Best Self Discovery Journal Prompts in 2023
Self-discovery is a rewarding lifelong process, but it can be challenging to find time to focus on your own needs. We’re constantly busy with work, school, friends, or family. Self-discovery journal prompts help you get back in touch with yourself by encouraging you to answer questions about your opinions, feelings, and beliefs. Self-discovery is not so much about who you are as it is about who you want to be. When you regularly take time for self-exploration and discovery, you build the foundation for living a happy and fulfilled life. Through journaling, you can discover areas of your life that need work, keep track of your goals and aspirations, and develop strategies for self-improvement. Below are some prompts to get you started on your journey towards self-discovery with journaling.
158 Self Discovery Journal Prompts
How did I end up on the professional path I am on now?
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Do I hate anyone? If so, why? Could I let that hate go?
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Who do I need to forgive in my life? What feelings am I holding onto from the past?
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What do I need to forgive myself for? How can I start that process?
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What is one way I can push myself out of my comfort zone in the new year?
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What do I fear most in life?
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What does having a fresh start mean to me?
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What do I want most from my friendships?
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What is one of the best compliments I have received? How did that make me feel?
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What is one of my favorite ways to spend time with my child(ren)?
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What is a happy moment I remember from my childhood?
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What causes me stress or anxiety during the holidays? What could I do to make it better?
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If I could change one thing about yesterday, what would it be?
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What is one change I would like to make to my morning routine?
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What is my favorite holiday tradition? What do I love about it?
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What is something I will never travel without again?
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What is a challenge I faced today as a parent? How did I deal with it?
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What does an ideal Valentine's Day look like to me?
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What thoughts did I have today that I wish I didn't have?
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How do I want to take care of myself in the new year?
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If money was no concern, where would I want to travel next, and why?
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Who do I love in my life?
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What is one thing that came out of the COVID-19 pandemic that I want to keep in my life?
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In what ways can I be healthier in the new year?
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What is the best professional compliment I have received?
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What do I find the most challenging about being a parent?
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How can I give back more in the new year?
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What reasons cause me to eat besides hunger?
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When do I feel most confident?
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When do I remember feeling appreciated?
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What is my opinion on work-life balance? What does that look like to me?
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In what kind of religious or spiritual environment was I raised? Have I changed my mind in any way?
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What activity or hobby would I miss if I couldn't do it anymore?
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What does the new year mean to me?
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What obstacles do I face in taking better care of myself? How can I overcome one of them?
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Am I comfortable with my current work-life balance? If not, what can I do to improve it?
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What lessons did I learn in the past year?
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What do I need to do to become a better person?
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What do I wish I knew more about?
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What was my favorite subject in school? Am I still interested in it?
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I am most proud of . . .
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How do I deal with feeling unmotivated?
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Is there something I feel guilty about?
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What is my earliest memory?
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If I could spend more time doing one activity in the new year, what would it be?
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What relationships would I like to develop further over the next six months?
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What feelings does spring evoke?
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In what area of my life do I wish I had more autonomy?
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When was the last time I read a book related to my career? Am I applying any of the learnings?
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Do I miss anything from home?
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What is a physical feature of mine that I like?
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What qualities do I bring to a friendship?
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What is one of my favorite hobbies, and why?
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What would I like to subtract from my life in the new year?
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If I had to define myself in terms of principles, what would they be?
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What does adventure mean to me?
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Who do I trust with my most painful and upsetting feelings?
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How many months of savings would make me feel comfortable in my financial life?
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How would I spend my time if money didn't matter?
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What do I want to add to my life in the new year?
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What can I be thankful for that I take for granted in my day-to-day life?
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Do I think I am in the role or on the career path best for me?
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What do I consider my greatest professional success?
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What qualities do I admire in my parents?
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If I could go back and change one decision, what would it be?
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What is one of my favorite family memories?
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What would I like to spend my time doing when I retire?
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Do I want to be remembered? If so, what for?
