Inside: 101 journal prompts for moms, and why writing matters.
We’ve never been a couple who yells or throws things or says nasty words. We don’t “fight” in a way that's visible or obvious. Instead of yelling with words, we let the silence scream into the void.
On one particular day, the silence was deafening.
And in the stillness, a paper and pen slowly brought words back into our world. Instead of letting the silence get stale, we started writing little notes back and forth, “talking” the situation through. The process was clarifying, peaceful, and allowed us to take a breath and communicate in a kind, thoughtful way.
Instead of throwing figurative punches to work through the disagreement, we tossed a pen + page back and forth.
Why Journaling Matters For Moms
Writing is a powerful, often underestimated, tool. Writing:
- helps us keep track of our to-dos and organize our lives
- keeps us connected to people far away
- brings clarification and context to a photo we've shot
- allows us to see different perspectives and “hear” new and fascinating stories we will never experience ourselves
- offers a way for us to understand what is going on inside our heads, in a way the spoken word cannot always
Writing is an irreplaceable tool.
Journaling, more specifically, offers us the gift of being able to slow down, reflect, remember, and process. As moms, we are often the CEO's of our homes and families. Each day, millions of thoughts run through our heads. Sometimes those thoughts can be jumbled and confusing. Add emotions into the mix, and our brains can be a complicated place to be, can’t they?
Journaling can be an outlet for those complex thoughts and emotions. The process of writing slows down those thoughts, allowing us time to stop and "listen" to what we are telling ourselves.
Not only that, but journaling also helps us remember promises from the Word of God. More often than not, it's when I'm writing and journaling that God reminds me of a truth from Scripture - one that I had forgotten or needed to be reminded of.
But I’m not a writer!
"But I'm not a writer!" You say. Yet you are. Maybe not in the publishing sort of way, but I bet, in some way, you use writing in your life.
What you probably mean when you say "I'm not a writer" is that you don't compose poems or create stories to write and share. Or you don't practice long form journalling.
If you use writing as a tool during your day, you are a writer! It's just a matter of taking something you already know how to do, and being intentional about practicing a new way to use that tool.
If you want to start a journaling routine but aren't sure where to begin, I've got 101 journal prompts for moms that'll help you get started. These prompts will allow you to think through:
- your parenting style,
- your relationship with your spouse,
- how you view yourself and your value in the world,
- your view on who God is, and who you are in Him,
- and the health of your other relationships.
Before we get to the 101 journal prompts, here a few tips to help you get started with a journaling routine if you've never started one.
How to Start A Journaling Routine for Moms
Just write
Here is my first piece of advice - just write. Don’t edit, don’t think. Just write. In fact, if you start to lose the words, keep the pen moving and literally write “blah, blah, blah” until the words come back (I do this myself!). And they will come back. Our minds are always going, so I know there are words in there, you’re just not used to getting them out 
Start small
Time wise, you’ve got a lot going on. So choose just five minutes to start with. Maybe it’s five minutes before bed, or during your morning routine while the kids are still asleep, during nap-time, or in the carline…choose just one of the journal prompts for moms below, and write for five minutes.
Same time, same way
Make it a habit by carving those five minutes out of the same chunk of time each day. Make an appointment with yourself. Stick to it.
Have one notebook that you use for journalling. Keep it where you plan to write. If you plan to write in the carline, stash it away in your glove compartment. If before bed is the best time, keep it by your nightstand…pick a time, pick a notebook, and keep it the same. Consistency matters.
If you still feel stuck, snag your copy of this 30-day printable journal for moms.
101 Journal Prompts For Moms
- Does the amount of time and attention I am giving to certain people, things, or ideas match the values I hold?
- How can I be more focused on who my kids are becoming versus how they are behaving?
- How much of yesterday did I do on autopilot? How can I be more intentional with my actions today?
- What are three things I love about my home?
- What from my past am I holding on to that I need to let go of today?
