Knowing who you are is not an inborn advantage but a journey of unbecoming, which is why we refer to it as “self-discovery.”
Today, we shall focus on daily journal prompts for self-discovery, packaged into a monthly challenge of 31 self-discovery journaling prompts.
At the end of this post, I shall also give you a free journal prompt PDF for self-discovery with the aforementioned prompts.But before that…
Table of Contents
What is self-discovery?
We’re often told by mainstream media and personal development authors that we’re supposed to form a new identity, become something new.
I firmly believe that the notion is wrong, and rather than becoming “self-discovery,” it is about unbecoming.
Sort of a shedding of your cocoon.
A journey of unbecoming all the things that you’ve been conditioned to be, by our environment.
It’s reassessing our beliefs, values, desires, strengths, and weaknesses.
The stages of self-discovery.
Self-discovery is not something that we stumble upon, but it occurs in steps that cannot always be ordered. You might experience the following:
An Awakening.
More often than not, when we start our self-discovery process, it’s from a deep-seated feeling of something that is amiss, a lack of completeness, or rather a misalignment.
When we query this feeling, we begin a journey of relearning who we really are.
The big question.
Picture this: you’re sitting before an interview panel of three people, and this is the job of your dreams. You’ve been answering all the questions smoothly, and you feel confident.
The next question comes rolling forth, “So tell us, who are you? Describe yourself?”
All of a sudden, you start palpitating and it feels like the AC just stopped working, you start stammering umm…
Common scenario for many job seekers, but the moment “you” begin to ask yourself this question, a steady revelation kicks off.
The exploration phase.
The term exploration reminds me of “Dora, Dora, Dora the explorer”theme song,effects of motherhood I suppose but I digress.
In this phase which in my opinion never ceases you will find yourself experimenting with ideas, hobbies, and experiences.
Digging up the “self.”
In your journey of understanding who you really are, you will uncover very interesting facts that are uniquely you.
You will learn the core reasons behind your values, your emotions, and your behavior patterns.
In this stage, there’ll be lots of shadow work and self-reflection.
Acceptance.
Eventually, after seeing the unadulterated truth of who you are, you will make space for her and learn to accept her.
You will understand that it’s okay to accept all of you, even the flaws you’re working on.
Living your truth.
The most magnetic women one meets are those who don’t have internal wars with who they think they are and who they wish they were.
Because they live their truth, they allow their current self and future self to co-exist, each giving insight to the other.
The self-discovery prompts may only be for a month, but self-discovery is a never-ceasing road, and truly, that’s beautiful and exciting.
We never stop learning who we are, so it would be prudent to begin right away, isn’t it?
Why use self-discovery journaling prompts?
One may be curious as to why journaling is my most recommended self-discovery method. There are other methods, of course, which I will list towards the end, however…
Self-discovery is all about going inwards, ladies, and while you may combine it with techniques such as therapy, you will have to do the heavy lifting by yourself.
And the most effective way to do so is to use guided self-discovery journal prompts to answer your deepest truths.
When you journal, there’s absolutely zero outside influence; you can tell the truth, words tend to pour forth when the right question is framed on pen and paper.
Using journaling prompts is:
- Easier and will make you feel more confident in your self-discovery process.
- Makes self-discovery a judgment-free process.
- Makes the journey more relaxing and even fun for those who enjoy writing.
31 self-discovery journaling prompts.
I wanted these prompts to be less scary, you know, “self-discovery” can seem a bit intimidating, and so I purposefully combined the various aspects of “self,” such as relationships, emotions, and career, with no particular order.
This way, in your monthly challenge,, you won’t know which daily prompt you get and you will just flow with it, as feminine energy dictates.
How to use the self -discovery writing prompts.
Ladies, this is a month’s challenge of 31 days, and although I have done most of the prompts, I shall also be starting afresh to see it through.
Here are a few considerations for the challenge:
- Pick up a consistent time that works for you, and stick to it for 31 days.
- Create a cozy journaling time, i.e, a cup of tea, comfy pajamas, and candles.
- Get your journal or digital notepad ready to go. A specific journal would be best.
- Let your emotions flow, don’t seek the perfect words.
- Lock down and let’s go, after the 31 days, you can reread your truth.
The best self-discovery journaling prompts.
