In this blog post, we will dive into the best 47 monthly self-reflection journal prompts to help you explore your inner self and boost your well-being.
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Self-reflection these days seems almost like a lost art. It’s practically non-existent in most people’s lives.
Which is completely sad.
We move so fast through our days that we tend never to slow down and examine our lives.
Now I’m not saying to sit down and pick apart your life.
This can be how some people see self-reflection.
That’s NOT what I want you to do here. Not at all… please try to refrain from picking apart your life ever.
There may be areas in our lives that we would like to improve or change, but digging down on ourselves about those areas isn’t going to make them better.
It’s only going to make it worse.
Practicing self-reflection can help you understand who you are, what values you believe in, and why you think and act the way you do.
It can be a lot to unpack but if you’re up for the journey it can be a truly elevating experience.
This blog post is all about the must-know Monthly Self-Reflection Journal Prompts for inner growth.
What is Self-Reflection
Let’s start with what exactly self-reflection is.
Self-reflection is learning about yourself.
Looking back on your day, week, or in our case month, and simply noticing (without judgment) your behaviours.
It’s about taking an honest look at yourself and your life.
This could be in great detail regarding very specific areas, or in a more general aspect.
The good thing about self-reflection is you can do it often and change reflection points every time.
One day you could reflect on the day before and a specific action or incident you had.
The next maybe you want to reflect on all your choices regarding a specific topic over the past few years or since you were a child/adolescent.
You can always adjust what you are reflecting on, and I think that is what makes self-reflection so powerful.
When you practice with these self-reflection journal prompts, you are purposely looking into areas of your life.
Noticing what may have transpired, what didn’t work, what did work, and how you can learn and use this information in the future.
Self-reflection requires COURAGE.
It really does.
Because when you take that honest look at yourself there may be parts that aren’t very pretty, and you may have to face things that you intentionally kept hidden away.
But when you allow those sensitive topics to surface you become lighter and can welcome positive change into the best version of yourself.
And that’s why most of us are here, looking to improve ourselves in one way or another.
Why Self-Reflection Journaling is Important & Beneficial
Now we’ll jump into why using these self-reflection journaling prompts is important, and the amazing benefits of using them.
First, the practice of self-reflection allows you to check in with your mental and emotional state, evaluate your goals, and understand your motivations.
It’s also great for catching any recurring negative thought patterns you may experience.
Journaling for self-reflection can help you become more effective at decision-making.
This is because the part of the brain (prefrontal cortex) that’s associated with decision-making gets activated when you practice self-reflection.
This is pretty much like giving that area in your brain a little workout, which improves your decision-making skills in other areas of your life. For example, when you need to make a choice quickly or make a tough decision, you’ll be more equipped to do so.
Using these self-reflection journal prompts can also improve your emotional regulation.
Writing about your feelings helps you acknowledge and process them. And this helps you work through any internal issues and handle emotions more easily when they arise.
It’s also great for personal growth! And we loveeee anything that’s personal growth here.
Using these self-reflection journal prompts helps you understand your strengths as well as see areas in your life for improvement. Since you’re intentionally looking to improve yourself this creates a growth mindset.
Another benefit is that it can be great for reducing stress.
When you journal, it can decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression by giving you a place to organize your thoughts and feelings.
This allows space to release steam and can make difficult situations seem more manageable.
And finally, it can improve your relationships.
When you journal for self-reflection, you are working to become clearer on your behaviours, needs, and reactions.
This translates into better communication skills with others which creates stronger relationships with the ones you love.
47 Self-Reflection Journal Prompts
Alright, now that you know why self-reflection is beneficial and how it can better transform your life, let’s dive into these monthly self-reflection journal prompts.
With these 47 journal prompts, you will reveal insights about yourself that you may have never discovered.
Self-Awareness Journal Prompts
- Overall, how do I feel this month went for me?
- What are 3 things I’m grateful for this month?
- If I could change one thing that happened this month what would it be? Why would I change it?
- What is one strength I have learned about myself this month? How did this strength show up?
- What did I learn about myself this past month?
- Did I have any reoccurring limiting belief patterns this month? How can I challenge them next month?
- Did I prioritize my health this month? Physical, mental, emotional, spiritual? Do I feel I did enough?
- How did I speak to myself this month? More positively or negatively?
- What is one thing I wish I had done differently this month?
- Did I face any criticism this month? If so, how did I handle it, and what does my reaction towards it say about my self-esteem/self-image?
