Have you noticed having low self-esteem lately? Or maybe you have been saying or thinking negative things about yourself?
No worries, we have all been there. The journey to self-love is not straightforward and it actually takes conscious effort to get there.
One thing you can practice is journaling about self-love. However, we may not all have the time to answer dozens of questions everyday.
Here you will find a compilation of the best ten self-love journal prompts that you can choose from. If you are short on time, you can answer some in 5 minutes or less.
Let’s dive in!
Journaling 101
Journaling is a very broad topic, and everyone that journals has their own definition. For some, it means writing down any ideas, emotions, or thoughts they may have at the moment.
Others may prefer having prompts dedicated for specific areas of their lives, such as gratitude or focusing on positive affirmations.
In this case, we are going to talk about self-love journaling.
Journaling: Is It Good For You?
Journaling has been shown to have many health benefits, especially for mental health. For example, a study reported that journaling helps to reduce stress.
One of the reasons journaling seems to help is by creating space from negative thoughts. In other words, by sitting down and becoming aware of our negative self-talk we can look at it in a more objective way.
In turn, this can help you with personal growth, reducing anxiety, or making you feel better overall. This is why journaling is a way of self-love and self-care.
Love Journal: The Benefits
When was the last time you actually sat down to think if you actually love yourself? And not in a narcissistic way, just simply enjoying who you are, the way you are.
Since self-love is an “abstract” topic, having love journal prompts can help you take more measurable steps in your journey.
It also allows you to assess your relationship with yourself now and how you can improve it.
But you may feel lost on how to start journaling in the first place, so below I included 10 self-love journal prompts you can get started with.
They are divided into two sections: external (body image) and internal (your inner self).
Also, each prompt has explanations and ideas in case you need some extra help answering the questions.
Self-Love Journal Prompts
External – Self Love & Body Positivity
These prompts relate to your body image and your external self.
- What negative comments have you said or thought about your body image lately? How can you reverse them to positive ones?
- For example, if you think “my legs have cellulite”, you can write “my legs allow me to lift heavy at the gym”, or “my legs let me walk to work every day”.
- Or if you say “my face has acne”, you can mention how “my skin is well-hydrated”, or “my skincare routine helps me heal quicker”.
- What is your favorite form of movement? Can you include it in your schedule today or this week?
- We tend to workout or move as a punishment for how we look, or as a mean to look a certain way. Having aesthetic goals is perfectly fine, but at least some movement in your schedule should be enjoyable, not a punishment.
- Think of what type of movement makes you happy and identify what are the barriers that prevent you from doing it. Do you prioritize other things? Do you forget about it the entire day?
- For example, you may enjoy dancing but you have a very busy schedule. Maybe you could enjoy a 15-minute online class on Youtube once a week.
- List 3 things you love about your body today.
- This is a short and easy prompt, but be genuine and really think about small details you may forget.
- For example, you love how you are having a good hair day today! Your winged eyeliner came out spotless today. Or maybe your arms look amazing in that new shirt you bought.
Internal – Love Your Inner Self
These prompts relate to your inner self. They are further categorized as “self-esteem”, “self-forgiveness” and “self-growth”.
Self-Esteem Prompts
- List 3 qualities that make you unique.
- Do not go broad on this question. It actually seems like a basic question but it is not that easy.
- Think about which of your attributes others point out to you. Do they say that your artwork is amazing? That your presentation skills are flawless? Or that you make them laugh out loud?
- Things that make you unique could be your personality, habits, experiences, attitude, habits, creativity, hobbies, etc.
- List 1-3 things you have achieved lately (~past week) that you are proud of and why.
- Don’t just think professionally. Think about other areas of your life such as family, physical activity, creativity, skills, hobbies, or any type of recognition.
- Family: maybe you cooked a dinner that everyone loved. Or maybe you found the perfect sleeping routine for your baby and he now sleeps more than 3 hours straight.
- Skills/hobbies: You were able to lift heavier at the gym. You finally finished the course for a certification. You managed to solve something all by yourself. Or you went on a 15-min walk twice this week.
