According to a lot of experts, the one thing that is going to help improve your life immeasurably is journaling. It’s one of the first tips out of any self-help guru’s mouth. “Write down what you’re grateful for and what is bothering you, and all your problems will go away”.

Well, it’s perhaps not quite as simple as that, but there is a reason why journaling helps with anxiety. 

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety is a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome.

Usually, the symptoms of anxiety are overthinking, pacing, feeling restless and having difficulty concentrating, amongst a myriad of other issues. 

Why Journaling Helps With Anxiety

Journaling helps with this because it allows you to make sense of everything you’re thinking about. It forces you to speak your worries into existence so that you can confront them head-on, rather than keep repeating a swirling cycle of thoughts in your head, never being able to catch one because they move so fast. 

Journaling slows those thoughts down and puts them into some sort of order. It also often allows you to contextualise them and rationalise them better. Seeing all of your problems written down on paper allows you to find solutions to them. The slower nature of writing (instead of thinking) also helps to relax your thoughts as you drag them out in your brain to allow yourself to write them down.

Why Prompts Help When Journaling

Prompts can be really helpful when journaling, particularly if you’re new to it. They also help provide direction and structure to your thoughts, as well as helping you to overcome those blank page worries. Sometimes it can be hard to know where to start when your mind is already racing. Journaling prompts help with that. 

So, here are 30 journal prompts to help guide your anxious mind. 

How To Use These Prompts

Although there are 30 prompts here, you absolutely do not need to use them all at once. In fact we’d actively discourage it. 

To start, choose 2-3 prompts that speak to your current situation the most. The focus here isn’t on perfect writing, or a certain amount of words. It’s about getting your thoughts on paper. You don’t even need to write in full sentences if you find that overwhelming. Bullet points are absolutely fine. 

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How Often Should I Journal?

There isn’t a hard and fast time or frequency that you need to journal. The idea is to do it as often as you need to, whenever the situation requires it. 

Some people are in a daily journal habit, which is great. But if that’s not you, that’s also fine. Journaling doesn’t need to be a daily habit for you to see the benefits of it. It’s just writing. It’s private, and there are no rules. No one is going to read what you write. It’s your opportunity to be completely yourself. 

30 Journal Prompts for Anxiety and Overthinking

Prompts to Calm Your Mind

1. What is one small simple thing I can focus on right now?
2. Which thoughts feel loud in my mind, and which ones can I gently let go?
3. What is something that brought me comfort this week?
4. If my mind had a volume dial, what would I turn down today?
5. What would help my body feel 10% more relaxed right now?
6. What can I remind myself that always brings me back to feeling calm?

Prompts to Stop Overthinking

1. What story am I telling myself that might not be fully true?
2. What evidence do I actually have for the worry I’m currently spiralling about?
3. What outcome am I afraid of, and what is a more realistic one?
4. If this situation were happening to a friend, what would I say to them?
5. What am I assuming, and what do I know for certain?
6. What’s one thing I can let go of because it’s not helping me?

Prompts to Process Emotions

1. What emotions feel strongest in my body today? Describe them.
2. What triggered these emotions? What does it remind me of?
3. What does this feeling need from me right now? Comfort, space, validation?
4. If my emotion could speak, what would it say?
5. What am I afraid will happen if I fully feel this emotion?
6. How can I move this emotion through my body in a healthy way?

Prompts to Help Support Yourself

1. What is something I can do today to show myself care and kindness?
2. What words do I need to hear right now? Write them to yourself.
3. What boundary would protect my peace this week?
4. What do I need more of? What do I need less of?
5. What is a small win I can give myself permission to celebrate?
6. How can I comfort myself in the same way I comfort others?

Prompts to Ground Yourself

1. What are five things I can see, hear or feel right now?
2. What is one thing I’m grateful for right now, even if it’s tiny?
3. Where in my life do I feel rooted or supported?
4. What is something real, solid and present that I can anchor myself to?
5. What is one routine or ritual that helps me return to myself?
6. What matters most to me today, and what doesn’t need my energy right now?

Tips for Journaling When You’re Feeling Anxious

Don’t feel like you need to do this for hours. Start with a two minute timer if it feels overwhelming. The idea is to ease your anxiety, not add to it by putting pressure on yourself.

Don’t worry about making sure your handwriting is neat (or even legible!) The idea is to get everything out of your mind and onto paper. It doesn’t need to be presented to the world. It just needs to make sense to you. 

Take a few deep breaths before you start journaling. This will help you begin to slow your mind before you start. 

How Often Should You Journal For Anxiety?

Journaling is a private and personal hobby. The true answer is, you should journal whenever you require it. If that’s once per week, that’s absolutely fine. But if you can find it in yourself to commit to a few sentences a few times per week (or even work up to a daily practice!) you will find yourself feeling far less anxious, and a lot lighter mentally.