1. What are my top three core values? i.e, creativity, integrity, e.t.c
2. How did the younger version of me picture my life?
3. What parts of myself have I been hiding from the world, and why?
4. When do I feel most alive, radiant, and like myself?
5. What stories about myself am I ready to rewrite?
6. What is one thing I need to forgive myself for?
7. What are my emotional triggers teaching me about my unmet needs?
8. If I had to make one major leap in my career, what would it be?
9. Where in my life am I settling out of fear, not love?
10. What version of myself am I afraid to fully become, and what if I embraced her?
11. What does my body need from me right now?
12. What are 5 things I’ve always wanted to try but have been holding back?
13. How do I self-sabotage when things get good?
14. What is one belief about love, success, or happiness that no longer feels true for me?
15. What key lessons have I learnt from past relationships?
16. What have I been waiting for permission to do, and what if I gave myself that permission today?
17. Who drains my energy, and how can I lovingly protect myself?
18. How do I define success for me, not society?
19. What is one habit or pattern I’m ready to release?
20. What is one thing that my heart deeply craves, that my mind tries to ignore?
21. What would I do if I knew I couldn’t fail?
22. What lessons have my hardest seasons taught me about my strengths and weaknesses?
23. What is my soul’s definition of true freedom?
24. Where in my life do I need to invite more softness and grace?
25. What boundaries am I craving to set for my peace?
26. What does self-love look like for me in this season of life?
27. What roles (daughter, friend, etc.) do I play, and which feel heavy or outdated?
28. What old wounds still shape my choices today, and how can I begin to heal them
29. What would my ideal day feel like (not look like, but feel like)?
30. What am I ready to celebrate about myself, right now, unapologetically?
31. What is something I want to leave behind this month, and what do I want to invite in?
Bonus tips for your self-discovery journey.
Now that you have all 31 self-discovery journaling prompts, I also want to give you other helpful tips you will use in this lifelong process.
In self-discovery, you will need to do more than journaling to truly come home to yourself. It could look like:
Create ‘me’ time minutes.
Set aside 10-15 minutes daily to check in on yourself regarding how you feel, and the top things on your mind.
You can do this self-reflection time while sipping coffee or taking a breakshower.
Take yourself to solo casual dates.
You go on all these dates to get to know other people, but do you actually know yourself?
Harsh, but it’s the truth. Can you handle being on a dinner date alone?
Start planning solo dates to restaurants,, parks, and museums.
Create a “you” folder on your phone/computer.
This is a genius way to romanticize who you are and not just in a superficial sense.
Create a folder that you can dump photos of your memes, quotes, wins, and stuff that actually resonates with your being.
Meditate.
Traditional meditation is very grounding for you as a woman. We practically walk around carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders.
But here’s something more inclusive of women who cannot stand traditional meditation, “walking meditation.”
Walking meditation doesn’t require you to shun obtrusive thoughts but just calls for presence. Put your phone and AirPods away and just have a present walk. If your mind wants to wander, let it.
Create a “yes, or no” list.
This list will reveal your boundaries and desires.
Think of all the things you’re saying yes to in life and vice versa.
Do you have any desire to switch to the other?
Maybe you’re saying yes to happy hour each Friday, but on the inside, you want to stay in and watch reruns of The Big Bang Theory?
Do you have what it takes to honor your desires, especially when they’re healthy?
Observe your jealousy.
In this self-discovery journey, “we listen,, we don’t judge.” And we’re not about to act like we don’t feel a twinge of jealousy when we see another woman live a certain way we desire we could.
Allow jealousy to tell you what you really desire and hone the courage to go after it.
Lastly, ditch the idea of a perfect “you.”
Don’t let the idea of personal growth insert this perfect avatar you should be striving to become.
As I mentioned earlier, this journey of unbecoming doesn’t really have an end road, and for that reason, self-love should always precede any desire to be perfect.
For in fact you already are.
Closing remarks.
Ladies, I hope that the 31 self-discovery journaling prompts will give you true insight into who you are.
And with that acquired wisdom you can begin your journey to self-mastery.
The next time someone blasts you with “tell me about yourself,” you will answer with a smug because you’ll have done the innerwork.
Do you want to commit to a lifelong journey of self-discovery? I know I do, so let me know in the comments below 👇
