Easy Daily Journal Prompt
As a therapist, I know that journaling can be helpful. I suggest it to my therapy clients all the time. Yet I have never been able to keep up with journaling for more than a few days. What am I supposed to write every day? What I did? How I feel? Past memories?
I’ve also tried apps that give daily prompts, but I didn’t like them. They felt forced and it felt like other things I do on my phone: mindless.
I recently read, “The Gifts of Imperfection” by Brené Brown and she suggested the following daily journal prompt using vowels (AEIOUY) as the mnemonic device. I have been using this journal prompt for about one month and I love it. It takes me at most 3 minutes per evening to complete. Before going to bed, I sit down with a little notebook I found and just write each letter and my thoughts on that topic for the day.
If I need or want to write more about a particular section, I have that option, but in general I keep my responses to 1-2 sentences max.
Here is the breakdown of the journal prompt and some examples for each section:
A - Abstinence
Is there something or some behavior I am working to cut back on? This could be a substance (alcohol, marijuana, etc.), over eating, online shopping, yelling, time on social media, saying “yes” to everything…anything you want less of in your life.
E - Exercise
Did you move your body in a meaningful way today? Exercise/movement can be anything that gets your heart rate up for any duration.
Dance party with your 5 year old? Exercise.
Walking your dog? Exercise.
20 sit ups? Exercise.
Yoga for 5 minutes? Exercise.
I - I (Myself)
What did I do for myself today? It does not have to be a full on spa day, or meditating for 20 minutes. It can be small things to such as:
Sitting to drink my coffee while it’s still hot (ignoring the chaos around me).
Playing a game on my phone (intentionally, not mindlessly!).
Enjoying a sweet treat alone.
Sitting outside for 2 minutes in the sun.
Calling a trusted person to talk.
O - Others
What did I do for someone else today? Sometimes we do big things for others, but we can do small things.
Giving my spouse “time off” and taking over care of the kids.
Returning a dropped coat/toy to a parent at the park.
Listening to a friend/family member who is struggling.
Buying/giving cookies to neighbors.
Sending a “thinking of you” text to a friend.
U - Unresolved Emotions
What emotions have gone unresolved today?
Still annoyed that my boss had a meeting that could have been an email.
Angry at my partner for not listening to me.
Worried about an ill family member.
Frustrated with someone’s response to a concern.
Y - Yay!
What good things happened today? Alternatively, what are you grateful for today?
Had a great meeting with a colleague at work.
Got to school drop off on time.
Ate a really good sandwich at lunch.
Played with my dog.
Journaling in general is beneficial to our mental health, but sometimes it can be difficult to know what to write. This quick prompt covers several topics, but does not take up much time (unless you want it too!). Give it a go, and let me know what you think!
