Journal Writing Prompt: Happy pills
“It is impossible to walk rapidly and be unhappy.”
~Dr. Howard Murphy
In your journal, consider today’s quote. Do your experience with walking rapidly seem to confirm Dr. Murphy’s assertion? What about walking rapidly due to lateness - what sort of effect does that have on your mood (if any)? Do you make an effort to walk rapidly (or jog or run) daily? If so, does it keep your mood elevated? If not, why not & do you have some other activity to boost your “happy level”? What is it?
Daily journal writing prompt bonus: I am the type of person who needs a “healthy dose” of cardiovascular work every single day - I know that it keeps my mood elevated & my creativity levels high (which is essential when one is an artist!). So, whether it’s walking (alone, in groups, or with the dogs), rollerblading (which, quite honestly, I don’t do often), running, or some sort of cardio type DVD or class, I get in at least 30 minutes to an hour every morning. It’s like my daily happy pill.
I know that, for others, the happy pill comes in different forms - such as reading a bit or painting or sewing….What does your happy pill look like? Describe it in your journal, along with what effects that activity has on your mood and what effect not taking that “happy pill” has on your mood (if any).
Happy Journaling!
Journal Writing Prompt: Safety vs. Purpose
“A ship in port is safe, but that’s not what ships are built for.”
~Grace Murray Hopper
In your journal, consider today’s quote in the framework of your life. Sometimes, we are encouraged to play it safe - in work, in life. However, we must weigh the security of that safety with what we were “built for” - our purpose. Sacrificing our purpose to stay in port and be safe can be damaging to our minds, bodies, and spirits. Do you feel like you are staying in the port of your life or are your actively pursuing what you were “built for”? Explore this in your journal.
Daily journal writing prompt bonus: At times, we may be staying in the port of life in some areas of our lives while actively pursuing what we are “built for” in other areas. In your journal, take a good look at your life. Write about 1)whether you are staying in the safety of the port in some areas but not others 2)The costs and benefits of doing so (make sure to include the non-tangibles in this) 3)If this is a state you consciously chose or whether you did it without realizing that you were doing it.
Happy Journaling!
Journal Writing Prompt: Embrace life
“But pain… seems to me an insufficient reason not to embrace life. Being dead is quite painless. Pain, like time, is going to come on regardless. Question is, what glorious moments can you win from life in addition to the pain?”
~ Lois McMaster Bujold
Today’s quote provoked some mixed feelings for me. As someone who was diagnosed with a chronic, incurable illness years ago, and quite literally felt like guinea pig number one for my doctors, but, through the experience learned life lessons that changed me forever, this was bitter sweet. On the other hand, as someone who has successfully implemented natural ways to keep my body healthy since the diagnosis, I was quite opposed to other parts of this quote. So, if you feel yourself fighting with parts of today’s quote while agreeing with others (or vehemently opposing the whole thing), please bear with it….I believe this quote can provide everyone valuable self-insight.
If you’ve experienced intense pain - whether it be physical, mental, or spiritual, you know that it can be difficult to embrace life in the midst of it. However, when we are in the midst of pain, the most valuable life lessons can be learned if we just embrace the circumstance and allow ourselves the opportunity to find those lessons. What life lessons have you learned through pain (of any origin)? Did you find it difficult to embrace life while dealing with pain? Why or why not? What do you suppose the author meant when she wrote about embracing life? Write about this in your journal.
Journal writing prompt bonus: For me, I do not believe that pain is going to come regardless. I’ve known people who lived a life without pain, who took care of themselves - mind, body, and spirit, and refused to accept that pain was an inescapable aspect of life. What do you think? Is pain a mandatory part of life? Are there ways to embrace life without experiencing pain? How would one go about this? Consider this in your journal….expanding on each point as necessary.
Happy Journaling!
P.S. Did you know that the author of our prompts, Dee Phipps, is a finalist for the Al Marks Inventive Mind Small business grants and needs your vote? Please visit her website, DeePhipps.com, read more about the Al Marks Inventive Mind Small Business grant and vote before August 11th at midnight, pacific!
Journal Writing Prompt: Growth
“Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict.”
