10 Daily Journaling Prompts to Reflect During the Pandemic
Folks, we live in weird times. Those of us who are social distancing and self-isolating may feel a lot of pressure to use this time wisely (how many posts have you seen on social media about Isaac Newton, Shakespeare, etc. creating their master works insolation?), but the truth is that it’s hard to be creative when the future is so uncertain and people are suffering. I know that many of my short- and long-term goals have already changed based on the current situation. We’re all going through a period of transition. (My friend Annie Flanzraich wrote about coping with communal grief.)
Despite everything, I still feel motivated to write but am treating it as a personal outlet rather than a productive activity. (This great Twitter thread by Delilah Dawson sums it up well, differentiating between doing our art for pleasure and fulfillment rather than trying to meet some arbitrary goals during this time.) Sure, I still have ideas for projects I’d like to do, but I’m enjoying writing for the sake of writing. I’m not the most consistent journaler but I’ve found journaling to be a really nice activity right now. Join me in using writing to reflect and document this strange time. Many people have compared this time in history to previous hard times in the world, like World War II — journals and letters from that era give us insight into how people coped with the dangers of the world. We’re not alone in this.
So, if you’re struggling to be creative, I encourage you to try journaling as a way to connect with yourself and your inner creativity. Journaling is a private, personal activity and a good way to remember that not all writing needs to be shared with the world. Let it quiet your thoughts.
You can use a journaling app or a notebook. Some journaling apps I like are:
10 Daily Journaling Prompts
Prompt 1: How do I feel today?
Prompt 2: What are my hopes for the future?
Prompt 3: What have I done today to be good to myself?
Prompt 4: What have I done today to help others?
Prompt 5: How have some of my goals and plans changed?
Prompt 6: What is one new short-term goal I can set for myself?
Prompt 7: What is one new long-term goal I can set for myself?
Prompt 8: What can I do today to make progress toward one of my goals?
Prompt 9: What is one thing I’m struggling with today?
Prompt 10: What is one thing I’m grateful for today?
Bonus Activity: Bullet Journaling
Photo by Estee Janssens: https://unsplash.com/@esteejanssens
This is a great time to try out bullet journaling! Bullet journaling is a system of documenting your habits and schedule in a fun, artistic way. But ultimately, you can use bullet journaling as a creative outlet. Search hashtag #bujo on social media to get a ton of inspiration. I’m going to be bullet journaling more in the future. Typically I journal on my iPad but I’m feeling a pull toward physical notebooks right now, perhaps as a way to connect with something tangible. I’ll share my bullet journal spreads over on my Instagram, @ashleyscribemind.
Sending you all lots of love and peace of mind during this tough time. ♥️
