As we step up to 2025, there’s no better time to crack open that blank notebook you got for Christmas and start putting it to good use. The person who gave you that journal would be delighted to know you’re writing in it about your aspirations and setting meaningful goals for the year ahead. Starting a blank notebook as 2025 approaches is a wonderful way to help you celebrate your accomplishments in 2024, clarify your dreams for the New Year, and stay focused on what matters the most over the next 12 months.

If you’re journaling to improve your mental health, boost your mood, or explore ways to make your dreams come true in 2025, the act of setting intentions through journaling is a powerful way to align your thoughts with your actions. Journaling allows you to break down big dreams into actionable steps, notice and reflect on obstacles, and celebrate small victories along the way. Visiting your journal regularly serves as a frequent reminder of your potential, helping you stay motivated and grounded.

Are you ready to try out some journaling prompts to help you set and achieve your 2025 goals?

Journaling Prompts for Welcoming an Abundant New Year in 2025

Reflect on Abundance in 2024: What moments of abundance did you experience in 2024? The best way to manifest your dreams in 2025 is to start from a mindset of prosperity and appreciation, rather than feelings of lack and disappointment. By focusing on all the blessings you experienced in 2024, you are already stepping into the New Year from a place of strength and gratitude—two key aspects of a meaningful manifestation practice.

Define Your Vision of Abundance: What does abundance feel like for you in 2025? Make it personal to you and what you really want. Abundance isn’t about looking around at what other people have and then co-opting their ideas about what a good life should be. Successfully manifesting the life of your dreams means getting clear on what you want. It’s important to focus on how you want to feel rather than what you want to have. If you set the intention that you want to feel more confident, the Universe can deliver that feeling in myriad ways (i.e.; a new wardrobe, a good performance appraisal, a healthy body, assertive communications skills). If you simply ask for money, the Universe only has one way to deliver that: either you get more money in 2025 or you don’t. And you may find that the money you asked for comes with its own baggage; such as the feeling that you need to constantly protect the money, that your relationships will change, that the money will get stolen or lost in a market crash. Feeling confident is timeless, however, feeling financialy rich depends on which way the economy goes. If 2024 taught us anything, it’s that the value of money can inflate or deflate in ways that we have absolutely no control over.

The Five Senses and Abundance: If all your dreams came true this year, what would your life look like on December 31, 2025? Who is with you? Where are you? What are you seeing, smelling, hearing, tasting, and feeling as 2025 comes to a close? Write with as much descriptive sensory detail as you can.

Abundance in Action: What specific actions can you take in January to welcome more abundance into your life? These don’t have to be big huge steps. Start with something simple. For example if you want to feel more mobile and flexible, what’s a safe and simple daily exercise you can or 30 days to build the habit of moving?

Let Go to Create Space: Before you can bring more abundance in your life, you need to find space to put it! What beliefs, habits, or relationships are you ready to let go of in order to make room for all the things you hope to experience in 2025?

Write a Thank You Letter to Yourself: Write a thank you letter from your future self at the end of 2025. Make a list of all the things–big and small–that contributed to your success this year. What actions did you take? How were other people involved in helping you reach your goals? Let your thank you letter to yourself be a detailed description of the steps you took to acheive the vision you set for 2025.

Abundance and Connection: Similar to the point above about creating space for the abundance in your life, what is your plan for letting go of some of your new found abundance in order to share it with others?

Aligning with Your Values: What values or intentions will guide your decisions and help you cultivate abundance this year? Sure, the Universe could drop a big bag of stolen money at your feet off the back of a truck and then you’d be “rich.” Technically, the Universe delivered you the money that you asked for. But what if that doesn’t align with your sense of right and wrong? If you value honesty, then turning the money in would be the right thing to do. That’s why it’s important to reflect on your values and how you want abundance to flow into your life so that it shows up in ways that align with how you see yourself.

What’s Your Word of the Year? Choose a single word that represents the abundance you want to welcome in 2025. Make sure the word describes a feeling and not just a thing. For example, instead of the Word of the Year being “Money,” why not choose the word “Freedom?” The feeling of freedom can show up in so many more creative and interesting ways than just plain old money. For example, what would it feel like to be given more creative freedom at work? How would you experience feelings of freedom if you went for more nature walks? What if you mustered the courage to ask for more paid vacation at work and it was approved? Would that bring you more feelings of freedom?

I’m using these journaling prompts to reflect, dream, and set intentions for an abundant and fulfilling New Year! I hope you find them helpful too in creating the best year possible for yourself and those you love and care about. Here’s to a year filled with deeper awareness of who we are, what we want, and how to make our dreams come true just by believing that anything is possible!