- What are five things I love about the stage of life I am in now?
- How can I honor God with my time today?
- Am I acting on the things that I know to be true? Or do I use the collection of information as an excuse to procrastinate?
- What do I need to slow down in my life? What do I need to speed up?
- What are five things my parents did right while raising me? What do I want to do differently?
- What is beauty and how can I cultivate more beauty in my life?
- When I go to bed tonight, what are three things I want to be able to say about today?
- What am I craving in friendships? How can I be the type of friend to someone that I wish others would be to me?
- Do my daily priorities reflect my values and what I say is important?
- What can I choose today, even if all my plans go haywire?
- How can I honor God with my relationships today?
- What is one thing I can do today that I have been afraid or apprehensive about doing in the past?
- What triggers my anger? What do I have control over and how can I express that anger more appropriately?
- What is one thing that I know I am good at. Am I using that gift daily? Why or why not? How can I use it more?
- What are 10 things that I appreciate about my husband?
- What is my favorite thing about each of my kids? Why? How does it make me feel when I see them doing what they love?
- When do I feel the most accomplished and at peace when I get into bed at night?
- What is one aspect of parenting I need to work on? What practical thing can I do today to help me be better at that?
- What is one thing I can do for my husband today that will show him that I love him?
- What makes each of my kids smile/the most happy? How can I make them smile today?
- What do I wish I had more time for? How can I make more time for that?
- Apart from being a mother, what am I the best at? What skills do I have that set me apart from others? Am I using those? If not, how can I?
- Am I the friend that I want others to be to me? How can I be a better friend TODAY? Be specific.
- What am I the most afraid of? What keeps me from going after something?
- What do I believe God says about who I am? How does He see me?
- What is one aspect of parenting that I am really good at? How do I use that to benefit my kids and my family?
- What do I dislike the most about myself? Is this a problem, or is this just me being hard on myself? If it is a problem, how can I do better? If I am just being hard on myself, how can I change my internal self-talk?
- What is one activity that I can do today with my kids that will be fun for them and for me. Why is it fun for all of us?
- What traits do I see in my kids that are reflections of who God is? How can I cultivate those today?
- What is beautiful in my life right now? What is hard?
- If I can only do one thing today, what would it be, and why?
- What are 10 things that I am grateful for from my childhood?
- In what ways can I show a stranger love today?
- If today was the last day of my life, what would I want to make sure was said and done?
- What personality trait or tendency of my kids is the most frustrating to me? In what ways is this trait a reflection of God, and how can I cultivate it in a healthy way?
- What is my favorite color, and why is it my favorite? What emotions does it bring out in me?
- What unique gift do I have that makes me the mom that my kids need?
- What did my husband and I do for fun while we were dating? How can I mimic that now?
- What is a dream I have that I haven't started working towards yet? What can I do to make steps towards that (even if they are tiny steps)?
- What can I do to make my kids laugh today?
- Am I hungry for God? Why or why not? What specific things can I do to increase my desire to know and spend time with Him?
- What are 5 specific ways that God has shown His intentional love for me in the past 3 years?
- What I can do today that will teach my kids something new about who God is?
- When was the last time a friend did something kind for me? What did they do? Today, how can I make someone else feel the way that friend made me feel?
- What is one thing I have learned about myself or my family that surprised me during this past year?
- What is one action I can take today that will make it a success?
- What are three things I will miss about my kids once they get older?
- How is my husband uniquely qualified to be the father of our children?
- Think of one friend you plan on seeing this week. What are 3 questions you can ask her that will demonstrate you see and care about her?
- Who in my life is leading me closer to Christ? Who is leading me further away?
- Why has God given me my kids? How do we compliment and challenge each other?
- What am I doing on a daily basis to make sure I am taking care of my physical and mental needs? How does taking care of myself affect my relationship with my husband and my kids?
- What is my husband struggling with right now? What can I be doing to encourage and support him in that?
