20 Anxiety Journal Prompts for Adults
Have you ever sat down to write in your journal and, while you usually have lots of thoughts running through your mind, suddenly your mind goes blank and you have no idea what to write or where to begin?
Or maybe you’re tired of writing about your day, day after day after day, and you’re wondering if there’s a more helpful way to practice journaling.
Writing in a journal can be a wonderfully healthy way to help manage anxiety by:
Getting your thoughts out of your head and onto paper (or in your phone)
Calming your mind and therefore, also your body
Helping you sort through anxious thoughts and emotions in a productive way
While there is nothing wrong with whatever method you use for journaling (it’s great if you love writing about your day!), I’ve found that many of my clients prefer to use prompts because it helps them better organize their thoughts, not get caught up in choosing a topic to write about, and to write about and explore ideas they might not have otherwise.
Keep reading for inspiration to write your next journal entry with 20 insightful anxiety-related journal prompts.
20 Anxiety Journal Prompts
Getting To Know Your Anxiety
What does your anxiety feel like, look like, sound like? How does anxiety show up in your body? You anxiety will become easier to manage the more you get to know and understand it.
What do I need in this moment? Is what I need something that I can give myself or do I need support?
Choose one moment over the past week during which you felt anxious. Reflect with curiosity and non-judgment on what triggered the anxiety in that moment.
When is the first time you remember feeling anxious? What was happening then - what were you doing, who were you with, how was your anxiety handled by yourself or others?
What helps me feel safe and secure? How can I create more feelings of safety and security?
Do I spend most of my time thinking about / living in the past, present, or future? What am I missing out on by not living more in the present?
Emotions are messengers trying to alert us to something (e.g. an unmet need, something we’ve been avoiding, somewhere we need a stronger boundary, etc.). What do you think your anxiety is trying to communicate to you?
What are the thoughts and beliefs that contribute to your feelings of anxiety (e.g. I’m a failure, I can’t do this, They’re better than me, That’s scary)?
Where did these thoughts / beliefs come from? Are these beliefs true? (Hint: most negative self-beliefs are not true) If you believe them to be true, what’s stopping you from letting them go?
What are the situations that contribute to your feelings of anxiety (e.g. meeting new people, running late, spending more money than planned)?
Journaling Activities to Try for Anxiety
Set a timer for 5 minutes and write down all of your current worries. When the timer goes off, make note of how you feel. Do you feel lighter, the same, etc.? This aims to help you get the worries out of your head to make space for more helpful thoughts.
Practicing gratitude can be a great way to shift your thinking from anxious thoughts into the present moment. Make a list of up to 6 things you are grateful for today.
Choose one thought that you’ve been worrying about or ruminating on (thought keeps coming back into your mind, seems to be circling with no resolution) this week. Write down that thought or worry. Then answer the following questions: what is the evidence that this thought/worry is true, what is the evidence that it is not true?
Give your anxiety a name (e.g. Jittery Jordan, Nervous Nancy, etc.). This will bring some humor to it and also help you see your anxiety as just a part of who you are and not your entire being. Then write a letter to this anxious part of you by addressing it by its new name. You might tell it something like you’re thankful that it has been here to protect you at times and that you hope that you can work together to manage the anxiety better.
Draw what your anxiety looks and or feels like. Imagine the most calm version of yourself. Now, draw what that person looks and feels like.
Self-Talk Prompts for Anxiety
How do you talk to yourself when you’re not feeling anxious? How do you talk to yourself when you’re feeling anxious? Are you judgy, kind, mean, negative? Reflect on how you feel about your current self-talk.
When you’re in a heightened state of anxiety, what are 10 different phrases that you can say to yourself or do to self-soothe? Example: What can you control about this situation and what is out of your control?
It is not uncommon for people who experience anxiety to also struggle with a harsh inner critic. List four ways that you’re hard on yourself. How can you offer yourself a bit more support?
Write down two positive affirmations that would speak to you when you’re feeling anxious. Then make sure to have them easily accessible in another spot where you’ll be able to read them the next time you are anxious (e.g. on a Post-It note on your bathroom mirror, in the notes app on your phone, etc.).
What new, positive messages, beliefs, and stories do you want to believe about yourself? Write an affirming statement that aligns with one of those new, positive beliefs.
Final Notes
Writing in a journal can be a really helpful coping technique to help manage anxiety.
Sometimes starting with a blank page can feel overwhelming and you may not know where to start, and that’s where journal prompts come in.
Journal prompts can help take out the guessing of where to begin, give you a specific area to focus on, and spark insights into topics you might now have thought to dig into otherwise.
The 20 insightful anxiety journal prompts in this blog are aimed to help you get to know and understand your anxiety, try different journaling activities, and explore your self-talk.
Bookmark this page to share with your friends, and you can come back to respond to these prompts as many times as you’d like as you continue on your journey of better understanding and managing anxiety.
Support for New Mental Health Professionals: New Helpers Haven group
Feelings of anxiety and imposter syndrome are not uncommon for new professionals in the mental health field. If this sounds like you, my virtual New Helpers Haven group is here to support you. Reach out today to join the Fall 2024 session, available for mental health interns, training licensees, and newly licensed professionals in Wisconsin, Florida, Utah, and Vermont.
Read more: The Joys of Journaling
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