100 Writing Prompts for Self-Reflection and Self-Discovery
Self-Reflect To Move Forward
Writing and honest self-reflection. They go hand in hand in that they can help and hinder each other.
Writing can be the perfect tool for a bit of self-discovery, however when you throw writers block into the mix – something that hits me often – it can really hamper any efforts to get things out of your head, to process and reflect on them, and to take the next steps (whatever they may be).
Which is why I’ve brainstormed a list of 100 writing prompts for self-reflection and self-discovery for you.
With a list this extensive, I hope it provides you ideas and inspiration to help you explore and reflect on your thoughts via writing, be it on your own blog, through journaling, or in some other written form.
When do you feel happiest in your skin?
List ten things that make you smile
Write about five things you are grateful for this week. In addition, you can write a monthly, quarterly and yearly gratitude list!
How do you look after your mental health?
Reflect on how you have changed since 5 years ago
Are you addicted to social media? Assess yourself honestly and explore how it impacts your life and what changes, if any, you can make
What is something that has impacted positively on your life?
In what ways have you grown as a person this year? What/who has influenced you? And what have you learned?
How was your day?
If you were stranded on a desert island, what is the one thing and the one person you would choose to have with you and why?
Go for a walk with your phone/camera and take some photos. Afterwards, sit down and reflect on one of the photos you took
If you could relive an experience in your life, what would it be?
Where is your favourite place in the world? It could be a country, town, place, room in your house or something else!
What does growing older mean to you?
Furthermore, how do you look after your physical health?
How do you handle a bad day?
Reminisce about your first love. P.S. It could be a car, a person, or something else
My favourite way to spend the day is …
Describe your perfect day
Write about your top 3 goals. What are they, how will you feel when you achieve them, and finally, what will your life look like?
Reminisce about your wedding day
What scares you?
Who inspires you?
List the things you need/want to achieve in the next week
What do you consider your greatest professional success? Similarly, what do you consider your greatest personal success?
I feel amazing when …
Try your hand and write a poem. Use one of these prompts to guide you
What advice would you give your 20-something self?
Where do you see yourself in 5 years from now?
What brings you joy?
What was the defining moment in your life?
Choose 3 photos of yourself across your lifetime and write about how you feel looking at them. On reflection, what were you doing in the photo and what you were like at the time?
Are you a city, a country or a beach person?
What memory do you cherish the most?
If you could invent something, what would it be? Personally, I’d go with some kind of teleportation device 🙂
What was the best concert you have ever been to?
Write the words you need to hear right now.
What is the best gift you have ever given or received?
Write about the place you grew up. How has it shaped you?
Pretend you are a tourist in your own town. Head out for a road trip with your camera, take some pics, and write about it
What makes you uniquely you?
Are you an introvert or an extrovert? How has it shaped your life?
How do you maintain balance in your life? Are there any changes you need to make?
When you are feeling down, what picks you up?
How do you manage stress? Explore what has worked for you and what hasn’t
What are your top life hacks?
What is the best compliment you’ve ever received?
If you had a theme song, what would it be?
What would you do if you knew you could not fail?
Write about a cause close to your heart, and why it is so important to you
What is a habit you would like to change?
Interview yourself or ask someone to interview you
What is your favourite season and why
How does it feel to be the age you currently are?
Write about the first time you saw/held your newborn
What is on your bucket list?
I couldn’t live without …
What is your biggest weakness? On the other hand, what is your greatest strength?
What excites you about the future?
How has each member of your immediate family helped to shape your life?
What is your earliest childhood memory?
Do you have a pet? Write about them!
Name three things you couldn’t live without
What are you really good at?
Head out to a cafe or somewhere public, sit, and people watch. Write about what or who you see. Let your imagination run free. Write about the history of the people you see, what is happening, what they are thinking, what there future will be
What was the funniest thing you saw or heard this week?
Write a letter to your son or daughter
I feel most satisfied when …
What do you wish others knew about you?
List your top wellness tips
Do you have a routine or a you a person who hates routine?
What is the best advice someone has ever given you? Furthermore, what impact did this have on your life?
The most important things in my life are …
What is your life motto, or what words do you live by?
Who do you look up to, and what do you admire most about them?
Write a letter to your teenage self
If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
What brings a tear to the eye? (It could be happy tears!)
Write about something you have never told anyone about before
What do you want to be remembered for?
How will you commit to taking better care of yourself next year?
What does it mean to live an authentic life?
Of all of the books you have read this year, which has been your favourite, and why?
What does success mean to you?
If you struggle with procrastination, what do you think causes it?
Write the top 5 things in your life that are causing you stress. For each stressor, write what you can do to change it
What is something you would love to learn how to do?
Are you a spiritual person? Describe your beliefs and how they affect and define how you live your life?
What would you do if you knew you could not fail?
My favourite childhood memory is …
What do you love most about your partner? List them
Name 4 little things that always make you happy i.e. coffee in the morning, hugs, puppies, a good book
Write your own list of writing prompts just like this one!
Do you prefer to read fiction or non-fiction? Why?
What friends are you most grateful for? List what makes each friend so special
List 5 things you love about your home
My favourite way to spend the day is …
What are the 3 biggest distractions in your life at the moment, and how can you go about reducing them?
Sit down and do a life audit. Work through every section of your life and assess what is working well, what isn’t, and any changes you could make
Write a life admin list and then get to work on ticking those items off of your list!
Well, there you have it. 100 writing prompts for self-reflection.
Writing – Getting Started
Writing is more than having an idea. It’s also about the process. Here’s a few things that help me with the writing process:
Just write. The best way to start writing is to do just that. There’s no need to write war and peace (unless you feel inclined to). Just let your thoughts flow and your hand move over the paper or laptop, writing whatever comes to mind!
Embrace the connection between hand, pen and paper. Buy some lovely pens in different colours that sit well in your hand and move over the paper nicely. Nice pens will make the writing process so much more enjoyable.
Invest in a beautiful notebook or journal. Invest in an inspiring journal or notebook filled with quality paper to write on. Personally, I’m in love with these journals by Soothi. Leather-bound, handmade. Just beautiful.
Ditch perfection. Write what you want how you want, without a care in the world for spelling or grammar. That can come later through the editing process.
Remove distractions. Put your phone away and lap up the peace and quiet, and lack of distractions which will allow you to focus.
I hope you enjoy the prompts and that they help you in your journey of self-discovery.
Happy writing and reflecting!
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Thank you for reading. Janine is someone of many things: a proud red head, writer, communicator, mentor, lover of books and more. Read more from her here.