A thread in the Coffee House prompted the addition of this article.

Journal prompts have been around for awhile and collections can be found online with a simple search.  They can be helpful if you find yourself up against a creative block, or when creating a legacy for a loved one or even working on your Book of Me.  A few of our Neighbors have generously posted collections in the Coffee House and we've decided to preserve them and keep them easily accessible to us all here in the Library Reference Section.  If you have a list that you love to work from and you'd like it added here for your Neighbors to enjoy too, please contact an admin and we'll be happy to review it for addition to this article.

Enjoy!

From Dayna K:

I've had a lot of folks PMing me for the journaling prompts I used so I'm just going to post them here. Now, keep in mind that I am a Christian and the ladies I'm giving these to are as well so there are a couple of prompts that are spiritual in nature. You can take those out and replace them with something else, easy as pie! These are the prompts I was going to be putting into an alcohol inked mason jar. I just couldn't get the jar to where I was happy with it, so I dreamed up the little card box. If you are interested in printing all of these prompts on index cards like I did I can send you the dimensions to the box I did. Just let me know. So, here are the journaling prompts:

1. What goals do you have for yourself for the next 5 years?

2. Tell about your salvation experience.

3. What is your favorite Scripture or passage of Scripture? Why does it speak to you?

4. One talent I wish I had is _______________________ because _________________________.

5. One of my weaknesses I want to improve on is __________________________. Jot down some ideas to move you toward your goal, too.

6. How do you show love toward others?

7. How do you wish people would show love to you?

8. Tell about a person you love deeply.

9. Tell about your most loved, prized possession.

10. List 10 things you are grateful for. Write the first 10 that come to mind.

11. What modern invention are you most grateful for?

12. What person in your life do you need to thank and show gratitude for? Why?

13. Tell about a time someone did something for you that you’re most grateful for.

14. What is the most fun party you’ve been to? What made it fun?

15. What is your dream party idea? Describe it in detail.

16. My favorite party foods are ______________________.

17. If you could declare a new holiday, what would it be? How would it be celebrated?

18. What is one tradition you had growing up that you’d like to continue?

19. What legacy are you leaving?

20. Tell about a woman in your life you admire.

21. What attributes do you possess that are unique to you as a woman?

22. What is the fondest memory you have of your mom?

23. How do you react to change? Are you flexible or do you resist it?

24. Tell about a time you resisted change and how it impacted your life.

25. Tell about a time you accepted change and how it impacted your life.

26. What is one thing you’d like to change in your life?

27. If you dedicated an entire day to “fun,” what would you do?

28. Tell about a person you know who always seems to have fun. How can you implement some of that person’s attitude into your life so you can have more fun?

29. Tell about a day in your life that you’d consider the most fun day.

30. What are some things you’ve done to have fun with others?

31. List 10 things that make you smile.

32. Tell about a person who seems to always have a smile on his or her face. Why do you think they do?

33. Tell about your best friend. When did you meet and what makes them special?

34. Would you consider yourself an optimist or a pessimist? Share an experience to illustrate.

35. Tell about the most recent time you laughed at yourself.

36. What is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?

37. What is the nicest thing you have ever done for someone else?

38. If money were no object, what would you do nice for someone else?

39. Tell about a time when you did a secret service for someone. What was it? How did it make you feel?

40. What occupies most of your time daily?

41. What do you wish you had more time to do?

42. What has been the best time in your life so far?

43. Time flies. Tell about a time in your life that seemed to pass too quickly.

44. What was the first thing you thought about when you woke up this morning?

45. In your journal, write a letter to someone in your past. Thank them or relive a favorite memory you have of him or her.

46. Tell what you love most about your husband.

47. What is your favorite quotation? Why?

48. What is your morning routine?

49. Tell about a favorite holiday tradition you had growing up.

50. Tell about the most meaningful gift you have ever received.

51. What is a lesson you learned this year? How did you learn it?

52. If money were no object, how would you celebrate your favorite holiday?

From EDelValle

About 5 or 6 years ago, for the ladies that I work with, as Christmas gifts I made up "Journal Jars" and a Journal to match covered in fabric that matched the little hats made for canning jars that held the prompts on strips of paper. I found the idea on line through one of my genealogy web sites and I think that the information is probably still out there.

