Weekly prompts to help you think a little harder, write a little longer, and have a bit of fun in your journal. I provide the prompt and then a bit of discussion afterward to help you think beyond the prompt.
How To Use Weekly Prompts
Using weekly prompts can be as simple or as difficult as you would like. I do not use one every day, and sometimes I use several from the weekly prompts list at one time. Over time, I have learned that too simple doesn’t work for me. I like to push the question around in my mind, look at it from a couple of different perspectives, and see what comes out.
Imagine, if you will, the prompt as a unique piece of artwork. Put that piece of artwork on a pedestal and then move around it. Look from side to side, high to low, and anything between. I want it to speak to me, give me thoughts, and guide my thoughts into a deeper understanding.
In all seriousness, I do study the question. I don’t spend hours on it and sometimes not even minutes. A few seconds and a few pointed questions after. Generally, those questions begin with why. Why did the prompt spark that response? Does that matter to me, and why? Why did I choose that answer/point? My meanings and questions can be vastly different from yours. That’s okay! The prompts are supposed to spark YOUR thoughts and feelings.
Weekly Prompts
#1 What is your earliest memory as a child?
Is it hazy and unclear, or is it crystal clear? How old were you? Is it a good memory, a bad memory, or just a snippet in time? My memory of my childhood is spotty at best. I survived an abusive relationship in my early adult years, and it left me with blanks in my memory before that time. I don’t have many clear memories from when I was little, but the few I do have are just snippets of time.
#2 Describe a regular day for you.
Start at waking up and go through your entire day right up until you lay your head down at night. My ‘normal’ days vary throughout the year. From January through April, I work in the tax office. Some months, we are on the road with my husband’s job; sometimes, we are at home. I had to pick one and go with it!
#3. What did you want to be when you grew up?
How close to that desire are you now? Looking back, was it a realistic desire? Was it fantastical? Or was it something you still wish you had pursued? I remember this clearly. I have no idea what I said out loud, but I always remember my secret dream. All I wanted was to be a mother and a writer.
#4. Is there a point in your life when you wish you had made a different choice?
Sometimes, we wish we hadn’t dated someone or hadn’t accepted a particular job. What point was that for you? In the past, I used to think along these lines. Now, I understand that each of my choices (no matter how painful at the time) led me to where I am standing now. I am a mother, a wife, an artist, and an author, and I am happy to be here. Changing one of those choices could have resulted in none of this being the case. I would suffer it all again to be here with my husband and daughter.
#5. Write a letter to yourself to open five years in the future.
It can be one year or ten years; the important part is that you write a letter to your future self. What is important to you right now? Is there something you need to make sure your future self remembers? Describe where you are in your life and how you feel about it. Describe where you want to be by the time you read the letter. Flag the page or keep a copy somewhere easily accessible in the future.
#6. Describe how you ended up where you are today in your career path.
What choices led you to be where you are? Is it where you wanted to be? Are you as far along as you thought you would be by now? Did your path lead you somewhere else entirely from where you were going? Is your current trajectory on track with where you want to go? Should you make changes? Sometimes, knowing where you have been is essential to figure out where you are going.
#7. Word of the week: Bibble.
Look it up, find the meaning, where did it originate? Use it in a sentence or two! In Japan, bibbling is sometimes a good thing!
I hope these weekly prompts inspire you to think harder, dig deeper, and write a little longer this week. Looking for more prompts? Check out the Divergent Dialogues category to see more weekly prompts, 31+ Fun Journaling Prompts, or head on over to my Pinterest board!
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Happy Journaling!
Sarah G.
