Do you love journal prompts as much as I do? Well, then you’re in for a treat, because today I’m sharing 10 of my favorite journal prompts for jacking up the old self esteem and boosting confidence.
How to use journal prompts
Perhaps you’re like me and have been journaling forever and ever, but want some fresh inspiration and a little self love boost. Even if you’ve been in it for the long haul, it can be really fun and inspiring to have a little structure and do some deeper digging. (Total side note: I even kept some of my journals from when I was a little kid, and even at seven I was writing down my thoughts and dreams, which where mostly about my cats and bffs, but still).
Or maybe you’re brand new to journaling and you know having some journal prompts will help you make it a habit. I’m happy to help.
I created these journal prompts to help you out with your self esteem, self trust, and confidence level. How do you use them? Simply write down the prompt listed below and then respond from your heart. Try to just let it flow out of you, rather than forcing anything. You can do one a day or do them all at once, whatever feels best to you, but they are interlinked, so once you’ve completed all of them, look them over as a group. Or, if you need more guidance, check out this video.
No matter how many you choose to do, when you’re done each day, read back over your answers. See what resonates and connects with you. What do you want to add or subtract from your life based on your answers? Where do you see the most room for change?
Before we get to the prompts, if you’re looking for more prompts or art journal prompts, get these 40 mantras and prompts for overcoming creative blocks.
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10 journal prompts for self esteem
#1 I know I’m Good at…
Here’s a quick and easy way to let yourself see some good in yourself. Let whatever wants to come out come out! You may find that you’re writing you’re good at making cookies or sleeping or anticipating other people’s needs or staying level headed in a crisis or clipping coupons. Just let it all come out and then read back over the list and add what feels right. I know for sure you’re really good at plenty of things, and if you can’t see that, you may want to figure out how to stop letting negative thoughts rule your roost.
#2 When I trust myself and my intuition, I…
Think about all the times you’ve felt a message from your inner voice and let yourself follow through with it. Were you able to avoid a car accident? Get out of a bad relationship? Pick the right pair of shoes? You might also answer with this question with how you feel when you trust yourself. Do you feel calm and in control? Does it boost your self esteem and make you feel like you can handle anything?
#3 When I ignore my inner voice…
Here’s the flip side. What has happened when you don’t trust yourself and your gut? What happens when you ignore your inherent worth as a human? This journal prompt may bring up things that don’t feel quite so sunny, but it’s valuable information, because once you know going against your inner wisdom lowers your sense of self an confidence, it will feel easier to start to trust yourself.
#4 I feel best about myself when…
Just let the answers flow out. Pay special notice to when you feel best about yourself–is it only when you’re in the service of others? Only when other people have paid you a compliment? There is no wrong answer here, you’re simply gaining information to figure out where your self esteem might need a boost (because if all of your good vibes are coming from other people, it’s time to start giving some to yourself!)
#5 My most common negative thoughts are…
Ooooh, things are getting juicy! What is it that you tell yourself all day long? You may not realize this, but if you’re kind of low on the self esteem totem pole, it’s not because there’s anything wrong with you, it’s that you’ve internalized negative stories and thoughts about yourself and are spewing them out on repeat. (You can start to change that, though!) Knowing what the stories are is really helpful so you can start quickly identifying them.
#6 I can begin to separate from these thoughts by…
See what comes up for you here. Perhaps you’ve read about various techniques for positive thinking, such as turning the thought around or simply replacing it with a better thought, or perhaps this is the first time you’ve become aware of all this bad juju floating around in your head. Either way, write down some ideas for how you can stop buying into all these bad thoughts and try them out (because the bad thoughts are what’s hurting your self confidence!).
#7 The People I can rely on when I feel low are…
Who comes to mind? Do you connect with these people enough? Do you have the support network you need? If not, what can you do to change that?
#8 The best way to get out of my head is…
What is it for you? Exercising? Creating a play list? Walking in the woods? Write down anything and everything that comes up, then use that list as a way to help you get away from all that mind junk that’s bringing you down.
#9 in my ideal world, I’d…
Another juicy one. Please don’t censor yourself, just write down everything that comes to you. Once you see your list, don’t use it as a way to get down on yourself for what you haven’t accomplished, use it as a way to start dreaming and building the life you do want.
#10 what I’ll do the next time I doubt myself…
The best way to improve your self esteem is to stop believing the negative thoughts that tell you you’re not good enough. However, it’s important to have an arsenal of ideas for when you’re feeling down, so just let the ideas flow here.
your next steps
Now that you’ve worked your way through these prompts, how about a few more of them? I created these free printable art journal prompts for overcoming blocks, and I know you’ll love them!
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