50 Journaling Prompts for Relieving Anxiety & Stress

When stress and anxiety creep into the mind, journaling can be one of the best ways to find mental clarity. Putting pen to paper has been shown to help reduce worrisome and anxious thoughts and can help put things into perspective. Through journaling, we can understand ourselves better: what causes us stress and triggers our anxiety. 

Here are 50 of our favorite writing prompts for relieving stress and anxiety. Write as much or as little as you like for each journaling prompt. 

1. What scares you the most and why? 
2. Write about three things that when you do them, you forget about all of your worries. 
3. What is important to you in life? 
4. What triggers you to become anxious? 
5. Write about a time someone caused you pain and then write them a forgiveness letter. 
6. Write about a time you let go of anger. 
7. What is your favorite inspirational quote and why? 
8. List three positive affirmations that you will say to yourself in the mirror today. 
9. What is something you are looking forward to today? 
10. What signs do you notice before you have a panic attack? 
11. List compliments people have paid you that made you feel good about yourself. 
12. What are you worrying about right now? 
13. Today I am grateful for... 
14. I promise myself that... 
15. What does your perfect day look like? 
16. What hurdles have you had to overcome in life? 
17. List three things you did that make you proud. 
18. How can you take better care of yourself? 
19. What are your dreams and ambitions? 
20. How can you reduce anxiety and stress in your life? 
21. Write about one small thing that can help bring peace to your day. 
22. How do I handle stress? How could I handle it better? 
23. What triggers stress in your life? 
24. What makes me feel safe? 
25. Right now, I am... 
26. What can I learn from the issues I am facing now? 
27. Journal about someone who makes you feel special and cared for? 
28. How can you show support and care for others? 
29. Who are you grateful for in your life? 
30. List five ways you can practice self-care. 
31. How can you use positive self-talk to build yourself up? 
32. Write a letter to yourself 5 years into the future. Tell your future self what you’d like your life to be like then.  
33. What am I afraid of? 
34. List some things that make you feel stressed? 
35. What are you avoiding doing right now and why? What would help you muster up the courage to do it? 
36. Things that make me feel agitated. 
37. I am lucky to... 
38. What is amazing about your life now? 
39. What small things make a big difference to you? 
40. What expectations do you need to change? 
41. What is one thing you can forgive yourself for? 
42. The most prominent thought I have today is... 
43. Where in your body do you hold onto stress? 
44. How do you know you are feeling stressed? 
45. Use all five senses to describe somebody you love. 
46. Use all five senses to describe a place you love. 
47. Seven people I think are amazing are... 
48. If life were limitless, what would it look like? 
49. How can I make today better than yesterday? 
50. How can you make a positive difference in someone’s life today? 

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