7 Journaling Prompts for Wobbly Days
We all have wobbly days. The ones where you spill your morning cuppa, can’t find your glasses (the ones on top of your head), and every emotion is hovering close to the surface, threatening to spill over at any moment. Life after 40 can feel like it’s spinning out of control — while our inner compass takes an unexpected and extended nap — and wobbly days can feel much harder to cope with than they used to.
On these days, it’s tempting to either double down and try to do everything to gain some sense of control or just crawl back under the duvet. Here’s the good news: you don’t need to fix everything today, and you don’t have to be ‘perfect’ (whatever that really means). You just need to take a moment to tune out the noise/demands/overthinking and find your footing — and journaling can help you do that. Think of your notebook as the quiet friend who doesn’t judge, interrupt, or care if you’re in pyjamas, eating chocolate cake and watching old episodes of Downton Abbey at 3 p.m.
Below are some prompts/questions to help you feel a little more grounded when life feels like you’re juggling angry piranhas... blindfolded.
1. Something that feels heavy right now is…
Name it. Don’t try to be eloquent or make it sound nice. Just get it out of your head and onto the page. Swear if you like. Ignore punctuation. Use bullet points or long-running sentences. Just write it down. Sometimes the act of naming what’s feeling hard makes it a little less powerful.
2. Something that is actually working is…
It can be easy to stamp our feet and declare that everything has gone to sh*t, but even on the shakiest day, something is holding steady. Maybe your morning cup of tea was perfect. Maybe your friend texted a meme that made you laugh out loud. Maybe you remembered to bring the laundry in before it started raining, or got to work on time, or your cat/dog/rabbit/horse/chicken/elephant [insert as necessary] gave you the best snuggles. Write it down as proof that all is not lost.
3. If I could pause time for 10 minutes, I would…
When things feel overwhelming, forget the to-do list for a few minutes and ask yourself what you need. Even if it’s just for 10 minutes. No ‘should dos’ or ‘must dos’, just something that gives you space amongst the chaos (big or small). Would you sit in silence? Dance in the kitchen? Stand outside barefoot? Drink tea? Read two pages? Nap? Breathe deeply? Write it down, then give yourself permission to actually do it.
4. Which of these would most help me right now: comfort, clarity, or courage?
When things feel a bit much, we usually need one of three things: comfort, clarity or courage. Pick one and write about what it would look like in action. Comfort might be pulling on a favourite jumper, getting a hug, or taking a nap. Clarity could be saying no to something or taking time to work out a plan of action. Courage might be making that phone call you’ve been avoiding or committing to something you’ve been holding back on.
5. If I was my own best friend, I would tell myself…
Ah yes, we are all so good at giving advice to others and telling them how great they are. But when we’re struggling, we ignore our own wisdom and tell ourselves we are useless. I think I can confidently assume you’d never tell your best friend to get over it, pull herself together and stop whining — at least not if you were intending to stay friends! You’d remind her she’s doing her best, that she just needs to go one step at a time and then probably tell her you love her and are there for her... and maybe send a funny meme or cat video to cheer her up. Try being your own best friend for the next few minutes and write out all the things you would tell yourself. Cat videos are optional.
6. What am I proud of myself for lately, even if it feels small?
We can become accustomed to only celebrating or noticing the big things, the wins that come once in a while. We forget about the hundreds of little wins we have all the time, instead chasing the bigger wins and feeling less than when they don’t come fast enough or often enough. Start giving yourself credit for the micro-wins — they are the ones that actually build a beautiful life. Maybe you cooked instead of ordering in, or maybe you simply got out of bed when you didn’t feel like it. Perhaps you remembered to send a birthday card on time, baked a cake, went for a walk, got your mammogram done, or finally cleared some emails from an overflowing inbox. Write them down and then give yourself a pat on the back, because you deserve it.
7. What can I let go of, and where can I get more support?
When there is a lot on our plate and things begin to feel wobbly more often, it’s a chance to ask yourself what you can let go of and where you can get more support. You don’t have to do everything and you don’t have to do it all yourself. Be honest. What things in your life could you let go of? And yes, that includes the weight of expectation and the opinions of others! And then ask yourself, what of the things I can’t let go of can I get some support with? Can a family member, friend, work colleague or professional help with something? Do you need to paint that room, or could someone else help you so it gets done? Can a friend walk your dog so you can get on with those errands that have been piling up? Could a work colleague pull their weight a bit more or help with a project? So often, we don’t ask for help because we think we have to prove we can do it ourselves, but there is no trophy or badge of honour waiting for us, no prize to be won. Take a breath and spend a few moments writing down what you can ditch and what you can delegate.
Remember: A wobbly day doesn’t mean you’re doing life wrong. Neither does a wobbly week (or even month). It doesn’t mean you are useless or not good enough. It just means you’re human, juggling a lot in a world of constant noise, and (probably) dealing with hormones that are crazier than a kid on a post-Halloween sugar rush.
So grab your pen, pour another cup of tea and give your thoughts a gentle place to land. You don’t need to be perfect, just present.
