Self esteem journal prompts


51 Journaling Prompts for Self-Esteem – Silk + Sonder

Self-esteem journal prompts are one of the lesser-used tools for promoting healthy self-esteem. When we think about building self-esteem, we often think about utilizing positive affirmations, or simply adopting a more positive mindset. 

While both of these tools are great, journaling in a way that's geared toward high self-esteem can be a game-changer, because it really gives you to the time to think and adequately organize your thoughts by putting pen to paper. To help you get started, we compiled a list of 51 journaling prompts that can be helpful for anyone who wants to raise their self-esteem. 

Self-Esteem Journaling Prompts 

1. When do you feel good about yourself?

2. How would your close friends describe you?

3. What went well today?

4. What was challenging for you today?

5. What are the most positive aspects of your life?

6. What do you really love about yourself?

7. What do you do well?

8. What do you want to feel tomorrow?

9. What's holding you back from pursuing your dreams?

10. What is one thing you would do if you knew you couldn't fail?

11. What's one activity that always cheers you up? 

12. What's going really well for you in this season of your life?

13. What compliment do you often get that you have a difficult time accepting?

14. When have you showed courage recently?

15. What is your best physical quality?

16. What do you love most about your best friend?

17. What have you learned from past mistakes?

18. What do you consider your safe space? What about it feels so comforting to you?

19. How would you rate your overall mental health?

20. What are some negative things in your life that you can clear out?

21. What is your favorite thing to do?

22. How do you feel about your life right now, overall?

23. Name a quality you have that you know is valuable to people in your life.   

24. Name a time in your life when you felt really good about yourself. What were the circumstances?

25. Name a time when you felt really bad about yourself. What made you feel so bad?

26. Do you feel judgement from others? If so, what do you think they are judging? 

27. If you tend to overthink, what are you typically ruminating on?

28. What's something you would stop doing if you were more confident?

29. What does the word "confidence" mean to you? 

30. Name a person who inspires you. What about them do you look up to?

31. When do you feel your happiest?

32. What intimidates you?

33. Describe the "superhero" version of yourself. What would they do?

34. How can you implement more positive self-talk?

35. What can you learn from your biggest win? 

36. Do you believe people love you for exactly who you are? Why or why not? 

37. Who in your life looks up to you, and how does it make you feel?

38. How do you feel when you hear other people talking negatively about themselves?

39. What's something that interests you that you would like to learn more about?

40. What little things do you value most in life? 

41. List 10 things that make you happy.

42. What's a hobby or activity that you'd really like to try but haven't gotten around to?

43. Write about your dream life.

44. When you need support, who do you typically look to?

45. What does your current bedtime routine look like? Could you improve it? How?

46. Write down five self-love affirmations.

47. Write about something that's upsetting you. 

48. What is a unique talent you have?

49. What's something you could change that would make you feel better about yourself?

50. What's something you can do right now that your future self will thank you for?

51. What does high self esteem mean to you? 

 

 

What is Self-Esteem?

If you find yourself asking, "what is self-esteem, anyway?" That's a fair question, and one worth fully thinking through before you start journaling on it. "Self-esteem" can sometimes seem like a vague term, but it's defined as "confidence in one's own worth or abilities; self-respect."

In other words, self-esteem is about believing in yourself. It's about knowing that you are worthy, and that you deserve the world. So go ahead and pursue that high self-esteem — and do it proudly. 

Want more great journaling prompts? Give these blog posts a read: 

  • 50 Journaling Prompts for Self-Love
  • 84 Transformative Daily Gratitude Journal Prompts
  • 45 Journaling Prompts to Help Heal Your Inner Child

100 Journal Prompts for Self-Esteem and Self-Confidence Trish Blackwell -

Journaling has the power to change your thoughts, and therefore your self-esteem and your confidence. The act of journaling can change how you see yourself and how you see your life. So why doesn't everyone do it? Because sometimes staring at a blank page of paper can leave you intimidated and not knowing what to write. Enter: journaling prompts. Specifically, journaling prompts for self-esteem and self-confidence.

