80 Motivating Self Improvement Journal Prompts

Last Updated on September 16, 2022

How are you working to improve yourself? Have you ever given self improvement journal prompts a try? Journaling is the perfect way to increase your self awareness and understand what you need out of life. You get to uncover your dreams, goals, and aspirations.

I know that whenever I sit down for a journaling session, I often discover something hidden deep in my thoughts that I didn’t realize about myself! And journaling for the purpose of self improvement is a great way to get clear on your motivations so that you can improve yourself in the ways that matter most to you.

In this post, you’ll find:

Self improvement journal prompts for productivity
Self improvement journal prompts for self care
Self improvement journal prompts for personal growth

Let’s give ‘em a try!

Table of Contents

This post is all about self improvement journal prompts.

How does journaling help with self improvement?

Journaling brings awareness and clarity to your thoughts, emotions, aspirations, and goals. It allows you the chance to dig into your mind and uncover areas for improvement.

If you make journaling into a regular habit, you’ll be more in tune with yourself and your needs. When you have this insight, you become aware of your goals and the steps you need to take toward self improvement in the areas you need it. These self improvement journal prompts are a great place to start!

80 Self Improvement Journal Prompts

Self Improvement Journal Prompts for Productivity

These self improvement journal prompts will give your productivity a boost! Now’s your chance to get clear on your goal setting, where you want to be, and the path for getting there. Consider your “why” and what keeps you going!

What are my top 5 goals this year?
Where do I see myself in the next 5 years?
What can I do now to get where I want to be in 5 years?
Thinking back to the last time I set solid goals, how did they go? Did I forget about them, achieve them, or not achieve them?
What can I do to prevent myself from falling off from my goals?
What motivates me to keep going and why?
Do I feel like I’ve found “my purpose”?
Am I satisfied with what I’m doing in my work life? If not, what would I rather be doing?
Do I tend to procrastinate? Am I still able to stay on top of deadlines, or does this aspect need some attention?
How do I stay disciplined when my motivation dwindles?
What did I achieve today? (Any small win counts!)
How can I show myself more compassion if I don’t reach a goal?
What bad habits end up making me burn out?
How do I deal with burnout?
What can I do better to handle my burnout in a mentally healthy way?
Do I ever get into a “flow state” where I experience peak focus? What sets me up for getting into a flow state?
Would I describe myself as having a good work/life balance? Why or why not?
What can I do to set better boundaries between work time and leisure time?
Do I think I place too high or too low of expectations on myself?
Am I more “Type A” (organized, ambitious, perfectionist, stress-prone) or “Type B” (flexible, laid back, can lack time urgency)?
Where would I be if I managed to accomplish all my goals?
What is my biggest time waster?
How would I describe my work ethic?
What is my screen time usage like? What activities can I do instead?

Self Improvement Journal Prompts for Self Care

These self improvement journal prompts will have you thinking deeper about what self care means to you. Think about self care activities you enjoy or that you could start implementing in your daily routine. Self care also involves letting go of what no longer serves you, so keep that in mind too!

How can I take better care of myself?
Which self care activities do I already do?
Which self care activities would I like to start doing?
What bad habits do I need to let go?
How, exactly, can I let go of bad habits?
What can I do for myself on low-energy days?
What can I do to make the most of my high-energy days?
Have I ever been to therapy? How do I feel about therapy?
What do I need less of?
What do I need more of?
Do I have any toxic behaviors? If so, what and how can I work on them?
What seems to trigger my anxiety?
What seems to trigger me feeling down?
What steps can I take to turn a bad day around?
How can I make sure my cup is filled before helping others?
Is there something I’m sacrificing for the sake of someone else? Why?
The three most important affirmations I can tell myself each day are…
Do I have trouble dwelling on things that upset me?
How can I accept myself unconditionally while still working on my self care?
How do I self soothe when I am stressed?
If I struggle to stick to self care, what is the top reason that makes me neglect taking care of myself?
When I’m struggling, what is the first thing I turn to for comfort? Is it something healthy or unhealthy?
Which types of exercise helps me feel my best?
Do I assume that people automatically judge me for certain things? Can I pinpoint an experience from the past that triggered this belief?
What negative or traumatic experiences seem to define me, and how can I work to overcome that?
What do I love doing most?
What is a limiting belief I’ve held throughout my life? How can I overcome it?
When do I feel the most confident with myself?
When do I feel the least confident with myself?

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Self Improvement Journal Prompts for Personal Growth

These self improvement journal prompts let you deep-dive into all the ways you can explore your personal growth. Think about your needs, your development, and how you can nurture yourself to achieve healthy growth at this stage in your life.

Which self help books would I like to read?
What can I do to work on being more present?
What area could use the most growth? (Emotional, mental, spiritual, etc.?)
In what ways have I changed in the last year? 3 years? 5 years?
What can I do more of to stay on the path toward personal growth?
My best personality traits are…
What is my biggest fear in life?
Does fear hold me back from pursuing the life I want? How so?
What inspires me the most?
What is one thing I need to let go of?
What makes me feel insecure?
What am I proud of?
What are three of my strengths and three of my weaknesses?
Am I happy with my current friendships and/or relationship?
Do the people in my life support and uplift me?
Is there someone in my life holding me back from my personal growth?
What do I enjoy the most about my current life?
What do I enjoy the least about my current life?
What am I most passionate about?
What mistakes can I forgive myself for?
Does the way I currently live my life align with my values?
What is something I’ve gotten better at in the last few years?
What is something I feel I missed out on? Do I think it has an impact on my life as a whole?
What are my 3 biggest pet peeves?
If money wasn’t a factor, how would I live the rest of my life?
How can I make my life more meaningful?
Am I settling for less than I deserve in any area of my life?

Tips for daily journaling

Set a schedule and be consistent – will it be easier for you to journal in the morning as you drink your coffee? Or at night before you go to sleep? Whatever works best for you, stick to it!
Set realistic goals – Maybe a 20 minute journal session is too big of a commitment, so try for just 5 minutes a day! Or even every other day.
Keep your journal somewhere visible – whether it’s on your coffee table in the morning, on your nightstand at night, or a journal app on the first page of your phone, keep it within reach!

How to get the most out of journaling

Let it all out – be as honest and open as possible. Remember, no one is reading this but you! So don’t worry about sounding a certain way or using proper grammar. Write in your natural tone and let the thoughts flow.

Reflect on old journal entries often – this is a great way to measure progress and see how far you’ve come! See how you’ve been coping with issues and if your mindset and coping skills have changed.

Try both prompts and brain dumping – it can help to have the guidance of journal prompts, so make sure to give the self improvement journal prompts in this post a try! But also, save some days for brain dumping where you can let your thoughts out unprompted. Both options will reveal different insights about yourself!

Psst…are you making time for self care? My daily self care check in sheet will help you fit self care into your morning and evening with ease! Grab it below…it’s free.