Journaling is one of those practices that’s like salt or sugar – it goes well with everything!
AKA., no matter what situation you’re experiencing in life, no matter what your life looks like, or what field you work in, journaling has your back.
In particular, if you’re struggling with mental health issues, journaling has pretty rock-solid science backing its ability to help you de-stress and find more inner calm.
Spiritual Wanderer Course:
Being a lone wolf and a spiritual wanderer is a sacred calling in life – a unique and alchemical path of awakening. You don’t need to feel lost, alone, or stuck on your journey any more. It’s time to meet your soul’s deep needs for clarity, self-acceptance, and empowerment. Let us show you how …
And for those who want to go one step further and are seeking to live a more soul-centered and meaningful life, journaling excels in this area, too.
The magic of journaling lies in its gift of helping us to dig deep into the blood, marrow, and bones of our deepest selves.
Indeed, journaling is as much of a sacred soul work tool as it is a mainstream self-help practice.
Table of contents
Journaling, Mental Health, & Soul Loss
It is my conviction that the majority of the suffering in this world is due to Soul Loss – or a loss of connection to our deepest and most authentic selves.
This philosophy of inner fragmentation is reflected in many shamanic and ancient teachings. (See our article on Soul Loss for more guidance.)
Soul Loss leads to a phenomenon called the Dark Night of the Soul, a kind of existential lethargy that doesn’t leave us.
What many people call “depression,” “anxiety,” or “poor mental health” these days is actually a symptom of Soul Loss and living metaphorically ‘in the dark.’
Shadow & Light Membership:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐ "Shadow and Light’s weekly guidance always rings true to my heart. Thanks for acknowledging my shadows and inviting my inner light. I always get excited to open the Shadow and Light emails on Sunday!" – Angela M.
Reflective journaling is a simple and gentle way of helping us to pull back the thorns, scabs, and walls that have blocked us off from our inner Light.
100+ Journaling Ideas For Mental Health & Wellbeing
There are so many ways of approaching journaling and there are tons of journaling ideas out there already. But I want to approach this practice in a unique way.
Below I’ve used a couple of different age-old systems and modalities to help you dive deep.
Because mental health and wellbeing issues are primarily symptoms of Soul Loss (in my experience and understanding), you’ll find that these journaling ideas have a distinct spiritual/metaphysical orientation.
First, we’ll start with the body-heart-mind-soul approach and then with the chakra system.
By the way, if you’re looking for highly-rated guided journals that take you deep into self-healing, I recommend these:
- Self-Love Journal – “This is the best journal I have ever purchased. It is incredibly well-researched and laid out, both visually and content wise, with deep transformation in mind.” ~ Olivia
- Inner Child Journal – “I just started it and WOW.” – Yesenia
- Shadow Work Journal – “This journal has helped me to work through things I forgot were there from my past that I never fully healed from. Thank you” ~ Veronica
i) Holistic Journaling Ideas
Well-being is the holistic feeling of vitality, aliveness, and freshness on all layers of your being.
For this reason, we’ll explore some journaling ideas for your body, heart, mind, and soul below:
Body Journaling Ideas
- What does my body need right now?
- What physical symptoms of unease have I been having lately? What might they mean?
- What kinds of physical self-care do I practice / need to practice more?
- Write about a time your body has protected or helped you.
- What makes me feel physically good? (How can I keep doing that?)
- What part of my body do I love the most? Why?
- If my body could speak, what would it say to me?
- What have I been taught about my body and how does that make me feel?
- What would totally accepting my body look or feel like?
- What is my relationship to my sexuality like? Why?
Heart Journaling Ideas
- If I could picture or sense my heart, what would it look or feel like?
- What three things generate a feeling of love in my heart?
- If my heart could speak to me, what would it say?
- How has my heart been wounded?
- What topics or areas of life fill me with passion?
- What thoughts cause my heart to constrict and close?
- What do I struggle with more: giving or receiving love? Why?
- What does self-love look like to me?
- How can I incorporate more self-compassion into my daily life?
- What do I genuinely love about myself?