When you journal, the act of taking a thought and putting it onto paper gives you the ability to really see it and examine it. This process neutralizes the thought from any extra emotions, or judgment it might be carrying and gives you the power to decide what to do with the thought. You can choose to keep the thought, to re-write, or rewire the thought to be similar, but more positive, or to push the thought away and uninvite it into your brain. 

The act of taking pen to paper is perhaps the most life-giving foundational strategy for anyone who wants to master their mindset.

Another way to think about the above described process of journaling is that the act of journaling is like breathing for your brain. What you put on paper is an exhale of what's cluttering your mind, and what you write down in return, your compassionate responses and your guided new thoughts, is an act of inhalation.  

There is no need to ever feel intimidated by a blank paper, but it's natural that there will be days when you just need a little inspirational boost to get your journaling juices started. (If you are looking for a daily journaling structure, click here to learn my 8-minute journaling method.) Journal prompts are like little superheroes to supercharge your mind to open up and explore the deeper level of your thoughts.

The more you can see your thoughts, the more you will be able to understand them. The more you understand them, the more you will be able to manage and direct them. The more you train your ability to direct your thoughts, the more you will master your mindset and have power in the way you think and approach every element of your life.

Use the journal prompts for self-esteem in this post to help you master your mindset and feel as unstoppable, as beautiful and as filled with purpose as you deserve to feel.  

To inspire your journey of  self-acceptance, purpose and courage, here are my favorite confidence journal prompts: 

1. What does confidence mean to you?

2. When in your childhood did you feel the most confident? Describe that version of yourself in as much detail as possible.

3. How would you describe the most confident person you know?

4. Why does that person inspire you and what are they able to do that you want to do?

5. What compliments about your personality do people often give you?

6. When is the last time you really celebrated your own success and gave yourself credit for what you are doing well?

7. What does your morning routine look like when you have your ideal day?

8. What is the ideal nighttime routine that makes you feel relaxed, fulfilled and peaceful at night as you lay your head down to sleep?

9. If you tend to overthink, what is the root fear that drives this spiral of second-guessing and over-analyzing?

10. How would your life be different if you saw failure as a good thing?

11. Are you more quick to notice what is going wrong or to notice what is going right?

12. How can you build up confidence in someone else today by complimenting them?

13. Create a list of 10 compliments to give yourself.

14. Write about how you can be more confident in being yourself.

15. When do you feel most yourself?

16. What is one activity that cheers you up, no matter what?

17. What is your best physical quality?

18. What is one way you have failed recently?

19. Do you want to approach life with a "what if" mindset or with an "even if" mindset?

20. Picture yourself completely confident. How does this version of you dress, speak and carry themselves?

21. What is the first thing you said to yourself this morning? What is the first thing you want to say to yourself tomorrow to have a more confident day?

22. What is one new thing you would do if you knew you couldn't fail or get hurt?

23. You are responsible for creating your own opportunities in life; what is one opportunity that you need to put yourself out there and go chase?

24. How would you feel if you really loved yourself without judgment, pressure, comparison or the self-critical voice?

25. Write out 10 positive affirmations to encourage yourself about God's plan in creating you and His purpose for your life.

26. Write a short note to thank your body for how it has carried you through life.

27. List out 5 things you are grateful for about your body type and physical attributes.

28. List out 5 things you are grateful for about your inner beauty and personality.

29. How do your friends describe you?

30. How did your most encouraging teacher, mentor or coach describe you?

31. What negative things do you repeatedly say to yourself and why do you think you are still saying them? Are you willing to do the thought work and repetition it takes to change the way you think so that your conversation with yourself is more kind?

32. Are you willing to start talking back to your inner bully? What will be the first bully phrases that you put an absolute stop to?

33. What is your best inner quality?

34. How can you be more kind to yourself about where you are in your life right now?

35. What are your go-to stress-relief habits that are self-nurturing and allow you to recharge and feel good?

36. How often do you compare yourself to others? When you compare, how do you feel?

37. Who do you know that radiates self-respect? How can you tell this person respects themselves and do you notice any habits they have that you wish to emulate?

