Journal Prompts: Depression
This is a list of journal prompts to assist with episode 44: Advice for Depression: How to Move through Seasons of Depression with Self-Care, Self-Awareness, & Self-Compassion.
Journal Prompts:
How are you feeling today? List 3 emotions you are feeling right now. One way to begin to connect with yourself is to begin identifying how you feel throughout the day. Many people are disconnected from themselves and are not actually aware of all the feelings they have throughout the day.
How does depression feel in your body? Does it feel heavy? Tight? Anxiety inducing? Do you feel a sensation in a specific spot in your body? Stomach? Back? Heart? Allow yourself to journal about the feelings and sensations that arise in your body when you think about depression.
When did you first feel depressed? Allow yourself to explore when you first identified the feelings of depression. This could be reflecting on your current depressive season or even the first time you ever felt depressed (sometimes in your teen years or even younger).
What helps with your depression? I know it can be hard to get yourself to do the things that help, but take time to reflect on all the things that help you with your depression.
Write at the top of your paper, “Dear Depression - What message do you have for me today? Is there a lesson in this season I am currently working through?” Allow yourself to free-write a response back to yourself from your depression. Explore if your depression wants to communicate anything with you.
Visualize your future self. What do they look like? How do they appear? How do they hold themselves? How do they feel?
After visualizing your future self, write a letter to your current self from your future self. What does your future self want you to know about the current season you are in?
What makes you amazing? Allow yourself to humble brag. If this is difficult for you, I challenge to you to find 3 things that are great about you to write down. If this is still challenging, text a friend or call a family member and ask them what are 3 of your greatest qualities. Sometimes when we’re depressed it can help to remember our inherent gifts.
What do you wish someone would tell you in this moment? Free write about this and then read this back to yourself. Honor that you have the power to tell yourself what you need to hear right now.
Pick one question, write it in your journal and just let your pen flow. You may go completely off topic when you start journaling and that’s okay! Trust that whatever comes up when you start writing is what you are meant to journal about. When you are done writing, take a few moments to reread what you wrote and see if you learned anything new about yourself.
Journaling is a practice. Be kind and patient with yourself.
Sending you all my love <3
