80 Insightful Journaling Prompts for Self Discovery

When you are always on the go, it’s easy to get so wrapped up in the busyness of life and lose sight of yourself. Being stuck in a productivity mindset often makes you forget to take time for yourself and who you really are. These self discovery journaling prompts are the perfect way to check in with yourself and uncover your most authentic “you”. 

This post is all about journaling prompts for self-discovery.

I have been there: My mind is filled will work-related responsibilities. I am stressed, overworked, and on the verge of burnout. The last thing I am thinking about is taking the time to sit and journal.

Little did I know, journaling is the best possible thing I could do in those moments.

There is something about journaling that helps to ease the stress, worry, overwhelm, and anxiety that you may be facing in your day-to-day life.

Whether it be work, school, or just life, overwhelm is part of being human. When this happens, it’s easy to start to feel like you are just living life on autopilot and don’t know who you actually are.

I have found that journaling is the best way to counter this feeling. When I journal, I am able to center myself and get back to who I really am.

No matter where you are or what you may be feeling, uncovering your most authentic self is not that far away. With these simple and thought-provoking journaling prompts for self discovery, you can refresh, reset, realign, and rediscover who you are.

Life is too short to not live as your most authentic self. So let’s uncover who that really is.

75 Journaling Prompts for Self Discovery

Childhood Self Discovery Prompts:

1.What is your favorite childhood memory?

2. What was your dream job as a kid? Would you still want to do it?

3. What is your favorite childhood dinner? Why? What did it look like? How did it taste? What did it smell like? Was it hot? Cold? Soft? Crunchy? Describe it as though you are explaining it to someone that has never had it.

4. If you could offer one piece of advice to your childhood self, what would it be?

5. What was your favorite game as a child? Why did you love it? Who did you play it with?

6. Outside of your immediate family, who were you closest to as a kid? Why?

7. Who was your favorite elementary school teacher? Why did you love him/her?

8. Who was your first crush? How old were you?

9. What movie could you watch on repeat as a kid? When is the last time you watched it?

10. Draw a picture of your childhood bedroom.

Memory-Based Self Discovery Prompts:

11. What was the best vacation you ever took? Why did you love it so much?

12. What is something nice a stranger has done for you? How did it make you feel?

13. What is something nice you have done for a stranger? How did that make you feel?

14. In the last 5 years, what is the toughest lesson you’ve had to learn. What do you think taught it to you? Why was it tough?

15. What is the best gift you’ve ever received? Why? Who was it from?

16. If you could tell your high school self one thing, what would you say?

17. Do you have any regrets? Why or why not?

18. Describe a day in your life 5 years ago vs. a day in your life now? What’s different? What’s better?

19. Do you hold on to any anger or resentment? Against who? Why?

20. Have you ever been in love? With who? When? How and when did you know?

21. When is the last time you laughed uncontrollable? With who? What was it about?

Imaginative Self Discovery Prompts:

22. What does your ideal day look like, from start to finish?

23. Close your eyes and go to your happiest place. Where are you? Is anyone with you? What do you see, hear, smell, feel?

24. Imagine you are working your absolute dream job. Where are you? What does your day look like from the moment you wake up to when you go to sleep?

25. If could meet one celebrity, who would it be? What would you ask them?

26. If you could bring one person back from the dead, who would it be? What would you want to say to them?

27. Plan out your dream vacation. Where are you? Who’s with you? What are you doing? Where are you staying?

Relationship Self Discovery Prompts

28. What is your love language? When do you feel the most loved?

29. How do you show love to others?

30. Are you in love? If so, with who? If not, when was the last time you felt you were in love?

31. If someone else were to describe you in 5 words, what would they be and why?

32. Who is your most valued relationship with? Why? How long have you known them?

33. If you could only take one person to an island with you, who would it be and why?

34. Who do you spend the most time with? Why?

35. What does love mean to you?

36. Do you think you’re more like your mom or your dad? How/why?

37. What are your top 3 things you look for in a partner/friend?

38. Who do you trust most? Why?

39. List 3 things you admire in a person.

40. How satisfied with you with your social life?

41. What is your biggest pet peeve? Why?

Internal Reflection-Based Self Discovery Prompts:

42. What is your biggest insecurity? Why? Where do you think it stems from?

43. What makes you feel unappreciated in a relationship?

44. What does “success” mean to you?

45. Do you consider yourself successful? Why or why not?

46. What is one thing you’d change about yourself if you could? Why do you not like it?

47. What makes you feel calm?

48. What makes you feel anxious?

49. How do you recharge after a long day/week? Do you think it is healthy?

50. When do you feel the most in tune with yourself?

51. What activities do you feel release your “inner-child”?

52. What is a toxic mindset that you need to drop? How does it affect you?

53. What are your self-limiting beliefs? How do they hold you back?

54. What’s your biggest fear? Why?

55. What makes you unique?

56. List 10 things you love about yourself.

Recent Reflection Self Discovery Journal Prompts:

57. When is the last time you cried? Why?

58. What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned this year? In the last 5 years?

59. When is the last time you laughed until you cried? With who? At what?

60. How have you shown yourself self-care in the past week?

61. What is distracting you from being productive?

62. What’s your current favorite show? Why?

63. What bad habits are making you feel unhappy lately? Why? How can you shift them?

64. List 5 goals you’ve recently completed. How did it feel?

65. What has changed about you in the last 5 years? Do you feel better or worse? Why?

66. Do you have a solid morning routine? If so, what is your favorite part and why? If not, what would you like it to be and how can you start it?

67. Do you have a night routine? Why or why not? Do you need one? How will you build one?

Current Self Discovery Prompts:

68. What is your #1 goal right now? What can you do today to get closer to it?

69. What is one new thing you learned in this past week?

70. List 8 things you are grateful for right now.

71. What is your favorite quality about yourself? Why?

72. What is your least favorite quality about yourself? Why?

73. If you were going to die tomorrow, what would you do today?

74. List 10 goals for the end of the year.

75. What can you do today to care for yourself?

76. Are you organized? If not, where do you need to get organized?

77. What is something you know today that you didn’t know yesterday?

78. What has made you smile today?

79. Do you feel fulfilled in life? If so, what do you think is working? If not, how can you feel better?

80. How can you make today amazing?

Those are 80 quick and simple journaling prompts for self discovery!

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These journaling prompts will give you plenty of things to write about as you jumpstart your journey to self discovery and uncovering your most authentic self.

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Remember to take care of yourself and stay true to who you are, no matter how busy life gets. Prioritize you, make time for you, and care for you.

And always remember, you are only one journal entry away from a good mood!

Happy journaling!

XOXO,

Del