Mind Journaling Ideas
- Write down three things you fear – how can they actually be positive things that may potentially lead you to grow in ways you’d never experience otherwise?
- What places, people, or practices help you to feel mentally calm? Why?
- List five things you’re thankful for right now. How can you make being grateful more a part of your life?
- What toxic core beliefs do you need to let go of (and replace with healthier self-beliefs)?
- What are your three favorite positive affirmations that help you to feel uplifted?
- What does your shadow self or wounded part of you look/sound like?
- Explore three ways you can set strong boundaries to protect your wellbeing.
- What’s your greatest strength in this life?
- If your inner child could speak to you, what would they say?
- If you could do anything empowering right now, what would you do (and why)?
Soul Journaling Ideas
- What was the most magical moment that ever happened to you? What did it look and feel like, and why was it so special?
- Explore one of your most recent nighttime dreams – what does it mean? (See How to Understand the Meaning of Your Dreams if you need more help.)
- Close your eyes, put a hand over your heart (which is the doorway to your Soul), and tune into your deepest Self. What does your Soul want you to know?
- What is the difference between Soul and Spirit in your opinion?
- What is your Soul place (a special physical space in this world)?
- Reflect on the three biggest lessons you believe your Soul came into this life to learn.
- Do you believe in soulmates? Why/why not?
- What does living a “Soul-centered” life mean to you?
- How has Soul Loss manifested in your life?
- What experiences, tools, environments, or beings help you to feel more connected with your Soul?
ii) Chakra Journaling Ideas
The chakra system is an ancient and multi-faceted philosophy that was first written about in the Vedas dating roughly back to around 1500 BC.
Understanding and working with your chakras helps you to create energetic harmony and spiritual balance. These chakra journaling ideas can reveal what areas of your life need more attention:
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this article to you, so you can come back to it later!
Your information will never be shared.
Root Chakra Journaling Ideas
- In what areas of life am I ungrounded?
- What does my “personal boundary” feel like and how do I know when it’s being invaded?
- What element of nature most represents me? Why?
- What people or places make me feel safe?
- What part of my body am I most disconnected from? Why?
- If I was an animal, which one would I be and why?
- In stressful situations, what can I do to help myself stay centered?
- Write about how the following words make you feel: “I have the right to be here and take up space.”
- Explore the connection between gratitude and abundance.
- Reflect on your childhood: what basic needs were you deprived of, if any(e.g., food, water, shelter, warmth, medical assistance, a safe house/neighborhood)?
Learn more about root chakra healing or get the Shadow Chakra Journal and more root chakra prompts!
Sacral Chakra Journaling Ideas
- What simple pleasures do you enjoy the most in life?
- Write about how the following words make you feel: “I have the right to feel.”
- Reflect on what “healthy sexuality” means to you.
- What is your favorite body-centered practice (e.g., running, boxing, yoga, tai chi, swimming, pilates, etc.)?
- Name one of your addictive tendencies, what do you think triggers it? What healthy alternative can you find?
- What is the most rigid/fragile part of your body? If it could speak to you, what would it say?
- Explore what your relationship to pleasure is like. Do you over or underindulge?
- What is your favorite sense (smelling, tasting, hearing, touching, seeing) and why?
- What were you taught about self-gratification as a child?
- In what ways can you embrace your sexual nature or sensuality more?
Learn more about sacral chakra healing (or get the Shadow Chakra Journal and more sacral chakra prompts)!
Solar Plexus Chakra Journaling Ideas
- What does “personal power” mean to me?
- As a child, what was I taught about power and autonomy?
- In what areas of life do I feel disempowered? Why?
- Define who you are in ten words or less.
- What makes you feel “weak” in life? Why?
- Explore areas of life where you carry a victim mentality – what does it feel like and what can you do to reclaim your self-sovereignty?
- How does the feeling of shame feel in your body? What can you do to counteract that feeling with love?
- Explore ways you can individuate more. (Read about individuation.)
- Reflect on these words by Joseph Campbell: “The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.” What does that mean to you?
- List three ways you can strengthen your self-worth.
Learn more about solar plexus chakra healing or get the Shadow Chakra Journal and more solar plexus chakra prompts!