38. What does being brave mean to you? How have you shown courage recently?

39. In what ways do you wish you were more courageous?

40. Who are your role models? What qualities do you have in common with them? What qualities do you want to practice emulating more in your life?

41. Do you have any clothes that don't feel good when you wear them, or that make you feel insecure, fidgety or uncertain of yourself? If so, throw them out or donate them today.

42. What would you stop doing if you were more confident?

43. How does second-guessing yourself make you feel? How has it held you back in life?

44. What can you do today to nurture self-trust in your micro-decisions through the day?

45. Think about a challenge you have faced and how you became stronger because of it and through it.

46. What are 3 feel-good activities that make you forget any self-consciousness or insecurity you might have?

47. When is the last time you laughed so hard that you almost peed yourself? What were you laughing about?

48. Have you complimented yourself today? If not, do it now!

49. What are three things you are proud of doing this month?

50. Imagine that you are limitless; what difference would you want to make in the world and with your life?

51. Write out what phrase of encouragement you want to say to yourself when you face a challenge, a set-back or a new opportunity.

52. Write about a time you were really proud of yourself.

53. Make a list of 10 experiences in your life that make your story very unique.

54. Make a list of 5 qualities you bring to your primary relationship in your life.

55. Make a list of 5 reasons you are a good neighbor.

56. Make a list of 5 good things you bring to your workplace.

57. What are you doing to grow this month?

58. What habit do you need to stop?

59. What is the nicest thing you have ever done for yourself?

60. Investing in yourself builds confidence and worth. What is the best investment you have ever made in yourself?

61. I am happiest when...

62. I am most at peace when...

63. What are things that you need to stop doing that are making you unhappy?

64. Our confidence gets most shaken up when our thoughts get cloudy and cluttered. What types of thoughts or thought patterns tend to make you feel distracted, self-doubting and insecure?

65. Awareness is the beginning of change. What new areas of growth are you now aware of for yourself?

66. Where your attention goes, neurons fire, and where neurons fire, they wire. Where are you putting your attention today? On things that are fear based or things that are faith based?

67. "Fine" is a "feeling in need of expression." When is the last time you said "I'm fine," or "it's fine," but you really needed to work out the feeling to it's fullest expression?

68. You are more brave than you are afraid, and that makes your courage enough. List out some ways in which you have seen your inner bravery shine recently?

69. In what ways have you underestimated yourself?

70. In what ways have you overestimated potential problems or areas of life that intimidate you?

71. Progress, no matter how small, brings fulfillment. Pick an area of life you are working on, and list out 5 ways in which you've recently made progress.

72. Everyone is thinking something about themselves that they don't have to. What thought have you had about yourself that you don't need to hold onto anymore?

73. What is one thought you wish you could think about yourself and it could be true?

74. Describe your alter-ego. What does the superhero version of you look like, feel like, act like and do?

75. If it's meant to be, it's up to me. What is one thing you can do today to make the world better? How about to make your community better? Your relationships better? Your relationship with yourself better?

76. How would you feel about your capability if you could remember that everyone thinks things are hard too (it's not just you)?

77. How do you make those around you feel seen, known and heard?

78. What clothes make you feel best? Do you have anything in your closet that makes you feel not totally confident when you wear it? Remember take any items and donate them. Keep only what makes you feel good.

79. Who do you admire? What 3 specific qualities about them do you want to emulate?

80. What are 5 things that you know you are good at?

81. What are 5 unique things about your body that you are thankful for?

82. Let your answer flow from this: "I feel best about myself when..."

83. What are your most common automatic negative thoughts?

84. Who are the cheerleaders in your life? Who are the people you can rely on when you are feeling low or need a boost of encouragement?

85. Write your body a letter thanking it for all it does for you.

86. Write yourself a letter thanking yourself for how you have grown and changed over the last 10 years.

87. How would your best friend or best coach describe you?

88. I feel most alive when I'm learning about....

89. What's the best compliment anyone has ever given me and why does it feel so significant and meaningful to me?

90. What is a compliment I would like to receive? How can I start nurturing that character trait or growth within myself to become what I want to be?

