Easy Journal Prompts That Will Spark Your Motivation In 2024

This post is about 60 amazingly thought-provoking journal prompts to inspire you in the new year.

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Journaling is an excellent way to help regroup your thoughts, ignite motivation, and reflect on your life.

I’m sure we’ve all at some point held a journal at some point in our lives, whether it be a My Little Pony notebook like I had as a kid that came with those flimsy little locks and a key that got lost within days, or a document in the notes app of our phones that held our deepest thoughts.

Journaling is a pastime implemented throughout many stages of our lifetimes.

With 2024 quickly approaching, journaling is a great hobby that you should consider taking up in the new year, and if you’re reading this post, you’re probably already on the right track to doing so.

But, sometimes, we can get stuck in journal writing, especially if we’re starting.

Luckily, I’ve got you covered with 60 of my top favorite journal writing prompts covering self-love, gratitude, and goal setting.

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All of the included journal prompts are thought-provoking and inspiring, so you’ll never have to use the excuse of not knowing what to write about ever again.

My Experience Journaling

Towards the end of 2023, I had just gone through a significant realization in my life, a mid-20s crisis, lol.

It was a calling that I needed to get some professional help with what I was going through at the time, and in turn, I decided to go to therapy.

Even though therapy sessions were somewhat helpful, they indeed weren’t enough for me, and I knew I didn’t want to vent all my problems, aspirations, fears, insecurities, and cloud of thoughts onto people around me, no matter who it was.

With that in mind, what better way to release it than to write it all out?

That couldn’t be too hard, and writing is already a favorite hobby of mine.

Not only would journaling clear my mind of the cluttered thoughts and emotions, but I could also look back on it as a way of reflecting.

So I did what any girl would do and headed out to Target.

I picked up a baby pink journal and made the little pink book my outlet.

Benefits Of Journaling

Mental Clarity

With our brains constantly in different directions, it can be exhausting to think about all that we may have going on, personally, in our work, and in our plans for the future.

Whether you’re going through your own mid-20s crisis, have loads of business ideas, or need your personal space to vent and reflect, journaling is the perfect medium to do a brain dump of everything you may be storing in your mind, good and bad.

Motivation

It can be hard to maintain motivation sometimes, no matter what you may be trying to accomplish.

Journaling has helped me spill out all of my goals, business plans, aspirations, and hopes for the upcoming new year all in one place.

After I’ve freed up space in my mind and journaled everything down on paper, I can get a visual look at all of the brilliant ideas that I have, and thus, it makes it easier to execute those ideas and put them into action.

Reflection

Reflecting on past thoughts and experiences is the best part of journaling.

Even just journaling for a couple of months and reading back my journal entries, I have been able to get a clear visual of the growth that I’ve made, and so will you!

So save all of your journals and journal entries.

Years later, you may find something inspirational that your past self wrote on paper that can help guide your future self or a goal you put entirely aside and want to pick up again.

Types Of Journaling

There are a couple of different avenues you can take when it comes to choosing a format for journaling.

Two of the most common forms of journaling include writing in a lined physical notebook or the new digital journaling form.

Physical notebooks with lines are my favorite because I like to have my journaling ideas separate from technology.

Journaling looks different for everyone, but it is helpful to unplug from my devices to truly get in touch with my inner thoughts, like a form of meditation, but on paper.

If you are more of a tech lover and enjoy the creativity that comes with graphics and designing, digital journaling is an excellent fit for you.

With digital stickers, an array of brush strokes, brush colors, and digital journal designs, digital journaling is the perfect way to incorporate this pastime and mix it with your love of new-age technology.

Additional mediums of journaling include bullet journaling and art journaling.

Experiment with what type of journaling works best for you. You may even find yourself switching from one medium to another for more convenience or freedom of expression.

Either way, create a journal that is unique to you.

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How To Journal

I wouldn’t say I’m a pro three months into my journaling journey.

Admittedly, I skip over my journal sessions now and then, which is totally okay. Journaling doesn’t have to be an everyday practice.

Of course, if that’s what you’re striving for, then by all means, do the thing! However, journaling is more helpful when I have a specific goal.

Whether it be to evoke a feeling, word vomit my thoughts, or make a plan for the future; sometimes sporadic journaling is even better!

Along the way, I’ve found a few additions that help add to my overall journaling experience that you should try out for yourself.

Music

Journaling can be a great way to manifest your dreams, goals, and aspirations.

Manifesting brings something tangible into your life through visualization, the law of attraction, and belief.

It is the practice of thinking positive aspirational thoughts to make them a reality.

Playing a high-vibrational soundtrack while journaling can help get your mind in the right place to feel good about what you’re manifesting while journaling.

High-vibration music is specifically designed to uplift and inspire oneself. This music can range from Ariana Grande’s “Just Like Magic” to different frequencies of melodic sound.

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Playing music you enjoy can also be a fantastic way to encourage your emotions to flow out on the paper and give you new ideas on what to journal.