Related Post: 23 Powerful Journal Prompts for Self-Discovery
Emotional Awareness
- What was one thing I’m really happy I did this month?
- What is one thing I am proud of myself for this month?
- What was one time I felt a peace this month? Where was I and what was I doing?
- How can I start replicating these feelings of peace more in my life for next month?
- What was something I did this month that made me feel fulfilled, and how can I incorporate more of that into my life next month?
- Was there anything this month that made me very angry?
- Did something happen this month that triggered any emotional reaction in me? Did I learn anything from this reaction about myself?
- How did I express my emotions this month? Were there other ways I can think of now that would be good strategies in the future month?
- Did I avoid any emotions this month because they might have caused discomfort? Why do I think I did this?
- Was there anything this month I feel I “failed” at? How did this make me feel?
- Did I feel any fear or anxiety this month about anything? How can I acknowledge these feelings and reduce them for next month?
- Did I experience any reoccurring emotions? What do I think they might be telling me?
- Did I feel any stress this month, about what?
- Did I try to reduce these stressful feelings/moments in any way?
- Are there other strategies I can think of now to help improve my stress management for next month?
- When I felt negative emotions this month how did I seek comfort or support? Were these methods effective in improving my emotional state?
Purpose & Meaning Prompts
- When this month did I feel best about myself? What was I doing when I felt completely aligned with my energy?
- Who inspired me this month? Do they have qualities I want to integrate? What are these qualities?
- What was something that motivated me this month?
- What is one piece of advice I’d give myself for next month?
- What did I watch, listen to, or read that inspired me this month?
- Are there any areas in my life that could use more balance or attention for next month?
- What practices this month helped me stay grounded and centered?
- What was one thing I did this month that made me feel purposeful?
- Did I take steps this month to live a meaningful life based on how I view meaning?
- What was one thing I did that made me feel more connected to myself? How can I do more of that next month?
Personal Growth
- Did I have any personal goals or achievements this month? Did I achieve them? If not, why?
- Did I incorporate any new habits into my daily or weekly routine this month? How did that go?
- Do these habits feel good or did I struggle with staying consistent with any of them?
- What is a new habit I want to start next month?
- What is a goal I want to achieve next month?
- Was there anything really challenging that came up for me this month? How did I handle these challenges?
- What healthy choices did I make in my daily routines to reach my long-term goals?
- Have my goals or priorities shifted this month at all?
- Was there anything that held me back this month from achieving my goals?
- What is one area where I’ve seen growth this month?
- Did any of my relationships affect my personal growth this month, if so in what ways?
Journaling Tips
If you’re the type of girlie who loves tracking your progress then one great tip is to revisit past entries every few months. Notice your patterns and areas where you recognize you’ve grown. As well as acknowledge where you might still be facing challenges.
This is a wonderful tool to enhance your self-reflection journaling routine.
Another tip is to find a comfortable space to practice your journaling. This could be in your bedroom, a favourite chair, or a space completely private from the rest of your home.
Some tools to help you dive into your journaling journey are a notebook or journal. I always find it more inspiring to use ones I find cute, it makes me want to journal more.
This 3 pack spiral set is adorable with the little flower bunches on the cover.
And you can’t forget about using a pen you love, like these cute pastel-coloured ones.
I encourage you to use these 47 self-reflection journal prompts every month to explore your behaviours and emotions. Over time, you’ll become more aware of why you act and feel the way you do and uncover how you might want to adjust your behaviours in the future.
If you’re new to journaling and looking for some guidance check out these 15 journaling tips for beginners to get you started.
An important aspect of journaling is to be completely and totally honest with yourself.
And I understand that opening up and being honest can be scary.
Trust me I get it.
But you are the ONLY one who is reading your journal.
So practice letting go of any judgment and allow your true thoughts and feelings to f l o w freely.
It’s through this raw honesty that you’ll achieve a deeper self-understanding and discover aspects of yourself you might not have known before.
And if the idea of working through all 47 of these self-reflection journal prompts feels overwhelming, start with the ones that resonate most with you.
Then you can gradually add more to your self-reflection journaling practice as you get more comfortable.
Remember, self-reflection journaling is about creating healthy habits and achieving a deeper understanding of yourself.
You can add this practice into your morning routine, or evening ritual once a month to maintain consistency and continue on your path to self-discovery.
Let me know in the comments which of these self-reflection journal prompts resonated with you most. Feel free to share your experience, you never know who you may inspire to begin their self-reflection journey.