91. List out 5 reasons you are proud of who you were as a child.

92. List out 5 reasons you are proud of who you were as an adolescent / young adult.

93. List out 5 reasons you are proud of who you are right now as an adult.

94. When is a memorable time you overcame fear and self-doubt? What did you tell yourself to encourage yourself to focus more on faith than on fear in that moment?

95. What do you want to learn, improve or change in your life right now? What is the first step to starting the learning process?

96. What 3 daily events in your day are you most grateful for?

97. How can you implement more positive self-talk? What 3 daily things can you do to infuse more positivity in your life?

98. Picture yourself winning a prestigious award. What positive things about you would be said about you as you were given the award?

99. What can you learn from your most recent failure or set-back?

100. What can you learn from your biggest win?

Let these encourage you, inspiring creativity and breakthrough in your journaling practice. To go deeper into more effective journaling, come coach with me in the College of Confidence. We have weekly journaling prompts paired with extensive coaching and discussion about the journaling topic to help you best integrate it into your life. Click here to check out the College of Confidence; it comes with a money-back guarantee, so it's a risk free next step for your personal development and growth. 

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE THIS PODCAST EPISODE

For more resources on journaling, be sure to check out these:

  • Journaling for Anxiety and Depression Relief
  • How to Feel Happier through Effective Journaling
  • Christian Journaling Ideas 
  • How to Journal In a Way that Increases Your Happiness and Your Confidence 

Self-assessment. Self-concept

– Characteristic pros and cons of high self-esteem?

- Positive aspects:

1. not afraid of failure

2. resistant to criticism

3. passionate about achieving goals

4. confident that the desired will come true

5. influence, consequences, difficult situations are ignored.

Negative:

1. callousness, cruelty

2. do not share the result

3. devalue the efforts of others

4. appropriate what they have done together.

– When is a psychologist needed to work with self-esteem? How to interact with a specialist?

- Indicator - reaction to feedback. The vulnerable lament, weep, go into hard drinking, sow pessimism and oppression. Those who overestimate self-esteem rush, rush at others: they play the role of an angry lion. They create extreme discomfort. The reaction of the individual to the environment is an assessment of the indicative - overestimation or underestimation of self-esteem. The individual is neutral, pleasant, comfortable - a good sign. “Drinking”, demanding attention, offending, joking - diagnose inflated self-esteem. Desiring consolations, monologues is fueled by the confidence of the interlocutor.

- Self-assessment of different nations?

- Think of the Dunning-Kruger effect. Power nations are prone to inflated self-esteem. Applies to Russians, Americans, Israelis, Chinese, Japanese. The colonizing countries have a "sleeping" self-esteem. Spain, Italy, Portugal, Great Britain - countries that say: “We will sit out. Our time will come. The main thing is to keep your finger on the pulse.” Aggressive countries: India, Pakistan. They say: "We will strain - we will win." Incredibly high self-esteem: they wear clothes made entirely of gold. The colossal level of stratification dissolves the self-esteem of individuals in the crowd.

– Three tips for working with self-assessment?

- Advice:

1. Think of pushers for unreasonable overpricing: sucking up, giving gifts, flattering, throwing compliments. Remember the demoralizing ones: “It won’t work”, “You can’t”, “You won’t be able to”. Learn not to hear similar ones: put filters.

2. Think about it, self-esteem is only visible from the outside. If we have an overestimated, underestimated - we decide on our own how to demonstrate. Stop manifesting an uneven attitude towards others. Be complaisant, calm, balanced.

3. Self-esteem cannot be increased - become better.

– What would you recommend for personal self-education on the subject of self-assessment. I am a concept?


The six pillars of self-esteem
Nathaniel Branden

Most people underestimate the ability to change. Confidence in helplessness turns into a self-fulfilling prophecy. Healthy self-esteem requires the practice of purposeful living. Self-respect remains a fundamental need, and the “predisposition” to happiness depends on it. Trust your own mind, firmly know that you are worthy of happiness. Severe sentences people usually pass on themselves.