I’ve included a link to my Spotify playlist that I call “Bad Bitches Manifest.” It consists of a mashup of my favorite pop songs that get me in the groove to embrace my highest self and feel empowered while journaling.

Scenery

Setting the scene for your writing session can be as crucial as what journaling prompt you choose.

You might not have much luck tapping into your deep inner thoughts if you’re trying to journal in a coffee shop during rush hour or on a crowded subway.

I recommend journaling in a place that feels peaceful to you. In a quiet place to let your mind wander and pleasant enough to be serene.

Some good places to try journaling include a private area at your local library, a park, a co-working space, or even just in the comfort of your home nestled in your bed. You can even take it up a notch and light candles or burn incense.

Whatever ambiance you choose to journal in, ensure it’s a comfortable place to feel creatively free.

Theme

If you’ve always wanted to journal but have been hesitant due to the thought of not knowing what to write about being scary, you’ve come to the right place.

Journal prompts can be extremely helpful for this very reason. It would be best if you used them to get you started with journaling in the beginning.

With many journal themes to select from, you’re bound to find a starting point that you’ll be able to write about quickly. Believe it or not, before you know it, you may not even have to use prompts for assistance.

With the help of this blog post and your dedication to journaling, you’ll be a pro journalist in no time.

With that in mind, continue reading this article for a roundup of my favorite journaling prompts covering self-love, gratitude, and goal-setting to help guide you through the process.

Additional Journaling Tips

1. You don’t have to feel pressured to journal every single day.
2. There is no wrong way to journal. Don’t feel pressured to write extensively long paragraphs.
3. Your handwriting doesn’t have to be perfect.
4. You don’t need a whole journaling routine.

Self-Love Journal Prompts

1. What does self-love mean to you?
2. How have you shown yourself some love today?
3. I deserve happiness because…
4. What does your ‘Best day ever’ look like?
5. What is your favorite personality trait, and why?
6. What is your favorite facial feature, and why?
7. In what ways do you make the world a better place?
8. Write a letter of encouragement to your future self
9. Write a list of everything that you consider a strength of yours
10. What do you need more of in your life?
11. What’s your biggest insecurity? What would life look like if you let those insecurities go?
12. What do you love most about your current life?
13. What is an accomplishment that you are most proud of?
14. How do you spend your time alone?
15. What advice would you give to your childhood self?
16. What advice would you give to your future self?
17. How do you remind yourself that you are enough?
18. What does your dream self-care day look like?
19. What are five things you can do this week to prioritize yourself first?
20. When are you saying “yes” when you want to be saying “no”?

Gratitude Journal Prompts

1. What is something that you’re proud of?
2. What are some of your greatest strengths?
3. What was the best thing that happened today?
4. Write about five good things that happened to you last month
5. What is something that you once wanted before and have now? How has it made your life better?
6. What is your favorite thing about your partner, family member, or friend?
7. What do you love about your living space?
8. What is a childhood memory that you are grateful for?
9. Write down three things about your job that you are grateful for
10. What has been the biggest learning lesson in your life so far, and why are you grateful for that lesson?
11. Write about a past fear that you are grateful for overcoming
12. Think about your favorite travel experience. Why are you grateful for having traveled to this place?
13. What small win have you experienced recently?
14. What are three things that you love most about your body and why?
15. What does gratitude mean to you?
16. What gift were you most grateful for this year?
17. What is something that you are looking forward to?
18. What’s something about your health that you are grateful for?
19. What do you enjoy most about your life?
20. How does gratitude make you feel?

Goal Setting Journal Prompts

1. What do you want to achieve this year in your profession?
2. What do you want to accomplish this year in your personal life?
3. What keeps you motivated?
4. What do you value most in your life?
5. What excites you most about reaching your potential goals?
6. What skills/knowledge do you have that will make it easier for you to reach your goals?
7. What habits and routines can you begin to reach your goals?
8. What is the purpose of your goals?
9. How will you feel after reaching your goals?
10. Where do you hope to be this time next year?
11. What are your top five priorities right now before the year ends?
12. What would be on it if you created a vision board for yourself?
13. How can you ensure that you reach your desired goals this year?
14. What has been holding you back from achieving these goals?
15. What’s one thing you can do each day to get you closer to achieving your desired goals?
16. How does the idea of not achieving your desired goals make you feel?
17. What does burnout look like and feel like for you?
18. Do you ever feel apprehensive about achieving your goals? Why or why not?
19. What are your core values? Do these goals reflect those values?
20. Is there anyone or anything that can help you achieve your desired goals?

Whether you’re hoping to get into journaling to help you gain clarity, increase your drive, or reflect, these journal prompts are guaranteed to assist you in your journal writing process.

So, you never have to worry about that annoying writer’s block anymore that’s been holding you back from picking up your journal again.

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Save this post for later and share the article with a friend who could use these 60 thought-provoking journal prompts, too! 

Happy journaling.

xo, Willow Y.