Things to Journal About: What to Write When You’re Stuck

You sit down, open the notebook, pick up the pen, and your mind goes as blank as the page. It tends to happen on exactly the days there’s plenty to write about.

The fix is to stop looking for something worth writing and pick a part of your life instead. Your day, the people in it, your work, your money, your plans. Each one has something in it you haven’t written down yet.

Good things to journal about are the parts of your ordinary life: what happened today, what’s on your mind, how you feel, the people around you, work, money, home, plans, memories and small things you’re grateful for. Pick one, answer one question about it, and write for ten minutes.

Pick something to journal about

What’s something you haven’t said to someone close to you, and what’s stopping you?
When did you last feel truly understood? What made it possible?
Which relationship is taking more than it gives right now? Describe it honestly, without deciding anything.

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Quick takeaways

If you don’t know what to journal about, write about whatever took up most of your attention today.
Twelve parts of life cover almost everything: your day, your mind, feelings, people, work, money, home, plans, memories, gratitude, ideas and letting go.
A single specific question beats a big topic. “Work” is hard to start; “What did I avoid at work today?” isn’t.
It’s fine to write about the same thing for weeks. Repetition shows you what’s important.
For hundreds of questions sorted by topic and mood, the journal prompts hub goes further.

What should I journal about?

Journal about whatever took up the most room in your head today: an event, a person, a worry, a plan or a feeling. If nothing stands out, describe the day in order from waking up. The subject matters less than being specific, so pick one thing and write about it in detail.

A day in order is the most reliable starting point, because it needs no ideas at all. Write what you did from the moment you woke up, one line at a time. Somewhere around lunchtime you’ll usually hit something you want to say more about, and that becomes the entry.

If a whole day feels like too much, write the answer to one of these instead:

What’s taking up space in my head right now?
What happened today that I don’t want to forget?
What am I looking forward to, and what am I dreading?

What do you write in a journal when you have nothing to say?

When you have nothing to say, write a list, describe what’s in front of you or write “I don’t know what to write” until something else turns up. All three get your hand moving, and a real thought usually follows within a few lines. Starting to write fixes the blank feeling faster than waiting for an idea does.

Make a list. Five things you did, five things you saw, five things you want. Lists need no opening sentence.
Describe the room. The light, the sounds, what’s on the table. Describing forces detail, and detail leads somewhere.
Write about the blank. “I don’t know what to write because…” finishes itself more often than you’d expect.

For formats that aren’t writing at all, like maps, bingo cards and mood grids, see these 50 journaling ideas.

One line is enough to start.

12 things to journal about

The twelve areas below cover most of what a journal ends up holding: daily events, thoughts, feelings, relationships, work, money, home, goals, memories, gratitude, ideas and things to let go of. Each comes with what to write and one question to start with.

Your day

What you did, who you saw, what you ate, what went wrong and what went right. Ordinary days are the ones you forget fastest. Start with: What’s one moment from today I’d want to remember in a year?

What’s on your mind

The thought that keeps coming back while you’re doing something else. On paper, it’s easier to see how big it really is. Start with: What have I been thinking about while I was supposed to be doing something else?

How you feel

Name the feeling first, then where it came from. You don’t have to fix it on the page. Start with: If today had a weather forecast, what would it be, and why?

People in your life

Friends, family, partners, colleagues, the stranger at the bus stop. What they said, what you wish you’d said. Start with: Who was on my mind today, and what would I tell them if I could?

Work or study

What you did, what you avoided, what you’re proud of and what’s wearing you down. Start with: What did I put off today, and what’s really stopping me?

Money

What you spent, what you’re saving for, what you worry about. Numbers written down are harder to ignore. Start with: What did I spend money on this week that I was glad about?

Home

The place you live and what it’s like to be there: the room you like, the thing that needs fixing, who you share it with. Start with: What’s one small change that would make my home nicer to come back to?

Plans and goals

What you want next week, next year or someday. Writing a goal down makes it easier to notice when you drift. Start with: What’s one thing I want to be true by the end of this month?

Memories

Childhood, old friends, places you’ve lived, the year everything changed. A memory on paper is one you can come back to. Start with: What’s the earliest thing I can remember about the house I grew up in?

Gratitude

Small, specific good things. The more specific, the more it lands, so skip “my family” and write “my sister’s voice note.” Start with: What went slightly better than it needed to today?

Ideas and creativity

Things you want to make, try, cook, learn or write. A journal is a good place to keep ideas that aren’t ready yet. Start with: What would I make this weekend if nobody would ever see it?

Things to let go of

Grudges, plans that didn’t happen, habits you’ve outgrown. Writing them down is one way of putting them down. Start with: What am I still carrying that I could put down this week?

Sleep, energy, mood: three things to note on any day.

What should I journal about every day?

Every day, journal about three small things: what happened, how it felt and what’s next. That takes five to ten minutes, works on good days and bad ones, and builds into a record of your life. Save the bigger topics, like money or memories, for days when you have more time.

A simple daily shape:

What happened? Two or three lines on the day.
How did it feel? One word, then a sentence on why.
What’s next? One thing for tomorrow, big or small.

If you’re new to the habit, how to start journaling covers when to write, what notebook to use and how to keep going after the first week.

What should I journal about when I’m struggling?

On a hard day, journal about what’s heavy and where it came from rather than trying to fix it. Name the feeling, describe what happened, and write what you need right now, even if it’s only sleep. Short entries count. Some days, one honest sentence is the whole entry.

Questions that suit a heavy day are different from the ones that suit a good one. The journal prompts by mood page has 60 for heavy days, 60 for restless ones, 60 for flat ones and 60 for good ones.

Journaling can help you see a hard stretch more clearly, but it isn’t a substitute for support. If things have felt heavy for a while, talk to someone you trust or see the help listed at the bottom of this page.

Short entries count, especially on hard days.

Things to journal about FAQs

Is it okay to journal about the same thing every day?

Yes. Writing about the same worry, person or plan for weeks often shows you what needs attention. If it starts to feel like going in circles, try writing about it from a different angle, like what you’d tell a friend in the same spot.

Should I journal about events or feelings?

Both, and they usually come together. Start with what happened, because it’s easier to write, and the feelings tend to follow. If you only have time for one, write the event and one word for how it felt.

How long should a journal entry be?

As long as it takes to say one thing properly, which might be three lines or three pages. Ten minutes is plenty for a useful entry. A timer helps you start, and it gives you permission to stop.

What if I’m worried someone will read my journal?

Write in a way you’d be comfortable with, keep the notebook somewhere private, or write on loose paper and throw it away afterward. A brain dump you shred is still journaling.