your writing around that.
You could write a response to how the quotation makes you feel or a memory of the first time you heard or read it.
39. Lyrical loving
Songs are beautiful. Poetry with music.
Think of some of your favorite songs, what is it about them that you love? We would bet that at least some of them will have lyrics that speak to you.
Make a list of some of the most inspiring and beautiful lyrics you have ever heard.
40. Can you smell that?
Smells are so evocative and can transport us anywhere. But how do you describe a smell? For a real creative challenge, try and describe your favorite scent.
Dedicate a whole journal entry to it, trying to put into words your favorite smell, as well as the memories it evokes for you and the feelings it gives you.
41. What makes you insecure?
Looking at our insecurities may seem negative and tough at first However, getting to know these insecurities and facing them head-on can be super beneficial.
If they are physical traits, try identifying them, and writing a compliment about that trait right after.
For example, if you dislike your nose, write that down but then pay your nose a compliment.
If you are insecure about your ability to do something, when you write this down ensure you write down how you can deal with that, maybe by working harder to master something, or by finding a way around it.
42. If money wasn’t an issue
We all have things that we would like to do if we had endless amounts of money. Write down all the things you would do if you didn’t have to think about costs.
Let yourself dream about traveling anywhere and buying anything.
43. How to get your dream life
If you read the previous journal idea you may well have a whole list of all the things you would do if you had lots of money.
Now, how are you going to get there? Put plans in place about how you can achieve this dream life.
After all, if you can dream it you can do it! (quotation from the Walt Disney Company). Write down your plan to make sure you do it!
44. What makes you feel like you can handle anything?
Do you have a song you listen to give you a confidence boost? What about a trusty tie that has bagged you every interview you have ever had?
Maybe there’s a bold lipstick you turn to that makes you feel like you can get through anything life throws at you?
Whatever gives you that confidence boost, write about it.
If it’s numerous things – awesome! You can keep adding to it, too, if you find a new motivational quotation or song.
45. What goals haven’t you achieved?
We all have them. Those elusive goals we set ourselves but never quite manage to achieve. Write down the goals that you didn’t meet that have bothered you the most.
Maybe every year you set a goal of getting your license, or of traveling to a certain place.
Think about the reasons why you haven’t managed to achieve these goals, and what steps you can take to correct these reasons so that you may achieve this goal in the future.
46. Your very first memory
Write in your journal about the very first memory you have. No matter how small and silly it may seem, there is a reason you remember it.
Write down the reasons why you think you remember it so vividly, and what thinking about that memory means to you.
Does it bring you joy to think about that memory? Write down all those feelings.
47. What do you wish you could remember from your childhood?
We all have those stories that older family members tell us about when we were younger that we don’t remember for some reason.
Do you have a funny thing that you did as a youngster that your family is always teasing you about?
Write down that story, so that even though you don’t remember it actually happening, you will always remember the story of it.
48. Why did you start a journal?
You might write in your journal daily, but why did you start? Dedicate a whole journal entry to why you started in the first place.
This can be a particularly good journal idea if you have started to lose focus and motivation. It can help you remember your driving force behind starting your journal and get you back on track.
A very productive journaling idea, in our opinion!
49. Who makes you happy?
We hope that everyone has a person in their lives that makes them feel like the sun is shining even on the most miserable day.
Write about that person.
Write about the feelings they give you. Write about what it is about them that makes you feel so good. If you can’t think of a person – then write about yourself and what you do to make yourself smile!
50. Start with just one word
This one seems a little random but we promise it’s super powerful. Pick one word. Choose it at random if you like. Maybe pick one word to describe how your day has gone.
Whatever word you choose, just write it at the top of your journal entry for that day, and let more words flow from it.
You may find no words to follow it. That is fine.
However, you are likely to find that in the process of choosing a word, other words have flown into your mind.
Write them all down. Write freely and see what happens.