Human Genetic Odyssey
Wells Spencer

Genetics supplies a map of wanderings, gives an idea of ​​the dates. Each carries a book of personal history. A small population retains 85% of human diversity. We use only what we got in the mutation lottery. We are similarities made by an unscrupulous replicating apparatus that makes mistakes when copying chromosomes. All DNA goes back to a woman who lived 2000 centuries ago in Africa.

I want and I will
Accept yourself, love life and become happy
Mikhail Labkovsky

Frustratingly simple - how to pass an inspection. The model of behavior is typical and problems come out: neuroticism has become loose, pride is being rubbed, desires are crumpled. Women are tormented by beauty - work not on appearance, but on self-esteem. Men are selfless towards money - the path to narcissistic disorder. We lose by living "sanely" but not happily. There are still scanty chances - the problem is not considered as such until it interferes with life. The guideline in life is self-realization.

Good girls go to heaven, bad girls go wherever they want...
Ute Erhardt

"Good girls" do not want to leave the cocoon of compromise. The helpless do not trust opportunities and abilities. Decreased self-esteem starts a cycle of lack of demand. Expectation breeds neuroses. Dubious deals are the building blocks of obedience and dependence. Hoping to stay meek? Do you expect THEM to make your dreams come true? Compliance is the path of self-dissolution. Victims are not appreciated. Beauty is not more important than self-respect!

Close to the heart
How to live if you are too sensitive person
Ilse Sand

Self-esteem of hypersensitive individuals is underestimated. They are thoughtful, observant and empathetic. They hate quarrels and swearing. Their pain threshold is lower, which is why the hostility of the world hurts more. In childhood, they are less likely to lie, break the rules and behave selfishly, even knowing that no one sees them. Moral dilemmas are resolved in a more socially responsible way. Feeling disharmony, they immediately take control of the situation.

Immersion
How to understand why we think one thing, feel another, and act as always
Vladislav Chubarov

Stuck in the past is dangerous: resentment increases susceptibility to manipulation, vulnerability exposes nerves, sacrifice requires excuses. Levels of shame: social unacceptability, self-esteem, guilt. The reaction to failure is a reason to delve into the sensations. Do good to others only out of love, do not expect rewards for deeds. Narcissism is a bulging compensator, and the counter is a part of you that carries a message.

Do not program your child
How everything we say and do affects the fate of our children
Roberta Cavallo, Antonio Panarese

Why HE does not obey, is shy, nervous or rude, has turned into a rebellious, dissatisfied, lost teenager and risks remaining an unhappy person who has not found himself. Channels through which we broadcast signals to children, an effective imitation mechanism and the truth about self-esteem. Phrases that the child is most afraid of, which complicates communication on the eve of growing up and reminders that should be hung on the refrigerator.

Self-esteem through the eyes of an astrologer - Psychology of effective life

Astrology is the only discipline that gives a concrete answer to the question: "How can I raise my self-esteem?" The key word here is "concrete". In the recommendations of an astrologer, you will not hear common phrases a la “you need to accept and love yourself, you need to take care of yourself.” But there will be others. Clear and defined. For example: “You need to perform in public and do pair dancing. Then self-esteem will automatically start to rise.”

Why such accuracy? The fact is that astrology does not work with masses of people, but with a single person. With Masha Ivanova, for example. According to the date, place and time of Masha's birth, the astrologer draws up an individual natal chart. And the card contains just gigabytes of information about the girl’s character, health, events, money, and career. Incredible, but true: the location of the planets in the sky at the time of a person's birth is directly related to his fate and self-esteem as well.

So about self-esteem. The Sun is responsible for self-esteem in the natal chart. What do we know about him? Without the Sun, we cannot live on Earth. The sun will go out and life will die. So it is with man. When his self-esteem is high, then the ocean of energy, and the case is argued, and the money goes. And when self-esteem is under the plinth - there is no strength, you don’t want anything, sores overcome, your wallet is empty. Therefore, the Sun has an extremely important role in the natal chart. It has a lot to do with it. For example, a person has a billionaire card, like Abramovich. But the Sun does not burn, that is, low self-esteem. With a high degree of probability, this person will never see either billions or millions in his life. Although it could.

