3 Journal Prompts for Self-Compassion Newbies

We’ve all heard that we should practice self-compassion. We spend every waking moment with a voice-over that follows us while we complete each day’s tasks. It’s easy to forget that our internal monologue isn’t neutral. It’s biased, and sometimes it can be negative and wreak havoc on your mood.

But there’s good news. Grabbing a pen and paper can be one of the simplest ways to improve your mood over time. It’s already proven to reduce stress and even decrease your risk of illness.

For those who are new to journaling for self-compassion, here are three prompts to get you started.

The Grateful List

This one is an easy starter because the outline is simple. If you feel awkward being vulnerable on paper, you can still benefit from journaling by jotting down a few bullet points. Simply list what you feel thankful for with as much or as little detail that comes to mind. Remember to include the people who make your life good. If you’re stuck, start with bigger ideas like the weather, your health, or looking forward to the weekend. Keep this up regularly and you’ll see why people who practice gratitude tend to be less depressed.

The Love Your Body Letter

Thinking of getting mushy about your body might send you running for the hills, especially if you tend to be critical of your appearance. But that’s exactly why reversing the messaging you receive from yourself about your body is crucial. Start by focusing on what your body helped you do today: get up, get to work, exercise, play with your kids, enjoy your food. If you’re quick to criticize yourself, you don’t need to write about your appearance. After all, how your body looks is only one small part of what makes it amazing. Pen your letter as a thank-you for your body’s strength or resilience, or as a celebration of what makes you feel most alive, relaxed or connected.

The Peak of the Day

No matter what, there is always a best part of your day. Take a moment to identify what went well in the last 24 hours, no matter how small it seems. Now, take a few minutes to fill out the details of the event. Mind Hacking author John Hargrave calls this the 20-minute replay. He suggests to write for 20 minutes straight and detail every part of the positive experience like a movie. Make sure to include the setting, the time, and how you felt. Try zoning in on any positive emotions that came up. This will help trigger positive thinking, a practice that has seen reductions in heart disease and heart attacks.

The Friendship Test

Most of us can more easily celebrate someone else before we do the same for ourselves. Which of your friends or loved ones do you admire? Pick someone you appreciate having in your life. Start this exercise by jotting down what makes your special person so great. What would you include if you were giving a speech for a birthday, promotion, or anniversary celebration? Focusing on someone you love is a great warm up to the next step of this activity. Now, turn this task on its head and write about yourself. Use your points about your loved one to guide your list or speech about yourself. This is the ultimatum friendship test: treating yourself as a friend.

No matter where you are in your journaling journey, these prompts can help you begin living life with a positive outlook. Like most things, practice makes perfect. Try the prompts above for a week straight and watch the Negative Nancy inside your head start to quiet down.