A tool for all ages, you can use a journal to be creative, set personal and career goals, reduce stress, process emotions and track patterns of behaviour. By getting your thoughts out of your head and down on paper, you can gain insights about yourself that you might not otherwise see; insights that get lost in your head with all of the other thoughts and worries. It allows you to identify and challenge your core beliefs and thought patterns making it a valuable resource for stress management, career development and self-discovery for kids, teens, and adults.
Try to journal daily. You can write, draw, use point form, doodle, or write at length; whatever suits you at the time. The idea is to use your journal as a brain dump and get those thoughts out of your head and onto the paper. Once released to the paper, our written thoughts take on a different energy and meaning, turning into actions and goals, self-awareness, insight, and inspiration.
To get started, put the date and time on the top of the page so you can track any patterns that may emerge over the weeks and months. e.g.: You might see that every Tuesday you or your child are feeling particularly sad or every Wednesday night your child is having nightmares. Once identified, these patterns can be addressed and suitable management strategies discussed and implemented.
See below for a comprehensive list of 35 journaling prompts to help inspire and motivate.
(most of these answers can be written or drawn)
- If I could change one thing in my life it would be………
- If I had one day when I could do anything at all, I would…………
- If I could invent a rule that people HAD to obey, it would be………
- If I were an animal, I would be a……….…….…….…….…….…….…….
- If I had a super-power, I would want it to be……….…….…….…….
- If I had a time machine I would…….…….…….…….…….…….
- The best gift I ever got was…….…….…….…….…….…….…….…….…….
- I really hate it when…….…….…….…….…….……..…….…….…….
- I am happiest when…….…….…….…….…….…….
- I am proud of myself for…….…….…….…….…….…….
- My biggest wish is…….…….…….…….…….…….
- My biggest fear is…….…….…….…….…….…….
- I think everyone should…….…….…….…….
- The problem with being me is that………….…….…….
- The one thing I will never, ever do is…….
- If I had $10million I would………….…….…….
- If I were on TV, I would tell everyone…………….…….…….
- If I had to go live on a desert island, I would take…………….
- Last night I dreamt about……………….…….…….…….…….…….
- The number I keep seeing today/this week is…………….…….…….
- The colour I keep seeing today/this week is……….…….…….…….
- Today I feel……….…….…….…….…….…….…….
- What goals do I have for the next week, month, 3 months etc………
- When I am old I will………. (Ask your child what age “old” is )
- I am good at…………….…….…….…….…….…….
- I feel stressed when……….…….…….…….…….…….…….
Kim is a Holistic Counsellor specialising in career counselling and stress and anxiety management. Kim provides a unique, intuitive,and individualised approach for kids, teens, and adults combining
traditional and complementary therapies through her online sessions.
Please see www.rainbowlighttherapies.com.au for more information.
As published in Peninsula Kids – Autumn 2025