How to Journal About Feelings and Emotions

I’m not the most naturally emotional person, and it took me a long time to realize the value of this kind of introspection. So I’d like to share some writing prompts that I use to great effect when I’m dealing with tough situations or feelings.

Disclaimer: I’m not a professional therapist (although I ran this list by two friends, one of whom is a social worker and the other who is a professional therapist with a psych background, so I’ve vetted and improved it using real experts over the last few years). If you’re dealing with a mental health crisis, get help from a professional that knows what they’re doing — journaling in an A5 notebook is NOT a replacement for a professional that can help guide you through a crisis!

Checklist for Deep Personal Introspection

I use this list when journaling to dig into feelings, thoughts, and self-reflection.

1. Clarifying Feelings & Emotions

- What am I feeling right now, and why?

- Is this feeling connected to something deeper or unresolved?

- Have I felt this way before in a similar situation?

- Is this feeling telling me something useful, or is it just a passing reaction?

- If this feeling could speak, what would it say?

2. Identifying Thought Patterns & Beliefs

- What am I assuming to be true in this situation?

- Is this thought serving me or holding me back?

- Where did I learn this belief—does it still make sense?

- What would a neutral observer say about this thought?

- What’s an alternative way to look at this?

3. Investigating Fears & Resistance

- What am I avoiding thinking about?

- What’s the worst that could happen, realistically?

- What past experiences are shaping my current fear?

- Is this fear protecting me or limiting me?

- How can I break this down into smaller, manageable steps?

4. Examining Goals & Motivations

- What do I really want in this area of my life?

- Why is this important to me?

- If I achieved this, how would my life change?

- What small steps can I take toward this goal today?

- If I fail at this, what would still make the effort worthwhile?

5. Reflecting on Growth & Lessons Learned

- What’s one challenge I’ve overcome recently?

- What patterns do I see in my struggles or successes?

- How have I changed in the last 6 months?

- What past mistake turned into an important lesson?

- What advice would I give myself from a year ago?

6. Decision-Making & Clarity

- What decision am I struggling with?

- What are the potential outcomes of each choice?

- What does my gut say vs. what does my logical brain say?

- How will I feel about this decision in a year?

- What’s the smallest step I can take right now?

7. Perspective Shifting & Gratitude

- If I weren’t worried about judgment, what would I do?

- What’s something small I can be grateful for today?

- If I had to find a silver lining in my current struggles, what would it be?

- What’s a way to turn my problem into an opportunity?

- If I had to teach someone a lesson from my life, what would it be?

I’ll try to keep this list up to date as I add/remove/edit the prompts.