SIX BEDTIME JOURNAL PROMPTS FOR ANXIOUS GIRLIES

me + my journal

Scrolling through instagram, it’s hard not to feel like we need that matching Alo set or our favorite influencer’s new matcha brand to “participate” in wellness. But the truth is: you aren’t one Oura ring short of being a proper “wellness girlie”.

I try to remind myself that the best things for our health aren’t “aesthetic” or something I can add to an online shopping cart. 

Wellness is about the habits we chose to take care of ourselves.

I can’t say enough good things about journaling. It’s up there with time in nature, rolling around with my sister’s dogs, laughing with my girlfriends and 10,000 steps.

It’s THE place to collect myself. A listening ear. A canvas to sketch out my dreams in concrete terms. My traveling therapist. I could go on…but if you’re an anxious bug (like me) this practice can be so important to staying balanced.

Studies have shown that people who journal have reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety. And this reflection, especially when we focus on gratitude, has been shown to significantly increase optimism, improve our quality of sleep and even increase how often we exercise.

I want to encourage women to not just journal when they are triggered, or view it as a ‘last resort' for feelings ‘holding’ the feelings they can no longer carry but to reframe journaling as part of your mental health maintenance regime, just like exercise or sunshine....pages that will be there for you in the good, bad, and even dull times.

For six months now I’ve been religiously starting my morning with just one page—and this practice has had such a huge impact on my life that I started to wonder what it could do for my evenings, as part of my wind-down ritual.

The wellness community puts SO much emphasis on our morning routines…and we rarely talk about the importance of how our evenings actually prepare us to sleep deeply and be our most productive.  

If you're someone who tends to ruminate on things (me! me!), journaling can help clear your mind and allow you to drift off to sleep more easily.

✧ Pro-tip: have you struggled to make journaling a practice in the past? Try setting a 5 minute timer to just do ‘stream of consciousness’ free writing or start with ‘bullet journaling’—simply writing out a few points rather than full sentences. 

I like prompts because they provide structure. You can choose the same ones every day, or pick one prompt that resonates with you or you feel most drawn to on that day. The best part of journaling? There are no “rules”. This is YOUR place to express yourself freely.

via pinterest

Here are the bedtime journal prompts I’ve been using every evening to set myself up for a beautiful next day:

✧ Check in with yourself: how does your body feel right now?

✧ What do you need to let go of in order to move forward tomorrow?

✧ Make a simple list of everything that is bothering you. What are you currently most anxious about? What are a few things that are in your control and others that are out of your control?

✧ What's something you're grateful for today?

✧ What goals did you accomplish today, big or small?

✧ What’s one thing you can do tomorrow to move you closer to your goals? 

So tell me: what’s your go-to journal prompt? And how has having a journal practice changed your life?

Pssst: if you liked these, you’ll love my go-to journal prompts for a Sunday reset.

Design the evening routine of your dreams...

I’ve taken inspo from the habits of women in wellness to bring you 40 wind-down activities + a scheduler so you can protect your peace tonight. Click here.