If you want to raise your confidence and self-esteem, journal prompts for self esteem are the best place to start!
It’s not easy out here when you’re feeling down, especially when you’re feeling down about yourself.
It can affect your mood, relationships, and your drive. It just makes life way harder than it has to be.
So if this is something you’ve been struggling with, welcome to the right place!
I have selected the best journal prompts to raise your self-esteem and kick those negative thoughts right outta here because we don’t have time for that!
To avoid overwhelming yourself, if you’re new to journaling, I recommend starting with about 1-2 self esteem journal prompts a day or a week.
There is no right or wrong way to do this, just do your best to be consistent with it.
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The Importance Of Having A Good Self Esteem
1. Keeps People From Running Over You
One of the biggest reasons why it’s important to have high self-esteem is because it prevents people from running all over you and taking advantage of you.
Having a high self-esteem can also make it easier to break away from people-pleasing too.
You want to avoid these kinds of situations at all costs because allowing people to completely take advantage of you takes you away from your own dreams and goals.
It’s one thing to choose to help someone out and it’s another thing to be manipulated and taken advantage of.
2. Attract Better Opportunities
Another reason why it’s important to have high self-esteem is because it opens you up to more opportunities. How?
Because with high self-esteem comes high self-confidence and when you have more confidence (even if you have to fake it) you will naturally start to run into more opportunities.
Having more confidence can cause you to
- Take risks
- Make a good first impression
- Communicate better
Confidence can open doors that limiting beliefs never could.
3. Better Long-Term Success
Increasing your self-esteem can also increase your chances of having long-term success. This kind of goes hand-in-hand with attracting more opportunities to you.
Some people with higher levels of confidence have been known to make as much as $20,000 more than their less confident peers.
Having a higher self esteem can also help you feel more comfortable with learning new skills, become more resilient, and improve your overall image of yourself.
4. Boost Overall Well-Being
A boost in your wellbeing is another reason why having a high-self esteem is so important.
When you have high self-esteem you’re less likely to be focused on the things you don’t like about yourself which then gives you more space to stay focused on things such as:
- Improving a skill
- Learning how to adapt to new changes
- Achieving small goals for the month
- Fun hobbies
A high self-esteem can also help with coping with stress, anxiety, work, etc.
5. Feel More Inclined To Give Back To The World
Giving back to the world and/or your community is very important, especially when you take into consideration that what you put out into the world is what comes right back to you.
Having a high self-esteem can also help with this.
When you have low self-esteem, a lot of times you are focused on the negative aspects of yourself, and oftentimes that consumes a lot of your headspace.
However, when you learn to improve your self-esteem and fill up your own cup, you will start to not only have more to be able to share but also you will feel good about it as well.
Journal Prompts For Self Esteem
1. What is a compliment someone has given you that has always stuck with you?
2. List 3 of your best traits.
3. What is one negative thought that swirls in your mind daily? What is a positive thought to counter-argue that negative thought?
4. Write a thank you letter to yourself in detail.
5. How much do I compare myself to others? In what ways is this harmful to me?
6. Have I developed any insecurities from comparing myself to others? If so, what are they? How did I once feel about that trait/feature before comparing myself?
7. Describe one thing you did for someone else that made you feel good.
8. What is one unique trait that makes you you?
9. What are 2 things you love about yourself (physically)?
10. What are 3 things you love about yourself (non-physical)?
11. What does having high self-esteem look like to you?
12. What is one limiting belief you have about yourself? What is one thing you can do today to change that belief?
13. What does the ideal version of you look like? Describe in detail.
14. What are 3 things that bring you joy in life?
15. When was the last time you felt confident? What were you wearing/doing?
16. What is something that makes you feel confident?
17. Who is someone who gives you compliments/makes you feel good about yourself?
18. Who is someone who has always encouraged you in life? What would they say to you right now?
19. Describe what your inner dialogue looks like when you make a mistake.
20. Think of a time when you felt disappointed with yourself; how did you move past those feelings? Is there a more productive way you can handle that situation in the future?
21. What is something you admire in others that you also have yourself?
22. Is there anything you once were insecure about but have moved on from? If so, what was it and how did you learn to accept it?