You may make the most beautiful poem in the world. It may turn into a mind map of words, all related to one another.
It may even just be a heap of words with no connection. Whatever flows out of your pen, let it happen.
51. Journal in a new location… describe that location
Do you usually complete your journal entries in the same place? How about taking your journal somewhere new, and let inspiration come to you from your surroundings.
Look around. Write down what you see.
How does this new place make you feel? Is it warm where you are? Can you feel the sun? Can you smell anything?
Write it all down and let the words flow from you easily.
52. Question everything
What Big Universal Questions do you have? We all have them. You know the ones – ‘what is the meaning of life?’ or ‘Why are we here?’ and of course, ‘Why does chocolate taste so good?’. Y’know, all the important stuff!
Whatever those questions are, whoever they are for, write them down. If you have a faith or are on a spiritual journey, your questions may be related to that.
Maybe you just have a lot of curiosities. Leave a blank space under each question, because maybe one day you will have the answer to write in…
53. Write down recipes you want to try
We spoke a little about recipes at the start of the article. Do an internet search for some inspiration, trawl through some recipe books, ask friends and families for their favorites, and compile all of the yummiest ones into a journal entry.
When you have cooked them you can even add a short review and rating of each of them.
54. Write about something you want to let go of, and then let go
Letting go is hard. Whether it be of a person who no longer makes you happy, or emotional baggage, or even a job that makes you miserable, all of them present their own issues.
Try writing about it first, thinking about why you want to let go of it or them, how you will feel when you have let go, and also give thanks to how that thing or person may have helped you in the past.
You may find it far easier to let go of that thing or person in real life, then.
55. Write as though you are someone else
Pretend you are a loved one, a colleague, a celebrity, a fictional character, or even a pet. Write about their day. If you don’t know how their day went, imagine it.
Put yourself in their shoes, imagine what they might have eaten, where they might have been, and how they might have felt.
This form of journal writing can open you up to lots of different perspectives, letting you be a well-rounded person.
56. What is making you sad right now?
Do you have an obligation that you have to do each day or week that makes you feel sad? Maybe it’s something that you feel is a waste of your time, and drains your energy negatively.
Write about it.
Write about why you do it even though it produces these negative feelings.
You may find that in writing about it, you realize you don’t need it in your life.
Or, if it is something you have to do, you may gain a new perspective on it through writing.
57. Thank yourself
Take the time to write all about yourself. Thank you legs for carrying you. Your heart for pumping blood around you.
Your lungs for letting you breathe.
Thank your hands for letting you write. Thank your eyes for letting you read this or your ears for letting you listen. Write it all in a love-letter to yourself.
Value yourself. Love yourself.
58. What’s going on in the world today?
Dedicate a journal entry to writing about the goings-on in the world around you. Remember to date it. You can make sure it is only happy news if you like.
Or you can make it realistic and write about every news story being shown on tv or the newspaper.
You could include the Top Ten Music Singles, the current best selling books, the movies being shown in theaters. Whatever you deem important can be included.
Keep it as a time capsule to look back on in years to come.
59. Write about an amazing family member
Do you have a family member who has a wonderful, amazing story? Maybe they’ve done something incredible, maybe they’re a little bit of a local celebrity.
Maybe they’re an actual celebrity! Tell their story.
Make a biography for them. Honor them in writing forever, either for yourself or for your whole family to read.
60. How can you spread the love?
Think about all the amazing qualities you have, and how you can use them to bring more love to the world.
Okay, maybe the world sounds like a big task, but how about bringing love to your family and friends first?
Write down all the ways you can share the love with others, whether that be through writing like this, poetry, music, baking, a simple smile, or a hug. Write about how sharing this love will make you feel.
Final word
There you have it! 60 Journaling Ideas for that EXTRA Inspiration. We are sure that you will find some perfect journaling ideas in our list above, all of which will help to motivate and inspire you.
Enjoy them, and happy journaling!
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