3 Life Changing Journal Prompts

An image of a woman behind a fogged up window representing an anxious woman who would benefit from online anxiety counseling with Emilea Richardson for recovering from breakups and divorce in SC.

For When Anxiety Clouds Your Intuition

Journaling is an incredible tool for self discovery, gaining insight, and accessing your intuition. I use journaling myself when I feel confused, angry, or stuck. And I often assign it as therapy homework.

This is the type of homework my clients are much more likely to enjoy, unlike this little gem (which is still totally life changing).

I’m going to give you the three journaling assignments I lean on for clients working through anxiety and confusion.

Often times anxiety shows up as thoughts like “what if” or “I should.” Those phrases are awesome ways to completely mute your intuition. Your inner guidance. Your true self.

My clients often are coming to therapy because they know they’re unhappy…but they have absolutely no idea where to start. What they’re options are. Or even what they want the destination to be.

These prompts help access information that was inside them all along.

A blank piece of paper with branches next to it, a pen above it, with an ink pot. Representing a journaling prompt for anxious women recovering from divorce and breakups in SC who would benefit from online anxiety counseling with Emilea Richardson.

Journal Prompt #1

Dear Anxiety…

I often ask clients to write a letter to their Anxiety.

There are two major keys in living a life on your terms -

1. Realizing what you resist persists &

2. Befriending your emotional outcasts.

One time I used the metaphor of a bus - my client was at the wheel, but her emotions and different parts of her selves could all be on the bus.

She replied, ‘ well, if that’s true, then I’m driving this bus to the desert and kicking anxiety out to die.’ She loathed her anxiety, and how it corrupted her relationships, professional life, and self esteem. She resisted her anxiety so fiercely. And so it persisted in her life with the same ferocity.

By writing this letter to her anxiety she was able to open up a dialogue rather than a diatribe. It was the beginning of healing for her. May it be for you as well.

Instructions:

Begin your letter to anxiety however you want. Set a timer for 5, 10, or 15 minutes and just free write your thoughts and feelings. It might surprise you. I’ve had clients begin this exercise in rage and end with compassion. When I’ve done this I thought I would feel sad and small, but I felt bold and sharp. Just. Go. With. It.

Journal Prompt #2

A sheet of lined paper with a pencil across it, and the word 'Dear,' written down. Representing a journaling prompt for anxious women recovering from divorce and breakups in SC who would benefit from online anxiety counseling with Emilea Richardson.

…Anxiety Writes Back

This concept is a little trippy. Now that you’ve written to your anxiety… Have your anxiety write you back.

Stay with me for just a minute….

I bet you know exactly what your anxiety sounds like.

Think back to the last time it totally took over…do you remember what you said to others? To yourself? That’s your anxiety’s voice.

Tap into that voice and have it write back to you, addressing the points in your original letter. You might find out why it hangs around, what it wants for itself and for you, and have new ideas of how to befriend rather than resist.

Instructions:

Tap into your anxious self, that anxious voice. Begin your letter, Dear ‘your name’. Set a timer for 5, 10, or 15 minutes and free write. Remember… put expectations aside for the duration of the timer and just go with it.

These letters are wonderful to process with partners, parents, friends, and therapists. Use them as tools.

Remember that your thoughts are not truths and your feelings are not facts.

They are parts of you that you can choose to harness or release. If that sounds nuts…hunt down a good therapist, they’ll help you out.

A woman holding a pen over a blank journal. Representing a journaling prompt for anxious women recovering from divorce and breakups in SC who would benefit from online anxiety counseling with Emilea Richardson.

Journal Prompt #3

I Want x 7

Women are conditioned to deny their own desires in order to serve others. Google ‘human giver syndrome’ to discover what I mean.

This is a simple but powerful exercise to tune into your intuition. Your wants. And even your needs.

I will warn you - this exercise is anxiety provoking. You will look at the page and think either 1. ‘I don’t know how to fill all this space’ or 2. ‘there isn’t NEARLY enough space for me’. So…

You’re going to set a timer. 5, 10, or 15 minutes. And just brain drain. Don’t let your fingers stop typing or your pen leave the page. It doesn’t matter how silly or unrealistic or scary what comes out. They’re just words on a page after all. Just. Keep. Writing.
Easy peasy my friend - Just keep doing this exercise. The page is merely a suggestion. If you need to keep going, then by all means - keep going! I’m not here to limit anyone’s wants or desires.

This is a great exercise for decision making.

Maybe you want a new job. Maybe you’re not sure this marriage is going to work out. Maybe you want to make a big move. Maybe you’re unhappy and you just don’t even know what to change.

But the opinions and wants of others are drowning you out. There are so many parts inside of you yelling out their warring opinions.

Set them aside just for these few moments. They can come right back and tell you everything that you missed out on while doing this.

But just for now. Just for these few minutes. Dig deep. Focus in. And write.

Instructions:

Type/ Write out “I want…”. Seven different times. Make sure there’s several lines of space between each prompt. Set your timer (or don’t if you’ve got a lot to unload). And begin filling in that sentence.

For example, I want… an all inclusive trip to Jamaica and mozzarella sticks and to have my work respected and to feel okay asking for flexibility from my family. Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

If you need more than 7 “I Want…”s - awesome. It’s just an easy way to start.

After you’re done, go back through and highlight the gut punchers. The “wowzas, yeaahhhh” wants. And then see how this can help with your decision.

Does your current situation fill these desires? Could it, even if it doesn’t currently? Does the other option fill these desires better? Or do you need to wait for a third option?

A woman covering her eyes with an open mouth like she's surprised. Representing the surprise and joy anxious women can find in online anxiety counseling for breakups and divorce in SC with Emilea Richardson

Surprise Yourself

Every single time I do these exercises I’m surprised. Anxiety, expectation, stress, pressure. The patriarchy. They can all cloud your intuition. The wisdom inside yourself that points you in the right direction.

Your desires matter.

There’s a saying I use in my family: “We get everything we need and some of what we want.”

If you wrote down some unmet needs…I’d get on that asap. Because unmet needs fester into nasty, corrupting things.

If you wrote down some unmet desires…share those. See if you can find some co-conspirators, some fellow dreamers to make dreams into reality.

I hope these exercises bring the elements of your true self: curiosity, calm, clarity, connectedness, confidence, courage, creativity, & compassion. You deserve to move through life with all those qualities. And if you’re not…maybe we can chat for a few minutes. You deserve support.