23. How much do I rely on how other people view me? What is one small thing I can do today to break that?
24. If applicable, what is one small thing I can do today to stop comparing myself to others?
25. List 3 ways you can change your perspective on yourself to be more positive and less negative.
Journal Prompts For Positive Self Talk
26. Describe your inner dialogue when you’re feeling insecure. What is one small thing you can do to improve this?
27. Where did you learn to talk to yourself this way? How can you change this narrative today?
28. Imagine a time when you’ve been very irritated. How do you talk to yourself in times like this?
29. How would you feel if a friend talked to you the way you talk to yourself?
30. In what ways could you be more patient with yourself?
31. How do you think the way you’re talking to yourself is affecting your life?
32. Describe an ideal inner dialogue where you have positive self-talk.
33. What is one goal (big or small) that you have accomplished in the last year?
34. What is a positive “I am…” affirmation that you can use today?
35. Who is someone who is encouraging to you?
36. What does having positive self-talk look like on a day-to-day basis? How can you start to incorporate this now?
37. What is one positive change you’ve made in the last 6 months?
38. What is something you’re proud of yourself for?
39. List 3 of your biggest strengths.
40. How do you feel when someone gives you a compliment?
41. How do you talk to yourself when you’re happy? How do you talk to yourself when you’ve failed at something? In what ways do they differ?
42. In what ways will changing the way you talk to yourself improve your life?
43. How often do you give yourself a pat on the back?
44. When was the last time you’ve given yourself a compliment? What was it?
45. List 3 negative things you’ve told yourself. How could you have a different perspective on each of these 3 things?
46. What is one thing you’ve achieved that you once thought you couldn’t?
47. In what ways does your inner dialogue reflect a habit you’ve learned in your childhood?
48. What is one small thing you can do today to improve your self-talk?
49. What is one challenge you may face when trying to improve your self-talk? What is something you can do to overcome this challenge?
50. How do you deal with the negative thoughts in your mind? In what ways could this be more productive?
51. What are 3 positive things you want to remind yourself more often?
Self Acceptance Journal Prompts
52. What is one compliment you’ve received that was difficult to accept?
53. What does self-acceptance mean to you?
54. What is something that you need to accept about yourself? How will accepting this thing change your life?
55. What does having self-acceptance look like to you?
56. Who is someone that has always made you feel accepted? In what ways can you give yourself that same acceptance?
57. What is one way that you go against the grain? What is one positive outlook you can take from that?
58. What is something others see in you that you have a hard time seeing in yourself? What is one small way you can see this in yourself right now?
59. Think of someone who you believe accepts themselves for who they are unapologetically. What do they do that makes you believe this about them?
60. What is something that you learned to accept in the past? What did you do or say to yourself to get to that place?
61. List 3 reasons why it’s important to have self-acceptance.
62. Describe a time when you felt accepted in a group setting.
63. In what ways will learning acceptance improve your life?
64. What is one flaw you choose to accept today?
65. Describe a time when you felt happy with yourself.
66. In what way does acceptance overlap with forgiveness?
67. Think of something you need to accept about yourself. Who is someone who has this trait/feature and rocks it confidently?
68. What is something that you’ve done in the past that you need to forgive yourself for? What is one small thing you can do today to forgive yourself?
69. Describe a time when you made a decision that made you proud of yourself.
70. What is one thing you can let go of today that will help you accept yourself more?
71. What are 3 core values that you have?
72. What is an unpopular opinion you have that you stand on?
73. What advice would you give your younger self on accepting who they are/the situation they’re in?
74. What is one positive perspective you can have today on the situation you’re choosing to accept?
75. Describe the difference between accepting who you are as a person versus noticing something you can improve upon.
Self Compassion Journal Prompts
76. What does having good self-compassion look like to you?
77. How do you feel when you think about being more kind to yourself? Do you feel silly, judgmental, empowered, etc?
78. What is one pressure/expectation that you put on yourself that you can stand to let go of?
79. What mood do I want to be in today? What is something I can remind myself of to achieve this?
80. What is something you judge yourself for? What is one thing you can do today to let this go?
81. What is your favorite way to receive love?
82. What is your favorite self-care activity?
83. List 3 ways that you could create a more peaceful headspace for yourself.
84. How often do you find yourself beating yourself up? What is one small thing you can do to change this for the better?
85. What is a trait that I have that I’m proud to say I have (big or small)?
86. What is one compassionate thing someone has done for you?
87. What is one lesson you’ve learned in the past year?
88. When was the last time you’ve put yourself first? How can you slowly start to incorporate more of this into your life?
89. What are 3 good things about your life, so far?
90. What is something you can incorporate in your day to show yourself some love?
91. In what ways can I be more nurturing to myself?
92. What is one self-care activity that brings me joy?
93. What is one small thing you can do today to be more kind to yourself?
94. List some non-judgemental people in your life. How do these people make you feel?
95. Do you have too many expectations for yourself? If so, what are they?
96. What is something you can take off your plate to make more room for self-care?
97. In what ways do you show compassion for others that you don’t do for yourself?
98. What are 3 small ways you can show yourself more compassion?
99. What is one thing you’ve been doing right lately?
100. In what areas of your life do you feel you need to slow down a bit?
101. Think of an encouraging person in your life. Write some words of encouragement that you can imagine them saying to you.