- Recognition: You decided to buy an extra coffee for your coworker and she felt extremely grateful.
- What negative comments have you said or thought about your self-worth lately? How can you reverse them to positive ones?
- Think about moments where you may have felt insecure lately.
- Maybe you applied to a new job and someone else got it. You think it’s all your fault, that you did not deserve it. Instead, you can write “I am smart, capable, and I know another amazing opportunity is awaiting for me”.
- A relationship ended and you feel unlovable. Change that to “I am perfect in my own way. I have strengths and flaws, and that is okay. I deserve someone to love and accept every aspect of me”.
Self-Forgiveness Prompts
- What are 3 things you are grateful for today?
- Try to find “unconventional” things you are grateful for. OF COURSE we are grateful for basic things such as having access to food, a bed to sleep in, etc. Always be grateful for those. But let’s think outside the box.
- Maybe you didn’t have the time to eat this morning and someone randomly brought you breakfast. Or maybe your kid said a random compliment to you that made you smile.
- You got a rush of inspiration and creativity in your business. Or the plant you almost killed for neglect is actually blooming today (I know you have been there).
- Is there a “mistake” you have made lately? If so, have you forgiven yourself? If not, what can you do about it?
- Maybe you said an out-of-place comment at work. Or you forgot your wallet at the store and you couldn’t get it back. You made a wrong decision in your business.
- This does not mean we are disregarding our mistakes. It just means to accept what has happened, forgive ourselves, move forward, and fix the mistake (if possible). Again, this is easier said than done.
Self-Growth prompts
- What are you passionate about lately? How can you include this more often in your life?
- This could be a lifelong passion or something you discovered lately. Maybe you discovered a new book series that you are obsessed with, or found a new hobby (swimming, indoor gardening, thrift shopping).
- Think if it is something you can include in your schedule, even if it is for a few minutes. Maybe you could read 15 minutes before bed, or go swimming once a week after work.
- Is there something holding you back in your self-love journey? If so, is there something you can do about it?
- Think about what could be causing low self-worth, self-esteem, an/or self-forgiveness. Maybe you have a limiting belief you have been carrying since childhood (i.e. unworthy of love).
- Have you been criticizing yourself? Do you have little to no boundaries? Think of any barrier that prevents you from loving yourself.
- What can you do about it? Well, the first step is acknowledging it. Then, identify if you can reverse that barrier. For example, if since childhood you have believed that you are unworthy of love, practice prompt #6.
How to Use These Self-Love Journal Prompts?
How Often Should I Use Them?
This is totally up to you. No pressure. You can use these prompts once a day, or every other day. Sometimes you may not have the time and you can only do it once a week.
And each session can take as long as you need. If you have 15 minutes on a Saturday, then answer more prompts.
If you have 5 minutes every morning or at night, you can follow the method below!
The 5-Minute Mix-and-Match Method
Either in the morning or at night, select 1 prompt from each category (external, self-esteem, self-forgiveness and self-growth).
You only write down the question number and your answer. No need to rewrite the prompt every time.
If you are short on time, you can even put a 5-minute timer!
For example, you could answer:
- List 3 things you love about your body today.
- List 1-3 things you have achieved lately (~past week) that you are proud of and why.
- What are 3 things you are grateful for today?
- What are you passionate about lately? How can you include this more often in your life?
How Can I Access the Prompts Easily?
You could download the image below! It has the 10 questions without the explanations. You can also save this image to your Pinterest board by clicking the Pinterest button at the end of the post!
You could also print the image and have it by your nightstand or desk, or you could rewrite the 10 prompts in your journal and just select the ones you want to answer that day.
Summary
Using self-love journal prompts can guide you while journaling.
These 10 prompts will help you in your self-love journey. They are organized by “external” (body image) and “internal” (inner self). The inner self section is further divided into self-esteem, self-forgiveness, and self-growth.
You can use these prompts in whatever way feels best for you. Do this exercise as many times as you need, and take as long as you need. Adapt it to your needs.
Leave a comment below about which self love journal prompts resonates with you the most!