- How many times a day do I look at myself in the mirror? What are my motives for looking into a mirror?
- Who do I know that is isolated? How can I show them love this week?
- What are my favorite attributes of each of my kids?
- What are five things God says in His Word about who I am?
- Am I holding on to any resentment or jealousy towards someone in my life? What needs to happen so that I can move forward?
- What is the most beautiful place I have been to? What was it that I loved so much, and how can I share that beauty with others around me?
- What are my kids struggling with right now? How am equipped to best help them?
- What is one thing my husband did this week that made me smile?
- What is one thing in my life I am doing more for appearance sake, and less because it actually matters to me and those I love?
- If I had a day all to myself, what would I do? Choose one thing from that imaginary day you can do today (even if it's in a very small way).
- What do I wish others knew about me, or what do I feel most misunderstood about? How can I better express myself to others?
- What are my two favorite memories from childhood?
- Who are the five people (outside of my immediate family) that I spend the most time with? Remember: "You're the average of the five people spend the most time with" - Jim Rohn
- What are five ways God has proved Himself faithful to myself and my family in the past 5 years?
- Who are 3 people I admire, and why?
- What are 4 ways I have seen the kindness of God in the last year?
- Name something in your life/mind/heart going on that your husband does not know about. How can you share and be vulnerable with him?
- What is distracting me during the day and keeping me from playing and spending quality time with my kids? What practical steps can I take to put those distractions aside and engage more deeply with them?
- What are three things I will miss about my kids once they get older?
- What are 3 strengths I bring to my marriage? What are 3 strengths my husband brings?
- What triggers my frustrations with my kids? What can I do to help to mitigate that today?
- Ten years from now, who do I want to be able to say I was today?
- How can I help my child(ren) build more confidence in who they are?
- What relationship do I wish was stronger? What steps can I take today and this week to build that relationship?
- What memories do I want my kids to have from their childhood? In what small ways can I make those memories today?
- Does my house feel more like a house or a home? How can I make it feel more like a home for myself and my family?
- What was my favorite thing from the past week? Why was it my favorite? How did it make me feel?
- What does an ideal day with my kids look like? Be specific. I cannot have the ideal every day, but what small thing can I do to make the ideal more of a reality?
- What does my husband appreciate the most about me? What do I appreciate the most about him?
- What is one thing I wish I was better at? What can I do this week to start working on that?
- What is the hardest part of my marriage? What have I learned from that struggle?
- In 5 years, what do I want to be true about my life?
- What am I really good at as a mom?
- When does my husband feel the most loved? What can I do specifically to love him in the way he best received it?
- What 3 qualities do I want my child(ren) to have? Am I modeling those character traits to them?
- What is the most chaotic time of day? What can I do to help soften the blow of that time?
- What is my favorite movie? How does it make me feel? Why am I so drawn to it?
- Name 5 ways I am uniquely qualified to be mama to my kiddos.
- What pain or hurt from my past am I holding on to? What can I learn from that pain and how can I move forward?
- How can I take better care of my physical body today? How does taking care of my body affect my husband and my kids?
- Am I more concerned with how others perceive me and my family, or how I make my husband and kids feel when we are together?
- What is the most dreaded part of my day? What can I do to make it better? Or do I need a mindset adjustment?
- How can I focus more on who I am becoming vs. what I am doing?
Last bit of advice: if you're looking for a good place and time to write, start your own mama's morning routine. Use part of your morning to grab a notebook and pen, a cup of hot tea or coffee, find a comfy spot and start with #1 on this list of journal prompts for moms.
Write without editing and write without trying to think too deeply. Let your thoughts flow. Even if they go somewhere seemingly unrelated - don't stop. Keep them going, because you never know where they will lead you!
Ready to get started? Grab your free printable: 101 Journal Prompts for Mamas. Sign up and it'll be delivered straight to your inbox!
And remember, I'm rooting for you!