Journaling Exercises For Self Esteem
1. Use Positive Affirmations
To affirm something means to state it to be true and an affirmation is a statement that you are affirming to be true.
This could be as simple as “This coffee shop has the best coffee” to as meaningful as “I am capable of anything I put my mind to”. Positive affirmations can be very powerful, and the words you speak, especially the words you speak about yourself or your life, can be extremely powerful.
That’s why using positive affirmations can be a great exercise for improving your self-esteem.
You can either say or write your positive affirmations before or after you use your journal prompts for self esteem. It doesn’t have to be anything extra either; just choose 2-3 affirmations that stick out to you the most.
Related: 50 Positive Affirmations For Mental Strength
2. Use A Self Esteem Workbook
Another great exercise is to use a self-esteem workbook! A self esteem workbook is like the journal prompts for self esteem but one notch up.
You get self esteem journal prompts, assessments, definitions, guides, and more. If this is something you’re interested in then I highly highly recommend this self-esteem workbook where you can get:
- Self-esteem check-up
- Physical prep tracker
- Daily thoughts record
3. Write 3 Things You’re Grateful For
A simple journaling exercise for self-esteem is writing 3 things you’re grateful for every day. This can significantly help improve your self-esteem because it trains your mind to look for the positives rather than looking for the negatives.
Writing down what you’re grateful for, especially in the morning, can help cultivate some happiness and elevate your mood for the day.
You can even switch this up some days and write about 3 things you’re grateful for about your body or 3 things you’re grateful for about your life.
I don’t recommend writing 3 new things you’re grateful for about your body every single day though because it can become repetitive and a bit of a chore. Keep it fresh and simple.
4. Practice Acceptance
This last one may not seem like an exercise but it is, especially once you start practicing it for yourself.
Learning how to practice acceptance may look like:
- Staying in the present moment
- Accepting yourself the way you are
- Accepting your current situation for what it is rather than what you want it to be
- Being mindful of what you can change
- Letting go of resistance and submitting to what is today
The Best Way To Journal & Use Journal Prompts For Self Esteem
While there are many different types of journaling, actually using a journal is very simple. There is no specific right or wrong way to do it, but there is a better way to do it.
So with that being said, here’s the most effective way to journal.
1. Physically Write Your Prompts
This is highly debatable among a lot of people but research has shown that physically writing is much better than typing.
Physically writing can help improve your memory, critical thinking, and your ability to process your thoughts and emotions.
If you genuinely can’t write, then yes typing is a great alternative. But do I recommend typing over writing? Absolutely not.
2. Journal Somewhere Quiet
It’s very important that you journal somewhere with minimal noise and distractions.
This will help you think more clearly and give you the space to write everything you’re feeling.
I’ve found that the best time of day to achieve this is early in the morning or at night when everyone is going to bed, which is perfect because this is also the time of day that I recommend journaling anyway.
If you have to, don’t be afraid to journal
- In your car
- At the library
- At a quiet coffee shop
3. Be Consistent With Journaling
If you want to reap the benefits of journaling then you must be consistent. You don’t have to go crazy with it, just pick the amount of times in a week or every 2 weeks that you’re going to write and stick with it.
Ideally, I suggest aiming for about 3-4 times a week for about 5-10 minutes.
4. Don’t Overthink The Journal Prompts For Self Esteem
Regardless if you’re doing journal prompts for self esteem or other types of journal prompts don’t overthink it.
There isn’t a specific thing that you must write about nor is there a specific prompt you have to answer. Just allow your thoughts to run free on the paper.
If you’ve written everything you need to say then don’t force yourself to write more.
And if you get stuck on a journal prompt, then don’t be afraid to pick a new one or come back to it later.
Keep it simple, especially in the beginning.
5. Be Intentional
Be intentional with your journaling. Don’t journal just to say you journaled today; actually go in with specific intentions.
- Do you want to keep a positive mindset for the day?
- Do you want to cultivate gratitude?
- Do you need to write freely to get something off your chest?
- Are you trying to get out of your head?
- Are you looking for a fresh perspective?
- Are you trying to self-reflect?
Decide what your intention is to journal, and then go at it.
Conclusion On Journal Prompts For Self Esteem
Journal prompts for self esteem are a great way to raise your confidence and increase positive self-talk.
They help you identify where you’ve been beating up yourself too much and where you can make slight improvements.
It may not seem like much now, but those small daily actions add up.
Comment down below which journal prompt was your favorite or which ones you would’ve added.
Thank you for reading and I wish you all the best with your journaling success!
Peace
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