The prompts I used were very similar to Dayna's and for the journal books I used the Marble composition books that school children use

Here's the list of prompts I used from the original poster.

Tell something about each of your children, their personalities, their
talents, traits, that make them different and special.

Describe a favorite vacation of your married years.

Tell about home cures or old wives tales, hiccups, toothaches, earaches,
arthrites.

Where were you and what were you doing the day the wall came down in
Germany or the coup in USSR or Dec. 7th - World War II started or ended
- pres. Kennedy

Describe your wedding dress, bridesmaid dresses, suit etc, if male.
Write a description of your husband or wife.

Tell about retirement - when, where, what will you do with your time?

Describe your mother's wedding dress - what do you know about her
wedding?

Where did you live as a child - town, country, suburb, etc?

What is your greatest joy, your greatest sorrow?

Do you have a favorite author why? who? Tell about your favorite books
as a child - as an adult.

What do you feel has been the most significant world events that has
taken place in your lifetime and why?

Describe the most serious illness or accident that you have had.

What is your favorite book and what do books mean to you.

Describe your yard as a child - did you help with the yardwork? What are
your memories --- Draw a diagram if you can.

Tell about Family Reunions.

Tell about your teen-age social life - your friends, dances, dating,
outings, church functions etc.--

What would you like to be remembered for?

Describe your lst home as a young couple.

How did your father spend his time supporting his family?

Tell about exciting experiences in young women, scouting or whatever.

Tell about your life as the children left home - new interests, what did
you do with the extra time -- new employment, moves, hobbies, etc.

Tell about handed-down talents, foods, clothespin dolls, willow
whistles, pottery, quilting, whittling, meat drying etc.

What lessons did you take as a child - did you carry any over into
adulthood?

What were the favorite places to go with your family when you were
young?

Tell about any ancestors that you know about - name dates, etc. for
historical purposes and any stories about them.

Tell about anniversaries, celebrations, trips, gifts.

What were your fears, expectations, anticipations about getting married?

Tell about a special date you had with a boy/girl friend or your fiance.

What is your mother's best trait? Worst? = the traits you share.

What is your father's best trait? Worst? = the traits you share.

One word on how to live successfully.

How do you feel about winning? Losing?

Tell a courtship story about your parents, how they met etc... Tell the
same about your courtship.

Describe a favorite childhood friend and something you did with her or
him.

Tell about your grandchildren - how many- how did you feel about being a
grandparent?

Have you met or worked with famous people? Who - Where- etc.

How did you become engaged?

What is the most wonderful thing that ever happened to you and the
worst?

What is your child-rearing philosophy?

Describe your Sundays as a mother/father or as a child.

What can frighten you the most and why?

Describe your conversion to the gospel.

Do you wish you had more sisters or brothers, and why?

Tell about your favorite aunt.

What is the most exciting place that you have ever been to and why?

What was your worst, really embarrassing moment?

What games did you play as a child - inside and outside?

Where did your Grandparents live? What was their home like? Did it have
a certain smell or look?

Tell about your favorite uncle.

Did you have a close relationship with your grandparents = tell about
it.

Write your testimony of life - marriage - the gospel.

Did you have a bicycle and what was it like?

Tell how, when, where you learned to drive and any memorable
experiences.

Tell about each of your children's names, birthdate, where, doctors,
circumstances surrounding the birth - raising them in the home -
problems, joys etc.

How did you like being the oldest, youngest or middle child? What were
the advantages or disadvantages?

Tell about a frustrating experience that you have had with a car.

What is your advice to those younger than you?

Were you ever in a drama, speech, sports, pep or glee club? Tell about
it.

Did you and your father share any interests together - what and why?

What is your favorite scripture and why?

Describe a childhood Christmas.

Descirbe a typical day in elementary school.