In today’s fast-paced world, finding a moment of calm can be challenging. Mindful doodling, is a form of line drawing that combines the simplicity of doodling with present-moment awareness. It is a great activity for journalers because it o ffers a creative and therapeutic way to achieve calmness and clarity. This creative practice, which involves drawing intricate patterns and designs in your journal, not only fosters relaxation but also enhances creativity and mental well-being.

What is Mindful Doodling?

Mindful Doodling, sometimes referred to as Zen Doodling, is a method of combining abstract shapes with structured patterns to create intricate, one-of-a-kind designs. It is believed that by focusing on drawing repetitive and deliberate lines and shapes on a blank piece of paper, doodlers can enter a relaxed state of mind. What makes Mindful Doodling so appealing to journalers is that it creates a feeling of having journaled, even when it feels like there is nothing to write about.  Instead of doing a free-write, journalers can set an intention in their mind or write it at the top of their blank journal page. Then they simply settle in and start drawing random lines and patterns and see where the doodling takes them. What is great about Mindful Doodling is that it’s quite a private way to draw what’s on your mind without having to worry about someone reading what you have written. Your lines may not look like words, but they are still a unique expression of what you were feeling at that moment. 

In addition to the satisfied feeling of having completed a page in your journal, there are some additional benefits to picking up a pen and doing some Mindful Doodling. 

Stress Reduction and Relaxation. One of the primary benefits of Mindful Doodling is that it can ease stress and encourage relaxation. The repetitive nature of doodling invites a state of mindfulness, similar to traditional meditation practices where you step fully into the present moment and focus on what’s in front of you. As your attention flows to drawing each line and shape, your mind is drawn away from from past and future worries, allowing you to experience a sense of inner peace. 

Deeper Concentration and Enhanced Focus. Mindful Doodling requires attention to detail and concentration. As you engage in this practice, you train your brain to focus on the present moment. This heightened state of awareness can enhance your ability to concentrate in other areas of life. Regularly practicing Mindful Doodling in your journal can improve important brain functions such as memory consolidation and retention, creative problem-solving, and effective decision-making skills.

Boosted Creativity. Engaging in Mindful Doodling can unleash your creative potential. The freedom to create unique patterns without the pressure of producing “perfect” art allows you to explore new ideas and concepts in your journal. The non-judgmental nature of Mindful Doodling encourages experimentation and innovation, leading to a richer creative process.

Emotional Release and Self-Expression. Art has long been used as a form of therapy, and Mindful Doodling is no exception. This practice provides a safe and non-verbal outlet for expressing emotions. The act of drawing can help you process and release feelings of anger, sadness, or anxiety. Taking some time to look at and reflect on your Mindful Doodling can also increase self-awareness, as you spot patterns and notice designs that give enigmatic life to your inner thoughts and feelings.

Accessibility, Affordability and Portability. Mindful Doodling is an accessible and cost-effective therapeutic art activity. All you need is a pen and paper, making it a self-care ritual that can be done anywhere and at any time. There is no need for expensive materials or previous artistic experience! And there is no wrong way to do your doodles. There is only “your way!” 

Here’s How to Get Started with Mindful Doodling

Gather Your Materials: All you need is a blank page in your journal sheet and a pen, marker, or coloured pencil. Gel pens and fineliners are great for doing Mindful Doodles because they make precise lines giving you a great range of shapes and patterns. 

Find a Quiet Space:Choose a peaceful environment where you can focus without distractions. Your journaling studio is a good place to work, but the beauty of Mindful Doodling is that you can do it almost anywhere (like on a park bench or in a cafe). 

Start with Basic Patterns: Begin by drawing simple shapes and patterns such as lines, dots, and circles. Gradually, combine these elements to create more complex designs.

Focus on the Process: Concentrate on the act of drawing rather than the final product. Allow your mind to relax and let your hand move freely.

Practice Regularly: Set aside time each day or week for Mindful Doodling in your journal. Consistency will help you experience the full benefits of this practice.

Mindful Doodling is an enjoyable way to meditate, ease stress, and boost creativity. This simple self-care journaling practice can improve mental well-being, enhance emotional health, and boost cognitive function. Whether you’re seeking a way to relax or looking to get in touch with your natural creative abilities, Mindful Doodling in your notebook clears a path to inner peace and artistic expression. So, open your journal, pick up a pen, marker or crayon, and let the calming practice of Mindful Doodling become one of your new favourite self-care journaling rituals.

Journaling Prompt: When you were a child, did you like to draw and doodle? Describe some of your favourite things to draw when you were a kid. How did drawing make you feel?

A research paper written by Karen A. Baikie and Kay Wilhelm, and published by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, asserts that engaging in expressive writing can result in overall long-term improvements in emotional and physical well-being. 

