10 journal prompts for a quick joy fix!
1. What’s a song that always makes you feel joyful?
Listen to the song from start to finish and then create something in your journal inspired by it.
Now fill the shape with a sketch of a joyful memory you shared with someone you love or care about. Don’t worry about it being perfect (a rough drawing or stick people are fine!). Just include as many little details as you can remember.
Then write a message for the back of your ‘postcard’ addressing it to the person you experienced the memory with, letting them know everything you loved about it. It’s up to you whether you’d like to give them this message, or just keep it for your journal.
2. Draw a postcard shape on your page.
3. If you won the lottery and money was no object, what would you still make time for in your life, purely for the joy of it?
Reflect on your answers and notice if they shed some light on which joyful experiences matter to you the most.
4. Brainstorm some simple ways you could bring more joy and lightness into your day today.
(Or into your day tomorrow, if you’re journaling in the evening!).
5. Go for a walk and actively look for things that make you smile or feel something good.
Perhaps it’ll be people, colours, nature, funny little moments… when you get home, write about what noticed. You could take photographs as you go, if you like.
6. Draw a big sunshine shape on your page.
Along the sun’s rays, write down some joys that you’re grateful to have in your life.
7. List 10 of your favourite places to visit.
Then list 10 places you’d love to visit soon. Neither list needs to feature holiday destinations or big trips (although they can, of course!). But perhaps you might like to consider places in your local area, like cafes, pubs or bookshops. Or lovely National Trust gardens!
8. Write out J O Y in large letters on your page.
Now fill the letters with lots of little things that bring you joy, personally — you can use words or doodles, it’s up to you.
9. If you could do just one thing to bring you joy in the next five minutes, what would it be?
Write it down. Then if you can, go ahead and do that thing! If it’s not possible right now, plan those five minutes in your diary for later today, or some time very soon.
10. Keep joy field notes for a day!
Field notes are raw observations, like written notes or photographs, usually collected by scientists, journalists or researchers when out and about ‘in the field’.
Become your own joy researcher by noting down in your journal (or photographing on your phone) the things or moments that bring you joy throughout the day, however small. At the end of the day, hopefully you’ll have an interesting collection of field notes — and you might even have a deeper insight into what joy really means for you 💛
I hope you enjoyed those prompts and you’re already feeling the joy ☺️ If you decide to share your journal pages on Instagram, please do tag me @journal.for.joy!