So what do you need to do to light your Sun, that is, raise your self-esteem? To do this, you need to build your natal chart. What are we going to do now.

  1. We go to the site https://sotis-online.ru/.
  2. Select "Standard card: Single card".
  3. Enter the date, time and place of your birth.
  4. Press OK.

So, you have a blue circle with lines inside. This is the natal chart. Your goal now is to find the Sun on the map. It will be indicated by a circle with a dot inside. Try hovering over all the map icons. The program will give you hints.

I hope you have found your Sun. The next task is more difficult. You need to determine in which sign and in which house this planet is located. We usually know about our zodiac sign from birth. However, incidents happen. My aunt has thought all her life that she is Libra by zodiac sign. But when I made her a natal chart, it turned out that she was a Scorpio. The fact is that the time limits of the signs are approximate. And in one year, the date October 23 will still refer to Libra, and in another year, to Scorpio. Therefore, you need to check your zodiac sign. What is the easiest way to do this? Look at the plate to the right of the natal chart. In the first line you will see the icon of the Sun, the degree of the Sun and the sign in which the Sun fell. If you do not understand the zodiac designations - the Internet will tell you.

But in fact, astrologers look at the sign of the zodiac last. Here the houses of the natal chart are much more important. So now let's talk about them. Carefully examine the map - and you will see lines that divide it into 12 parts. Each dash is signed either with letters (As, Is, Ds, Mc) or Roman numerals (II, III, V, etc.). So, we are looking for the first house. It starts from the letters As, and ends on the line with the number II. The second house begins with the number II and ends with the dash with the number III. The fourth house begins with the letters Ic and ends with the number V. And so on. In total, you must count 12 sections of the map - 12 houses. And now it will not be so difficult to determine in which house your sun lives.

Next is a matter of technique. Look at the table below, look for the sign and house of your Sun and read the recommendations. These are exactly the actions by which you will automatically raise your self-esteem and feel the buzz from life.

House of the Sun

1st house

Be visible and bright, take a leading position in any situation.

2nd house

Earn with your own hands, take care of your health, save material things and money.

3rd building

Communicate as much as possible, make short trips, write articles, posts, books.

4th house

Become the center of the family, take care of its well-being, buy real estate.

5th house

Communicate with children, be creative, become a public media person.

6th house

Take care of your health, develop a career, get pets, be useful to people.

7th house

Strive for popularity in society, speak in public, be proud of your partner.

8th house

Grow and develop through crises, learn to transform, learn to penetrate the essence of things, try to become a psychologist in life, pay attention to occult topics.

9th house

Travel to other countries, teach, give advice.

10th house

Learn to be a leader, strive for the heights of society or popularity.

11th house

Make friends, do science, psychology, social activities, be interested in space, gadgets.

12th house

Engage in creativity, charity, religion or psychology.

Sun in the sign of the zodiac

Aries

Do something with your hands, compete, take the initiative, play sports.

Taurus

Save money and things, dress nicely, cook delicious food, design, create beauty.

Gemini

Learn something, communicate, show curiosity, spread information, change the picture before your eyes.

Cancer

Bring comfort at home, communicate with a cat, cook, surround yourself with the care of relatives.

Leo

Play any game, brag, ask for applause, become noticeable.

Virgo

Look after your health, benefit people, be attentive to details.

Scale

Consult, be in a team, aspire to the bohemian strata of society, look for compromises, act as a peacemaker.

Scorpio

Provoke, check others "for lice", develop hidden power, shock, go in for sports / sex / extreme sports.

Sagittarius

Teach, read morals, look for higher meanings.

Capricorn

Be disciplined, get things done, develop personal power.

Aquarius

Be democratic, friendly, plan, become part of the team.

Fish

Develop intuition, natural wisdom, communicate with wildlife.

By combining the values ​​of both tablets, you will understand what you need to pay special attention to in your life. Of course, this information is incomplete. Professional astrology is much more complicated than two tables. But I am sure that even these recommendations will provide you with invaluable help in the vital question: “How to raise your self-esteem and get high from life?”

Editorial

Astrological help is a good thing, but not only the luminaries affect our self-esteem.


Learn more