On What Makes a Good Journal Prompt
This week I want to share my reflections on the following:
- Listening to the inner voice of self-love.
- On what makes a good journal prompt.
- Why I became a nun and the 1 question that still drives me today.
Mindfulness practices help ground you in how you work, relate, and live in the present moment.
Let’s dive in!
1 Quote
You can either practice being right or practice being kind. – Anne Lamott
3 Insights
What makes a good journal prompt:
A good journal prompt helps you:
- Pause, leave your comfort zone, and reflect on your life experience.
- Spend time with your insights and find threads of meaning.
- Make connections with various aspects of your life.
The best journal prompt helps you write consistently.
Taming your inner self-critic by listening to the inner voice of self-love:
Two inner voices can influence the trajectory of your personal growth: self-love and self-critic.
Self-love is the inner voice that is positive and full of courage and compassion. It is about:
- Positive self-talk – a necessary ingredient for living your best life.
- Embracing your imperfections and being relaxed in your core with healthy self-acceptance.
- Being generous in your compassionate understanding of others.
The other inner voice is the self-critic, the negative voice that can filet your soul into pieces of self-deprecation. Taming the inner self-critic is a lifelong work in progress.
Bottom line – you determine what inner voice you give your attention to.
Why I became a nun and the question that drives me today:
Nuns were part of my educational journey. My formal education traversed a Catholic grade school, an all-girls high school, a state university, and a Catholic seminary.
3 reasons I became a nun:
- To go deep – to grow in my relationship with my higher power (Unconditional Love) and go deep in my life’s purpose.
- To belong – be part of a community that will help me grow into a better version of myself.
- To make an impact – work with a community to do good in the world.
I became a nun in 1993 and left in 2001. This 1 question drew me to a life as a nun:
What will you do with your life that will matter most to others?
It still drives my purpose today, and is the motivating driver for how I work, relate, write, and live in the present moment. What are you doing with your life that matters most to others?
1 Journal Prompt
Your journaling can be 1 sentence, a drawing of images, or a recording of your thoughts. Find what works for you and be consistent with your process.
At the end of your workday, sit comfortably at your desk and pause. Take a couple of deep breaths, and reflect on your day by journaling 1 sentence with this prompt:
Journal prompt: The 1 thing that helped me stay present and fully engaged in an experience at work today was this:
That’s it!
As always, thanks for reading. I appreciate you being part of the journey.
See you next week.
Denise
Author of A Glowing Ember of Courage – Ponderings, Poetry, and Prayers, the children’s book, It’s Just a Little Rain, and the song accompanying the text.