What did you do when you were a child that got you in the most trouble
and how did your parents handle it?

Tell about your first crush.

What church callings have you had and which did you enjoy the most?

Did you go camping? Tell about your experiences.

How did you feel about school?

Do you remember any of your four grandparents? Any greats? What were
their names? Any memories that you have.

Tell about your mother: personality, chracteristics, stature, coloring,
talents, temperment, family stories about her, her role in your home,
etc..

Do you have a favorite General Authority? Who and why?

What do you fantisize about doing or being?

What is your personal secret of happiness?

Describe a perfect spring day and activities on that day?

What is the most important lesson, message, or advice that you have
learned that you might pass on to others?

Thinking back was there a teacher who had a great influence on you?

Tell about your own family traditions: Christmas, birthdays, graduation,
4th of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, Mothers or Fathers
Day, weddings, funerals, hunting etc.

Describe a childhood birthday.

How did you become engaged?

What personality trait do you admire and why?

Did you have a favorite TV, radio, program as a child? Tell about it.

Did you go to college or have vocational training - where or when?

Did you have a childhood hideout - tell about it.

Tell about a favorite trip or vacation.

What is your secret for good health?

Describe a childhood Christmas.

Did it snow much when you were a child - tell something about it, what
did you do.?

Describe getting a Christmas tree as a child, when did you put it up and
decorate it?

Tell about your civic or politcal activities.

Write about some places you went with your father.

Write about some places that you went with your mother.

What do you think about movies - what is your favorite movie and why?

If you could be an animal, which one would you choose and why?

Describe a typical day during your Jr. High years..

What kind of extra-curricular activities did you participate in at
school?

Tell about the houses you lived in childhood - addresses, phone #'s,
etc...

What do you think brings good or bad luck?

Tell about all the places you have worked.

Describe your wedding day.

What are your food preferences and how did they come about?

How did your mother spend her time?

Where you responsible for household chores? What were they? Which did
you enjoy most/ least?

What are your most deeply and imbedded values?

From Nancy K

In the spirit of sharing, here are some of the items on my layout "to do" list. They're more topics than journaling prompts but they might spark an idea in someone opening this thread:

Things Mom was right about

100 things my parents did right

100 things to do before I die

Letter to my early-married self

Creature of habit (habits)

What I learned from various jobs

What I learned from past/early loves

Like Father, like son

Collections

Life as a SAHM

One page for every country I've visited

The house where I grew up

Places I've lived

Love notes

kids say the darnedest things

What are some things that are common today that you didn’t have (or didn’t exist!) when you were a child?

What was the biggest lesson you learned in your first 10 years? Your 20’s? Your 30’s? etc.

How does your life today compare to what you thought it would be? Very similar? Totally different?

What’s your favorite season and why?

Does anyone else in your family express themselves creatively through art/photography/scrapbooking?

25 (or other #) things you might not know about me!

Traits I admire in others.

Tell about your favorite toy(s), doll(s) or games from childhood.

How did you meet your significant other / spouse?

What things around your home are the most special to you, regardless of their monetary value? I’m actually doing a whole album on this topic, with a photo of the item and then a description of who gave it to me, how I got it, and why it’s so important.

Holidays I love.

Use a recipe or list of ingredients to describe something in your life, i.e. the ingredients of a good day, the recipe for a good vacation, etc.

What’s your definition of health / wellness? How important is it to you?

When you are at your lowest, from what or whom do you draw strength? How? Why?

Grief and loss are a part of life. How do you incorporate these feelings into your daily life?

If you were president, what would be the first things you would change?

Tell about any causes or charities you support, and how involved you are in activism.

Do you volunteer? Talk about it!

What are some of your favorite ways to pamper yourself? Are they rare treats or established rituals?

What is changing about you – mentally, physically, spiritually etc. – as you age?

What are you afraid of, be it a humorous or serious topic?

What not to wear? Are you an impeccably-coiffed stylista, or do you have a few crazy items in your closet that would qualify for the fashion hall of shame?

What is your relationship with your attire?