19 Writing Prompts

19 prompts to encourage you to share your own thoughts... with yourself, your friends, or me, if you would like to!

Consider it a COVID-19 quarantine activity idea to stimulate your mind and soul!

Feel free to comment your responses below if you would like to! I will respond to every single one, I promise! I think this will not only be therapeutic, but a way to connect and communicate with each other! And there are no rules... you don't have to go in any order, there's no "right" length, and there are definitely no wrong answers! Also, I know some of the prompts are kind of ~deep~, but don't feel like you have to get super deep if you don't want to. I just found these thought-provoking and engaging!

*Original list adapted from Marc & Angel, found here. I shortened, combined, and altered a few of them.

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ONE

Your mind is the only thing that gets in the way of where you are and where you want to be. It is where half the things you feared would happen, never actually happened. Your mind is where expectations get in the way of living in the present moment.

What’s one thought that has been getting the best of you lately? How has it been influencing your behavior?

TWO

Happiness is letting go of what you assume your life is supposed to be like right now, and sincerely appreciating it for everything that it is. So, RELAX. You are enough. You have enough. You do enough.

What do you appreciate most about your life right now? Why?

THREE

A tiny part of your life is decided by uncontrollable circumstances, while the vast majority of it is decided by your internal responses. Let this sink in. Regardless of what’s going on around you, peace of mind arrives the moment you come to peace with what’s on your mind.

What is one reality you need to come to peace with? Why?

FOUR

What you focus on grows. 99% of what stressed you out recently won’t even matter a month from now.  The older we grow, the more peaceful we become. We realize how much nonsense we’ve wasted time on. So, just do your best right now to rise above the things that don't really matter. The strongest sign of your growth is realizing you’re no longer worried or stressed by the trivial things that once used to drain you.

Shake off the nonsense, bring your attention back to what’s important, and move forward with your life.

What’s something that used to drive you crazy, but no longer bothers you? What kind of drama do you sometimes get caught up in? What can you do to rise above it?

What is truly worth focusing on today? What is NOT?

FIVE

You’re not the same person you were a year ago, a month ago, or a week ago. You’re always growing. The very experiences that seem so hard when you’re going through them are the ones you’ll look back on with gratitude for how far you’ve come.

What’s the hardest thing you’re trying to accomplish or cope with right now? What is something that you look back on and feel grateful for?

SIX

It’s funny how we outgrow what we once thought we couldn’t live without, and then we fall in love with what we didn’t even know we wanted. Life keeps leading us on journeys we would never go on if it were up to us. Don’t be afraid. Have faith. Find the lessons. Trust the journey.

What’s something you’ve let go that once meant the world to you? And, what’s something you love today that you never even knew you needed in your life?

SEVEN

Most of the time you have a choice. If you don’t like a changeable aspect of your life, it’s time to start making changes and new choices. Growth begins at the end of your comfort zone. Dream. Attempt. Explore.

Over the past month, what have your actions been saying about your priorities? Are there any changes you want to make? How have you stretched your comfort zone or what is a comfort zone challenge you’d like to conquer?

EIGHT

We waste our time waiting for the ideal path to appear. But it never does. Because we forget that paths are made by walking, not waiting. And no, you shouldn’t feel more confident before you take the next step. Taking the next step is what builds your confidence.

What’s the next step you’ve been thinking about taking, and what is holding you back?

NINE

Don’t fall back into your old patterns of living just because they’re more comfortable and easier to access. Remember, you left certain habits and situations behind for a reason: to improve your life. And right now, you can’t move forward if you keep going back.

What’s one old pattern of behavior that sometimes still sneaks up on you? What’s a better alternative, and why?

TEN

Your capacity to be happy is directly related to the quality of people who most closely surround you. So, be with those who are good for your mental health. Those who bring you inner peace. Those who challenge your bad habits, but also support your ability to change and grow.

Who have you spent the most time with over the past month, and how have these people affected your life?

ELEVEN

Too often we say “life is not fair” while we’re scrolling on Instagram or stalking other people on social media. Think twice, and be thankful. At the end of the day, before you close your eyes, breathe deeply, appreciate where you are, and see the value in what you have.

What is one privilege you have that you often take for granted?

TWELVE

Everybody you meet is afraid of something, loves something, and has lost something. Know this. Respect this. And be extra kind. Take time to really listen. Take time to learn something new. Take time to say thank you. Today.

What can you easily do to be a little kinder than usual today? And, who was the last person who was unexpectedly kind to you?

THIRTEEN 

Even when it seems personal, rarely do people do things because of you, they do things because of them. You may not be able to control all the things people say and do to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them. 

You can’t control how other people receive your energy. Anything you do or say gets filtered through the lens of whatever they are going through at the moment, which has nothing to do with you. Just keep doing your thing with as much love and integrity as possible.

What’s something you often take too personally even though, logically, you know better? 

FOURTEEN

Forgive yourself for the bad decisions you made, for the times you lacked understanding, for the choices that hurt others and yourself.  Everything happens for a reason and can teach you something that you can grow from.

What specifically do you need to forgive yourself for? Have you had a not-so-great experience that taught you something important?

FIFTEEN

You won’t always be a priority to others, and that’s why you have to be a priority to yourself. Learn to respect yourself, take care of yourself, and become your own support system. Your needs matter. Start meeting them. Don’t wait on others to choose you. Choose yourself, today!

How have you chosen yourself recently? How will you choose yourself, today?

SIXTEEN

Just breathe, be, and pay attention to what it’s like to be YOU. Nothing to fix. Nothing to change. Nowhere else to go. Just you, breathing, being, with presence, without judgment. You are welcome here. You belong here. Here, you are enough. Close your eyes. Breathe…

What’s something true about you that you need to embrace more openly and lovingly?

SEVENTEEN

There’s a big difference between giving up and starting over in the right direction. Know when enough is enough already, and respect yourself for feeling that way. Sometimes we have to say goodbye before we can say hello. Sometimes we have to let go to move forward with our lives.

What’s something from your past that you are thankful you gave up on? Why?

EIGHTEEN

Give yourself the space to hear your own voice—your own soul. Too many of us listen to the noise of the world and get lost in the crowd. Stand strong! Live by choice, not by chance. Work to grow, not compete. Choose to listen to yourself, not the jumbled opinions of everyone else.

What has your inner voice been trying to tell you lately? What does it mean?

NINETEEN

Forget popularity. Just do your thing with passion, humility, and honesty. Do what you do, not for an applause, but because it’s what’s right. Pursue it a little bit each day, no matter what anyone else thinks. That’s how dreams are achieved.

What’s something that’s worth working on today, regardless of what other people think? Why is it so important to you?