~William Ellery Channing
In your journal, write about a recent difficult that arose. Did it rouse your spirit or did it discourage you? Why or why not?
Daily journal writing prompt bonus: I know with some difficulties, particularly when they are out of your control, are quite discouraging. I experienced a situation like that recently - it was completely out of my hands…leaving me with a helpless, frustrated, and, yes, discouraged feeling. However, that same situation did make my spirit stronger, and taught me some life-lessons that will stay with me and help me avoid a similar situation in the future. Have you faced a situation like that recently? What was the life lesson you learned? How do you feel you grew due to that situation?
Happy Journaling!
Journal Writing Prompt: The secret of happiness
“The secret of happiness is not in what one likes to do, but, in what one has to do.”
~ James M. Barrie
In your journal, explore today’s quote. What do you think James Barrie means when he says that the secret of happiness is is in what one has to do? Do you think it has something to do with finding joy in those daily necessary tasks? Or, is it about choices - choosing the have-to-do’s wisely? All of us have some similar have-to-do’s… Laundry, house work, cooking, etc… How do you find happiness in the daily mundane tasks? Take some time to fully explore this in your journal.
Daily journal writing prompt bonus: I am a huge proponent of choosing your occupation according to what you are passionate about. I know this flies in the face of some advice given by money-making gurus (who claim that it doesn’t matter what you do - even if you hate it or have no interest - as long as you make lots & lots of money), but, I really believe this is one area of your life in which you can exercise some control and thus create a more harmonic and happy life.
Journal writing prompt: Who’s in charge?
“If you don’t run your own life, somebody else will.”
~John Atkinson
In your journal, consider today’s quote. Who do you give up control of your own life to? Your boss? Your spouse? Your children? Your pets? Your business? Your circumstances? Are you aware of when you give up the duty of running your own life? If you are the one in the driver seat, have you always been? Or did you experience an “a-ha” moment where you chose to run your own life again?
Daily journal writing prompt bonus: This quote effected me on many levels when I first read it. I thought about my business, my passions, my family….While I own my own business, sometimes, I have found that I allow it to run my life for me. I’ve found that, with our family schedule, my children sometimes are running my life. I was sort of shocked and dismayed when I came to this realization as I was allowing other people, circumstances, and things to take over without even realizing it. I have found that some of my friends feel the same way - and also have found themselves giving up the “running of their lives” to societal pressures - the pursuit of things. I believe when we do this, it often leads to unhealthy stress levels, and, in time, serious health issues.
However, the good news in all this is that I’ve also found that we seem to have “warning signs” that tell us when someone or something else is running our lives. These warning signs are different for different people, but, as a general rule, they are there. In your journal, think about times when you’ve given up the task of running your own life to someone or something else. What “symptoms” did you experience? How did you feel emotionally, physically, and spiritually? Take some time to write about this in your journal, and mark this page for future reference. Make a mental note to be aware of your own personal warning signs, and, as needed revisit this prompt to add to or subtract from your original ideas of your own warning signs.
Happy Journaling!
Journal Writing Prompt: Hidden
“Our greatest pretenses are built up not to hide the evil and the ugly in us, but our emptiness. The hardest thing to hide is something that is not there.”
~Eric Hoffer
I believe that it’s a well-accepted fact that everyone carries on some sort of pretense. I’m not sure I completely agree with that fact, but, it may well be true, despite my disagreement. Today’s quote speaks of pretenses as if they were fact, that everyone carries on with some sort of pretense. So, in your journal, write about today’s quote. What are your pretenses? Where is the emptiness that you are trying to cover? (I know this may be a tougher prompt than many here, but, I encourage you to give this some thought and then write without editing your thoughts. For some, this could be a “ground breaker” into other areas of life.
Journal writing prompt bonus: Do you believe everyone has pretenses? If so, following the logic of today’s quote, do you believe everyone has a hidden emptiness within them? If you don’t, what do you surmise the reason for the pretense is (in general)? Has this always been part of the human condition or is this a recent “development” due to our societal and cultural pressures? Explore this as much as you would like in your journal.
Happy Journaling!
