15+ Morning Journal Writing Prompts

Journaling is the intentional process of writing down your thoughts, feelings, ideas, plans, hopes, goals, or positive affirmations. But what, specifically, is “morning journaling”? Morning journaling is the practice of journaling as soon as you wake up, before you talk to anyone, check your phone, or engage with the world. Journaling first thing in the morning is the daily check in with yourself that will start the day on a positive note, provide insight into your mindset, inspire deeper reflection, help you align the day’s actions with your higher goals and ambitions, and boost your wellbeing.

So how do you do morning journaling? Find a comfortable location free from distraction. Then put pen to paper, and just write. Stream of consciousness writing therapy is a free-form style of morning journaling where you write down everything that you’re thinking without editing or judgement. You let the words flow without thought to punctuation, style, grammar, or format. It is meant to be a powerful source of release, helping you to let go of chaotic thoughts and regain calm and balance. Set a timer for 15 minutes. Keep it short and manageable. The goal is to journal a little bit every morning.

Experience the Many Benefits of Journaling

Morning journaling is a way to capture your thoughts, reflect on them without judgment, find clarity, and process the emotions associated with them in a productive way. This intensely personal exercise in self-care is a journey of discovery and illumination that offers many health and wellbeing benefits:

• PHYSICAL: Lowers blood pressure; strengthens your immune system; lowers cortisol levels which allows you to heal quicker; improves sleep
• MENTAL: Reduces stress, depression, and anxiety; helps you learn from experiences and shines a light on positive aspects; enhances the brain’s intake, processing, memory, and retrieval of info; boosts self-confidence; improves problem solving abilities
• EMOTIONAL: Allows you to process complicated emotions, acknowledge negative thoughts, then release them; balances mood
• PSYCHOLOGICAL: Gets you focused; puts you in the mindset to be productive; offers clarity to figure out next steps; deepens self-discovery/enlightenment; aids in tracking progress and growth toward goals; improves sense of gratitude and mindfulness
• CREATIVE: Empties your mind of clutter to concentrate energy on generating ideas; provides inspiration and boosts creativity; improves writing and communication skills

The Many Types of Journaling

There is no “right” way to do morning journaling — there are many ways to approach it. Choose the type of journaling that feels most comfortable to you. You’ll be surprised at the healing, growth, and optimism that will result.

• Self-care journaling: Self-care journaling is about listening to what your own needs, thoughts, ideas, and feelings are. It’s a place to explore questions, issues, thought patterns, and decision-making.
• Mindfulness journaling: Mindfulness journaling helps you examine what is in your head compared to what is in your heart, helping you remain present while gaining perspective. Think about an issue, a relationship, or an event, and journal about the emotions it evokes (anger, happiness, frustration, love).
• Healing journaling: Similar to speaking with a therapist, healing journaling is a way to unpack deep traumas by processing your memories, triggers, anxieties, and underlying emotions on a specific subject or event.
• Reflective journaling: Reflective journaling is the practice of objectively documenting your experiences as well as introspectively interpretating those experiences. What did you learn from the experience?

Other Types of Journals to Keep

Besides morning journaling, there are many other types of thematic journals you can keep that will also enrich your life:

• Dream journal: Dream journaling is the practice of recording the plot points and emotions of your dreams. It can reveal patterns or break creative blocks.
• Fitness journal: A fitness journal is a written record of your workouts, and any observations about your physical and emotional state during the workout. It will help you track your progress toward achieving your fitness goals.
• Habit tracking journal: A habit tracking journal helps you prioritize what habits are important to you (daily reading, exercising, saving, etc.), motivate you to break bad habits, and keep you on track to support new habits.
• Memory journal: A memory journal focuses on the people, places, and events that matter most to you. Journal about anything that you want to preserve as a memory — your favorite books, music, art, quotes, traditions, etc.
• Parenting journal: A parenting journal records interactions you have with your children in an effort to spot patterns and take action to improve the relationship.
• Food journal: A food journal is a daily log of what you eat and drink each day. It helps you understand your eating habits, and the emotions behind why you eat when you eat, to help you make changes to improve your health.
• Gratitude journal: A gratitude journal focuses on what you’re grateful for so you become more mindful of the good that surrounds you.
• Travel journal: A travel journal captures memories of eventful trips — from the sights you see to the foods you eat — and the feelings you experienced.

Writing Prompts

Morning journaling is a valuable tool for personal growth and self-discovery. But some mornings you feel “stuck”, and your writing doesn’t flow. Time to reach for a journal prompt! Prompts provide inspiration, structure, motivation, accountability, and room for reflection. Jumpstart your morning journaling using one of these interesting starters:

• What can you do to nurture yourself right now?
• Who do you trust most? Why?
• What are three things working well in your current relationship? What are three things that could be better?
• How does work fulfill you?
• What is something that you would like to change about yourself?
• What are your top priorities for the day?
• What are you looking forward to tomorrow?
• Reflect on the changing of the seasons and the beauty of nature.
• Write about an experience that taught you about forgiveness or acceptance.
• What do you fear most? Have your fears changed throughout life?
• What is one thing you can’t live without?
• What is your favorite childhood memory?
• What are your top three goals for the next year?
• What place makes you feel most peaceful?
• Describe your favorite thing to do when feeling low.
• Finish this sentence: “My life would be incomplete without…”
• What are some new skills or knowledge areas that you want to develop?
• What inspires you?

Support Your Overall Health & Wellness with Morning Journals

There are so many reasons to journal. Whether you are journaling for personal or spiritual growth, to find your life’s purpose, or to process a trauma, morning journaling will help deepen your understanding of yourself. Morning journaling is a key part of the healing process to become whole again. Make it a habit to journal 15-minutes every day, and you’ll reap the benefits of reduced stress, better mood, true gratitude, deeper understanding of self, clarity of life purpose, and optimism for the future.

You can even switch up the theme of your journal and spend time writing a dream journal, a parenting journal, or a food journal. At OHI, we encourage daily journaling as a way to connect more deeply with yourself and with God.

Give yourself the gift of a healing retreat at OHI and jumpstart your holistic healing journey. Book your next visit to OHI today. Call OHI at (800) 588-0809 to learn more about our holistic approach to health and wellness. Hope to see you soon!