21 Journal and Writing Prompts to Practice Loving
An intimate form of exchange between you and yourself, writing can be one of the most impactful ways to practice loving yourself. Writing can often be daunting though, especially in a capitalist society where we are told that whatever we produce has to be perfect, meet white standards, and must establish our value as productive members of society—whatever that means.
Instead, we challenge ourselves to let go of all of that. To accept the messiness of our writing. To accept when we get stuck in our writing. To accept when our writing doesn’t even come close to the standards we often set for ourselves. Beauty grows from these imperfections, and I challenge you to not even just accept this, but also to love it, as a way of practicing love towards yourself. This sacred practice will translate to showing the ultimate love and compassion towards your loved ones and communities.
However you choose to respond, allow these journaling and writing prompts to guide you towards radical self love. Maybe your response will lead you to a 5 page essay, or a 3 word phrase. Perhaps you will feel inclined to answer them all in your diary, or maybe you will feel particularly inspired by just one of them, and choose to write a freeform poem. Loving yourself has no rules, and neither do these prompts. Throw away any rules ingrained in your head and allow yourself to take pen to paper and give into the uncomfortable. Embrace it and follow your heart, trust yourself—that’s what loving is after all.
When do you feel most loved? Is it from a particular person? Is it when you are in the midst of a particular action, activity, or mindset?
Does your response to prompt 1 differ from when you most love yourself, or is it the same? Why does it differ if it does? Describe what this feels like.
What does love feel like? Can it be many things at once?
What does self love feel like?
Write about your favorite characteristics of your childhood self.
Write about your favorite characteristics of yourself now.
Do the characteristics from prompts 3 and 4 differ? If so, how and why?
When do you love yourself the least? Be honest with yourself. Why is this? What does it feel like? How are you moving forward?
Describe love using colors.
Describe love using scents and tastes.
What does the perfect day with yourself look like?
What do you love most about the people you surround yourself with?
What do the people you surround yourself with love most about you?
Write an ode to yourself.
Write a love letter to your childhood self.
Write a love letter to your present self.
Write a love letter to your future self.
Do you have any issues with love? Do you have any issues with self love?
What do most people get wrong about self love?
Love is like…
I love when I…
