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7 Journal Prompts to Inspire Simplicity

If there’s one thing I know about simple living, it’s that simplicity comes from within. You need to understand your beliefs before you can change your actions. With this in mind, I put together a list of seven simple journal prompts to help you get started. 

Journaling has been a huge part of my life for the past few years and it has definitely been one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself. Writing regularly has helped me become mindful and self-aware about my life choices—and it’s also great for relieving stress!

If this speaks to you, then please enjoy these journal prompts to inspire simplicity. I hope they’ll empower you to let go of anything that is no longer serving you.

 "7 Journal Prompts To Inspire Simplicity" in a white box with a woman sitting at a desk drinking tea and writing in a journal in the background.

7 Journal Prompts For Simple Living

What’s causing you stress right now? Are self-imposed deadlines or expectations contributing? What could you let go of in order to ease this stress?

Everyone experiences stress now and then but unfortunately, for many it has become a “normal” state of being. When this happens, it’s easy to lose touch with the root cause of your stress. 

This is a problem because you stop being solution-focused. Your attention shifts away from reducing the stress and instead, looks for easy coping methods (things like mindless shopping and escaping on social media). You end up living every day in survival mode. 

If this has happened to you, I encourage you to take a step back. Make a favourite beverage, grab a notebook, and open to a blank page. Write down everything that’s causing you stress and then—with an open heart and an open mind—look for opportunities to let go.

RELATED POST: 5 Steps to Letting Go of Expectations

Imagine you had an extra hour every day. What would you do with it?

If your life is busy and cluttered, you might feel resistance to asking this question. After all, what’s the point of thinking about what you’d do with an extra hour if you don’t have one to spare? 

I understand this feeling but one thing I’ve learned is that it’s hard to create change without a clear vision of what you’re trying to achieve. If you want more time for what really matters, then you need to start by clarifying what this means to you. 

What would you do if you had more time every day? Write a list and then think about what you’re currently doing. Once you have it all down on paper, you might notice opportunities for change that you couldn’t see in the past.

Related Post: 3 Important Lessons on Finding Balance in Life

Name one thing you’re afraid to let go of. Why? What are your fears?

If you’re struggling to simplify your life, one of the most powerful things you can do is invest time into understanding your roadblocks. 

  • Why is it so hard to declutter your stuff? 
  • Why can’t you say “no” to additional responsibilities? 
  • Why do you keep shopping even though you know you don’t need more stuff? 

It’s a complicated question (one that we explore in-depth in my Clear Your Clutter course) but a great starting point is to focus on just one item you’re struggling to declutter. 

Sit down and write down all the fears that come to mind when you think about letting go. Get all of your thoughts out of your head and down onto paper, and don’t censor yourself. 

When you’re done, take a step back and ask—what do I really need to let go of? 

Is it really your unworn sweater or your old photo album? Or do these items represent something bigger (such as limiting beliefs, old traumas or insecurities) that you need to make peace with first? It’s a tough but oh-so-important question. 

What are the 3 most important things in your life? Consider how you’ve spent the last 24 hours. Does your schedule represent your true priorities?

In the words of Annie Dillard, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”

So with that in mind… how are you spending your days? Does your schedule represent how you want to spend your life? If not, what needs to change?

A woman sitting at a desk drinking tea and writing in a journal.

Describe the last time you felt proud of yourself. Does the experience tell you anything about what you value most?

I believe that at its core, simple living is values-led living—life feels “simple” when you’re living true to yourself.

But how well do you really know yourself? Can you clearly define your values, life vision and priorities? Or are you heavily influenced by external expectations and the opinions of others? 

If you’re not sure, then a great starting point is to reflect on what makes you feel proud. This will give you clues as to what truly matters most to you, so you can align your life accordingly. (If you want to explore this concept further, be sure to check out my course Values + Vision.)

Related Post: The Often Overlooked Key to Simple Living

What are you afraid to do for yourself? Why?

This is another question that will help you identify limiting beliefs—stories we tell ourselves (often over the course of a lifetime) that hold us back in some way. Identifying these beliefs is the first step to rewriting these stories and moving forward with our lives. 

 “If you accept a limiting belief, then it will become a truth for you.”―Louise Hay

Examine your to-do list. What could you give yourself permission not to do and why?

Whether we want to admit it or not, we all have limited amounts of time and energy―and if we want to simplify our lives, we must be willing to be intentional with these precious resources. 

Review your to-do list with a critical eye. Are all of the tasks really necessary? If not, don’t be afraid to be a ruthless editor. 

Related Post: 4 Tips to Minimise Your To-Do List

More Simple Journaling Resources

If you enjoyed this list of simple journal prompts, then be sure to check out:

7 SIMPLE DAYS: KICKSTART YOUR SIMPLE + INTENTIONAL LIVING JOURNEY

If you’d like to take things a step further, then I invite you to check out 7 Simple Days― a short course with journal prompts and mini-challenges that will help you kickstart your simple and intentional living journey. 

Over 2,500 like-minded souls have already taken 7 Simple Days and here’s what they’re saying: 

I absolutely loved this! I do really well with interactive journal prompts and challenges. Personally, I would have never have thought of these questions to ask myself. So having them set up already is perfect for me! It was so clarifying and refreshing.” ―Morgan

I always find journal prompts incredibly helpful and some of the prompts you listed (especially the one about getting back into alignment) really struck a chord with me as I had been thinking a lot about that lately.

I also think the course was incredibly professionally and beautifully written. It was light-hearted despite talking about serious stuff and was simple and easy to follow. It is so clear how passionate you are about this kind of thing and it is clear that you really care.“― Ash

Click here to learn more or get instant access.

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