Heart Chakra Journaling Ideas
- How was love expressed in your family as a child?
- How do you express love as an adult?
- What do you love the most about yourself?
- Write about how the following words make you feel: “I am worthy of love.”
- In what areas of life do you fear intimacy? Why?
- Imagine connecting with a rejected and abandoned part of you, what does this part need to express to you?
- Explore a moment in life when you felt overflowing love, even just for a second.
- What are the three most important qualities you need in a relationship to feel loved and secure?
- Write down three common self-criticisms and counteract them with three loving affirmations.
- What beliefs cause you to feel shut off and disconnected from others?
Learn more about heart chakra healing (or get the Shadow Chakra Journal and more heart chakra prompts)!
Throat Chakra Journaling Ideas
- When was the last time you were truly heard (and what did it feel like)?
- Are you a good listener? Why/why not?
- What kind of music uplifts you? What might it say about your deeper needs in life?
- In what situations are you tempted to lie and why?
- Write about how the following words make you feel: “I will speak my truth.”
- Do you have trouble speaking up or conversely, do you speak too much? Why?
- What is your relationship like with gossiping and keeping secrets?
- What is your favorite form of creative expression?
- Think of a person in your life you have trouble communicating with. Why do you think this is the case (try to think objectively)?
- What does the concept of “truth” mean to you?
Learn more about throat chakra healing or get the Shadow Chakra Journal and more throat chakra prompts!
Third Eye Chakra Journaling Ideas
- What does your intuition sound or feel like within you?
- Reflect on what areas of life you tend to see in black or white rather than shades of grey.
- List the three biggest areas of life in which you feel confused. What can you do to gain more clarity?
- Write about how the following words make you feel: “Everything I need is within me.”
- What does being open-minded mean to you?
- In what ways were your perceptive abilities invalidated as a child?
- Visualize in your mind’s eye where you want to be in life. Is your dream realistic or idealistic – or perhaps a little of both?
- What powerful insight have you had recently?
Learn more about third eye chakra healing (or get the Shadow Chakra Journal and more solar plexus chakra prompts)!
Crown Chakra Journaling Ideas
- List the spirit guides (dead or alive, real or imaginary) who you believe are guiding you in life.
- What were you taught about spirituality as a child? Was it helpful or unhelpful?
- List your favorite spiritual practices and what part of you they have opened/healed.
- Write about how the following words make you feel: “I am a spiritual being having a human experience.”
- Explore your most recent spiritual or mystical experience. What do you think it meant?
- What does “Wholeness” mean to you?
- Think about a difficult situation in your life, what is its deeper/higher underlying teaching?
- Start a spiritual journal practice!
Learn more about crown chakra healing or get the Shadow Chakra Journal and more crown chakra prompts!
***
Feel free to bookmark this page, send it to a friend, or print it out if it’s of help to you.
You can methodically go through each question or alternatively pick and choose those you feel drawn to. Do whatever resonates with you!
If you enjoyed these prompts, you might want to check out my 30+ mindfulness journaling prompts article also.
Which of these journaling ideas is your favorite? I’d love to hear below!
If you need more help, we offer 3 powerful ways to guide you on your inner journey:
1. The Spiritual Wanderer Course: Feeling lost or uncertain about your path and purpose in life? Gain clarity and focus by learning about the five archetypes of awakening within you. Discover your deeper path and purpose using our in-depth psychospiritual map. Includes 3+ hours of audio-visual content, workbooks, meditations, and a premium test.
2. Shadow & Light Membership: Seeking ongoing support for your spiritual journey? Receive weekly intuitive guidance and learn to embrace your whole self, including your shadow side. Deepen your self-love and receive personal support from us.
3. Spiritual Awakening Bundle: Ready to soul search and dive deep? Access our complete "essentials" collection of beloved journals and eBooks. Includes five enlightening eBooks and seven guided journals, plus two special bonuses to further illuminate your path.
These chakra prompts are actually very inviting to use. I am making a “chakra journal”. (Or at least trying to make, haha.)