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What food or meal is a favorite from my childhood?
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Who is someone I look up to, and why?
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What is one moment that I repeatedly go back to, and why?
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What is one way I think journaling could improve my life?
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What is one change I would like to make to my evening routine?
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What is one habit I currently have that I would like to get rid of in the new year?
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What is something I can thank myself for?
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What personal needs am I sacrificing to meet the needs of others?
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What were my favorite things about the destination?
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What is something I love to do on cold winter nights?
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Where would I celebrate New Year's if I could celebrate it from anywhere?
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What do I most enjoy about the holidays?
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What would I like my financial life to look like in five years?
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What activity do I enjoy doing with a friend?
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What is my favorite holiday movie, and why?
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How does my significant other make me feel loved?
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What is one habit I would like to build, and why?
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What is something that is limiting me from accomplishing what I want to accomplish?
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Am I happy with my work-from-home environment? Why or why not?
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What relationship do I need to work on, and how can I start that process?
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What do I consider my greatest personal success?
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What is one of my key learnings from the past year?
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Who were the most important people in my life in the past year?
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What was one of the most fun moments of my life?
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What challenges did I face in the past year?
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At what age did I feel grown-up?
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What am I grateful for at work?
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How do I want to grow in the new year?
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What is one habit that I would like to build in the new year?
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If I had to choose a single word or theme to describe the new year, what would it be?
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What activity, behavior, or perspective did I discover on my trip that I would like to adopt back home?
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What is one of my favorite trips or vacations?
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What would I like to learn more about, and why?
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Who is someone I would like to treat better?
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What is one bad spending habit I can try to eliminate?
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What is one thing that I desire for my career?
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What is one book that has influenced me significantly?
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When I need help, is it easy or hard for me to ask for it?
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Is the life that I am living the life I want?
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What is one new thing I can try in the new year?
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What is something I am good at? What makes me good at it?
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What do I want to celebrate from the past year?
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What do I want to let go of in the new year?
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What is one of my favorite holidays, and why?
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On what do I spend too much money?
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What is one of my favorite aspects of being a parent?
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What are my three biggest distractions right now, and how can I reduce them?
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What do I least enjoy about the holidays?
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Did I learn anything about myself while on the trip?
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What is one way that technology enhances my productivity?
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What would I do tomorrow if I had a free day?
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What were my first impressions of the destination?
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What quality is important to me in a friend?
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What is something I love now that I could never have imagined I would like in the past?
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Remember a time when I was happy, and write about it.
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If I had one day left to live, what would I do on that day?
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What is one way I would like to improve my physical health?
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What am I most excited about in the new year?
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What is something I do not like about my living environment? How could I change it?
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What was it like to buy my first home?
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With whom do I need to set boundaries?
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How did I grow in the past year?
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What is a time I went out of my comfort zone while traveling?
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What is something I worry about that is outside of my control?
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When do my significant other and I have the most fun?
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When am I most at peace?
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What do I need to leave behind from the past year?
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What do I like about traveling by plane?
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Where have I been that feels like a home away from home?
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How does my pet make my life better?
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What is something I admire in one of my friends?
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What is something that my significant other and I have in common?
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What is one thing I am most grateful for from the past year?
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What can I learn from a mistake I have made?
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What would make my younger self proud of me now?
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What qualities do I dislike in my parents?
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What is one way I add value to the world?
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Who did I feel close to today, even for only a moment?
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What is something that can instantly disrupt a good mood and bring me down?
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What is something I am grateful for about myself?
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What music am I thankful to be able to listen to, and why?
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What is one lesson I learned from the last book I read?
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I wish I had someone with whom I could share . . .
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Where is one of my favorite places to be with my significant other?
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What difficult thoughts or emotions come up frequently for me?
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What does romance mean to me?
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Who was my favorite teacher?
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What is one thing I admire about my significant other?
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Did I achieve the career goals I set out for myself this past year?
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What is one way I would like to get out of my comfort zone?
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