It is so important that your journal has a lot of variety. That is why you should always make room for mindfulness journal prompts. These prompts get you out of your head and back into your body. What a game changer!
Mindfulness may be the current wellness buzzword, but it has deep roots. The yogic philosopher Pantanjali talked about “dhyana”, the act of deep concentration without any ad-libs from the ego. Modern mindfulness is similar. It is the practice of bringing awareness to the present moment without any judgment.
Why Mindfulness Journal Prompts are Essential
It is so easy to get carried away by what other people think and feel. So much so, that we can lose touch with our own experiences. That is a guaranteed recipe for stress and overthinking. Still, this doesn’t mean the answer is completely abandoning the outside world.
Actually, it’s quite the opposite. The best way to ground yourself is to really pay attention to the world around you. Mindfulness (and mindfulness journal prompts), turns your focus to the things you can truly control. That, in turn, shifts you from spiraling to experiencing.
Using Common Senses
There’s an old grounding technique called 5,4,3,2,1. You take the time to notice 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can feel, 2 things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. If you haven’t tried it, you should. It works like a charm.
It works because it forces you to pay attention to the present moment using your whole body. Mindfulness journal prompts take this a step further by having you write out all of the details.
It’s nice to write about each of the 5 senses in a single journal session. However, if you don’t have access to one or more of the senses, you’ll be just fine. These prompts are meant to emphasize your personal experience. If that experience doesn’t include sight, sound, etc. – own it. You can spend more time on the other senses.
Sound
Have you ever thought about the metaphors we use to describe ignoring something? You “tune things out” and forget about the “white noise”. Sound is something we are taught to ignore. That’s why it is so powerful to mindfully connect with. When starting out with mindfulness journal prompts, you should really consider using this sense first.
· When you focus, what is the first sound that grabs your attention?
· How many distinct sounds can you hear right now? Was this more than you expected to find?
· Notice a faint sound in the distance. Where is it coming from? Describe how you can tell in as much detail as you can.
· Who can you hear right now besides yourself? How does it feel to know they are nearby?
· What are you not hearing right now? What does this absence tell you?
Sight
Humans rely heavily on sight to understand the world. However, our brains often “skip over” things we see every day to save time and energy. These mindfulness journal prompts will treat you to the luxury of truly taking in all the sights.
· Describe the sky without using the word “blue”.
· How many items do you see right now that are your favorite color? Describe them. Why is it so present, absent, etc?
· Where is the light coming from in the room right now? What is that light like?
· Find something unique. List as many details about it as you can.
· Flip yourself upside down for 5 minutes and look around. Did you observe anything interesting when you changed your perspective?
Touch
Your sense of touch acts quickly. Touch a hot stove and your arm will pull back before your brain has time to think, “Ow”. That said, you don’t have to use touch for snap judgments alone. Using these mindfulness journal prompts will really help you “touch grass” or anything else you can feel.
· Describe all the textures of your outfit right now from head to toe (don’t forget the accessories!)
· Which muscles feel sore right now? How does it feel when you lightly stretch out these areas of your body?
· Where is your body supported right now? Describe how it feels to be held up by that floor, chair, bed, etc.
· Pick up an object you don’t normally touch. How heavy is it? What is the texture like? Describe as much as you can
· Pick up an object you touch every day. Try to notice something new about how it feels. What is it like to notice this new thing?
Smell
This is the weird one. But actually, that is what makes smell great for mindfulness journal prompts. You might not be used to using your nose so much. Either you notice a smell immediately or you don’t at all. So, imagine what would happen if you took the time to just take a deep breath and notice what you smell?
· What are 3 distinct smells you notice right now?
· Take a walk outside to “reset” your sense of smell and then return home. What smells do you immediately notice?
· Smell an unlit candle and write down how it smells. Then, light the candle. Has the scent changed? How so? After you answer those questions, blow out the candle. Once again, has the scent changed?
· Have someone else prepare food (or order delivery). What smells can you pull out from the food? Does this clue you in on any of the ingredients?
Taste
Props are encouraged for these mindfulness journal prompts. Tackle two self-care needs at once by incorporating a snack or meal into your journaling session. AKA, get yourself that sweet treat or savory snack – journaling coach’s orders.
· Before eating, pay attention to your baseline taste. How can you describe this?
· Sip some water. What subtle flavors can you find? How is this water different from other water you’ve had before?
· Try some of your snacks while holding your nose. Write a review as if you were a food critic. Now un-pinch your nose. How have the flavors changed? Would the food critic like to change their review?
· What aftertaste does this snack have? Is it surprising or not?
· Pair the snack with some contrast (salty with sweet, mild with spicy, etc.). Write about how these tastes complement each other.