In many things I do or read, the subject of chakra keeps coming up. Even though I don’t really know much about it. When making a journal it was my idea to learn more about it one step at a time. So when i found the pictures on Pinterest with the prompts, i printed them out for the journal. Now i want to use them right away. 😊
Nice, thanks for sharing that Evelien! I’m glad they are helping you 😊
I have been on anti-depressants for just over 10 years and weaned myself off them during the pandemic. This has led to an existential crisis (which was being masked by the drugs). So, now I am starting my spiritual journey and exploring your wonderful website. I regularly write in my journal, but usually about mundane superficial stuff. I am looking forward to going deeper with some of the questions posed in this article.
I’m so delighted you have a place to start and space to turn to Josephyne ♡ Thank you for sharing this!
I use creative journaling…A little of journaling with prompts mixed with art and pictures. I also use articles I find online.
How do you deal with pain? As much as I try to center myself, no matter how much I try to be my own guardian, I always end up hurting people. How do you deal with such tremendous pain whether that be from what you have experienced or just uncertainties? I tried journaling but it’s not enough to soothe such a harrowing soul
Thanks for the question Byron. There’s many ways to use journaling for exploring your sense of suffering. With processing what you’ve experienced, there’s techniques of Dialoguing with different parts of yourself that feel hurt or wounded and asking them what they’d like to share. For uncertainties, you can make lists of things that are within your control and things outside of your control. A lot of our suffering comes from things outside of our control or ability to predict.
I hope that helps.
Hello my name is Misty Rackley. I am 41 years of age & I started my Spiritual Journey in June of 2020 when I met my Twin Flame. It has been a very difficult spiritual awakening for me, as I need a lot of guidance & help, but cant afford to buy anything for myself as I am bouncing around from place to place because I left a 5 year abusive relationship. I literally downloaded free stuff from your site bc I need the help but have no funds. I was hoping to reach out to you & hopefully be able to see if I could get some free stuff sent to me that has to do with shadow work & the dark night of the soul as I need to focus on these mainly. Thank you for your time hope to hear from you soon. Respectfully yours, Misty Rackley
Hi Misty, welcome to the spiritual journey. :)
This whole website is full of free resources for you to enjoy. Just use the search box to type in the keywords that you’re interested in. We also have a freebies section that you can make use of: https://lonerwolf.com/freebies/
I hope that helps.
Hi Misty, congratulations on taking up this journey. How are you doing thus far? There are more free resources all over the internet to guide you on this journey. Just be relentless and consistent about looking. Sending love and light your way!
Wow! If this doesn’t inspire me to journal I don’t know what will. I have a lot of journals but none of them go as deep as these questions do.
Thank you so much for sharing!
I’m happy to hear that Aleksandra! ♡
Wow, so timely to receive this article in my inbox.
Two and a half years ago I had a mental breakdown all wrapped up with alcoholism and now my higher power has given me another challenge to work through. i have just recently been diagnosed as St 2 Ovarian Cancer and have just started my chemotherapy and this article has reinforced my avidness for journalling. That tool has got me through hose first two and a half years, and will continue to get me through what every extra challenges I am been given on this slight detour in my spiritual journey. Thank you so very much for such a fantastic site filled to overflowing with brilliant content to help with this journey of rediscovery of who I am.
It is an honor to be able to help you on your path Yvonne. Often the wounds are the Way forward: our spiritual path (rather than a detour). May these questions illuminate what needs to be illuminated within you. With love ♡
Reading and if possible applying.
Awesome, let me know how you go Bojan. :)
Everything listed here is very significant,if we want to be true to ourselves,very important,a life task.I guess,I have to speak for myself that I don’t invest enough effort to improve my well being.I would like to believe that reading this could make a difference.
You don’t need to believe that it will make a difference, experiment with it for yourself. ♡
Thank you for sharing this. I would not normally do this, but sychronicities…
I recently opened an etsy shop-selling hand-painted journals- fly agaric, triple moon, etc. Then your email arrived about journaling. Can i share my etsy, here in the comments in return i can add your blog address into every journal i sell. I have no private way of asking.
Thanks
Renee