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.
Focus Quote
Journaling to me has become important to me because it allows me to be present with a gratitude mindset daily.
Kevin Anderson
In the hustle and bustle of our lives, there is a continuous onslaught of good, bad, and sometimes ugly things. Maybe today started good, and then the hateful clerk at the store irritated you, or the crazy rage-filled driver cut you off, or perhaps something even worse is going on in your life. These adverse events can put you in a negative cycle and headspace. You are entirely normal whether these things bother you for one minute or one week. We all process our aggravations differently. The important thing is that you find a way to come out of that space.
Gratitude is one of many tools to help ground you and bring you out of that negative head space. I have found it effective even in some of my worst situations. Journaling gives you a prime opportunity to spend time in a gratitude mindset that can sometimes affect the entire outcome of your day regardless of snippy cashiers and bad drivers. When I sit with my journal of the morning, I have a dedicated space that I fill with gratitude. Every single day. Sometimes, it’s easy; sometimes, I have to work to get in the right frame of mind.
When I began taking time for gratitude, it was hard to find things to be grateful for. Sometimes, I would only write down one thing for days in a row. With time, I began to see more and more things around me that I was grateful for. I started feeling more grateful toward my family members, my space, and, most importantly, myself. So start small, push through the times when you think there’s nothing to be grateful for, and continue making it a part of your day. As with any practice, it will continue to grow and develop. The rewards are profoundly impactful.
Today, I am grateful for the blanket of snow covering my yard, the love and support of my family, the warmth and comfort of my home, the abundance of paper to write on, the convenience of a laptop I can use while snuggled under the blankets, and the companionship of friends who make me smile.
Weekly Inspiration
Creative Journaling
The message conveyed here is perfect. Take your time. Acknowledge your gratitude and spend time in thankfulness. Find any space to add a word or two about gratitude in your spreads.
Gratitude Bullet Journal Page
Adding a gratitude page to your bullet journal is another excellent way to ensure you spend time each day with a grateful heart and mind. It’s as easy as finding one thing each day.
Daily Journaling
Adding a line of gratitude to daily journaling can be as simple as starting each day with ‘Today I am grateful for…’ You can write a sentence or a paragraph; either way, it works just fine.
The images that I choose for inspiration are not about the links. They are solely about the images and what they represent. I love seeing other people’s journals. I love the inspiration that hits me to go write in my own. Sometimes, that inspiration leads me to try something I have seen on their pages. Mostly, it just inspires me to write!
Weekly Prompts
54.01 What’s your favorite sandwich?
By definition, a sandwich is an item of food consisting of two pieces of bread with fillings of choice meant to be a ‘light meal.’ In the real world, a sandwich can be hot, cold, light, or scrumptiously filled and stacked! So, what goes between your pieces of bread? Do you even use bread? Describe it down to the spices and toppings!
54.02 Do you cover your windows at night?
We have traveled all over the USA on our journeys, and I can not count the number of houses I have seen at night with no curtains. I am a fully closed-curtain kind of gal, but what about you? Covered? Not covered? Sheer? Blackouts?
54.03 What’s the most expensive pen you’ve bought?
Before 2024, the most expensive pen I owned was a $22 Pilot Metropolitain. This past year, I fell in love with the Firefly Talisman by Benu. It’s a $150+ fountain pen. So I jumped on Swagbucks and earned the money to buy it. I loved it so much that I also earned enough for the Dragon’s Blood version. For Christmas, my daughter and husband got me the Lavender Lemonade. I am so blessed!
54.04 What’s your favorite writing pen?
What pen makes you smile? Or does any pen affect you that way? I’ve known people who can’t go without their basic Bic. My love affair with pens changes every few years, although I don’t see my affinity for my Benu going anywhere anytime soon! I love them!
54.05 Ritz, Townhouse or Saltines?
These three are all crackers, yet they are worlds apart. Each has a purpose in our household. As a snack, which would you reach for first? I will take the Saltines or Townhouse any day of the week over the Ritz. Those crackers and I just do not get along! Write about your preferences and what you use each for.
54.06 What’s one chore you’d like someone else to do for life?
I had to think about this as multiple chores immediately popped into my head. I have settled on cleaning the toilet as the one chore I would love someone else to do. Forever. So, which would you choose? Laundry? Dishes? Taking out the trash? Or are you on the same page as me and hate that toilet?
54.07 Word of the week: Zaftig.
Look it up, write it down, and use it in a sentence or two. Are you zaftig?
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.
