What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of “autumn”? For me, it’s the beautiful changing leaves. Next, I think about the mindful work of the animals who are busy preparing for the cold months ahead. So, what I see in nature at this time are change, dedication and preservation.
If spring is the season of new birth, and summer is growth, then autumn is next in the cycle, representing maturity. But maturity in a person doesn’t mean that they have reached their full potential and that there’s no more room to grow. It means being aware, willing to self-reflect and take actions to improve as a person.
So, keeping in mind the key themes of change (C), dedication (D), preservation (P), and self-improvement (S), we put together some writing prompts that you can use for a mindful journal practice this season.
We started posting daily prompts in Facebook and Instagram stories at the end of summer. We want to encourage you to spend 5 minutes a day (more if it’s possible), to invest into yourself. Journal about anything that is meaningful to you. But if you need some ideas, here are some daily prompts to inspire you.
Sunday – “The seed I am planting for next week is…” (D, S)
Monday – “This week, I will start…” (C, D, S)
Tuesday – “I will shed the habit of…” (C, D, P, S)
Wednesday – “My food choices this week are…” (P, S)
Thursday – “I’m doing a good job at…” (D, P, S)
Friday – “A reminder to myself…” (D, P, S)
Saturday – “The changing leaves are like…” (C, S)
You can cycle through these prompts every week. You can make commitments in the first week of the month, then make new ones in the second week. Or, you can check the progress each week if they were commitments with longer life spans. For example, on the first Tuesday of the month, you wrote down that you want to shed the habit of going to bed late. On the next Tuesday, you can reflect on whether you’re making improvements in your sleeping habits. And you can pledge to shed a new bad habit.
When’s the best time to journal? Only you can know the answer. First thing in the morning is great if you’re an early riser. Extend your morning ritual of “getting ready” by setting intentions for the day, taking charge of your mental, emotional and spiritual states, and being connected with your inner self and a positive mindset.
Some of you may like to journal before bed after you’ve lived another full day, and have plenty to reflect on. Light a candle and make a cup of tea, and treat the journaling session as a reward for yourself. Make sure you have a good journal, one that brings you comfort and one that makes the writing exercise easy.
Or, the right time can be in the middle of the day. Sometimes, something you just did or saw can bring inspiration. Perhaps, you need to take a break from work and get in touch with yourself to decompress and reset. And maybe it’s just logistics because you know you won’t have time later.
Whenever you decide to journal is the right time. Happy journaling.