You can read more about the study here: Emotional and Physical Health Benefits of Expressive Writing.

Researchers also believe that writing on a regular basis makes you smarter! Dr. Judy Willis writes, “The practice of writing can enhance the brain’s intake, processing, retaining, and retrieving of information. Through writing, students can increase their comfort with and success in understanding complex material, unfamiliar concepts, and subject-specific vocabulary.” To learn more about how a daily writing practice can enhance a student’s academic performance, read The Brain-Based Benefits of Writing for Math and Science Learning.

So whether you crack open that pretty notebook and start writing expressively, or you use your journal to track your finances, manage your health, or map out your long-term goals, your daily writing practice can help organize your thoughts and, in turn, make you feel more emotionally and physically balanced!

Journaling Prompt: What are some ways that you can use a journal to keep track of your health and wellness goals?

Are you in the mood to do some journaling but you feel stuck and unsure of what to write about? You’re not alone. Sometimes your journaling inspiration seems to dry up and you just can’t decide on what to write about. Here are 20 different things to put in your journal when you know that writing in a notebook will make you feel good but you just can’t figure out how to get started. 

Daily Gratitude: Write about three things you are grateful for today and why they matter to you. If you aren’t sure how to identify what you are grateful for, start with three things that you would miss if they suddenly disappeared tomorrow. 

Personal Achievements: Reflect on a recent accomplishment and describe how it made you feel and what you learned from the experience.

Future Goals: Outline your short-term and long-term goals. What steps will you take to achieve them? Write as if everything on your step-by-step list is realistic and well within your capabilities.

Positive Affirmations: List five positive affirmations about yourself and explain why each one is meaningful to you. If thinking about a positive affirmation for yourself is hard, imagine what you would want your dearest friend to hear. They say that same thing to yourself. Treat yourself as though you are your own best friend!

Dreams and Aspirations: Write about your biggest dreams. What do they look like, and how would achieving them change your life? Add as much vivid detail as you can to your dream life description. The more detail you can include, the easier it will be to manifest those things in your life. 

Favourite Quotes: Choose a quote that inspires you and explain why it resonates with you. How can you apply its message to your life?

Lessons Learned: Reflect on a recent challenge you faced and what you learned from it. How has it shaped you?

Self-Care Routine: Describe your ideal self-care routine. How do these activities make you feel?  What is one new thing you can add to your self-care routine to reduce stress?

Mindfulness Reflection: Write about a time when you felt completely present and mindful. What were you doing, and what did you notice? What would it take to bring about those feelings of presence more often in your life?

Travel Memories: Reflect on a memorable trip you’ve taken. What made it special, and what did you learn from the experience?

Relationship Insights: Write about an important relationship in your life. What makes it valuable, and how do you nurture it?

Favourite Hobbies: Describe your favourite hobby and why you enjoy it. How does it contribute to your well-being? What can you do to make more space in your life for this hobby?

Daily Highlights: Record the best part of your day. Why was it significant to you?

Nature Observations: Write about your favourite place in nature. How does spending time there make you feel? Add as much sensory detail to your journal entry as you can.

Creative Ideas: Brainstorm ideas for a creative project you’ve been thinking about. What excites you about it? What would be the next three steps you would need to take to launch this new creative idea?

Health and Fitness Goals: Outline your health and fitness goals. What motivates you to stay healthy and active?

Gratitude for Challenges: Reflect on a difficult time in your life and write about what you are grateful for because of it. How did it help you grow?

Random Thoughts: Free-write about anything that comes to mind for 10 minutes. Don’t censor yourself—just let your thoughts flow.

Books and Movies: Write a review of a book or movie you recently enjoyed. What did you like about it, and what did you take away from it?

Mind Maps: Create a mind map of your current thoughts and ideas. How do they connect, and what new insights can you gain from them?

Journaling Prompt: Where do you turn to for inspiration on what to write in your journal? If you were to teach someone your favourite journaling technique, how would you do that?

You don’t have to limit yourself to writing traditional diary entries in your decorative notebooks and fancy journals. Sometimes writing simple lists in a beautifully embossed book can elevate the ordinary to the extraordinary.

• List of self-care gifts and instant mood boosters that you can buy for yourself for under $10.
• Beautiful words or strings of words you stumbled upon
• Favorite quotes
• Fun date night ideas
• Creative boredom busters
• Restaurant reviews
• Things that you’re grateful for
• Tips on how to save money
• Helpful household hints and tips
• Random acts of kindness to-do list
• Compliments you received that made you feel good about yourself
• Charitable contributions you have made and/or would like to make this year
• Cute and adorable things your child does. Instead of posting your kids’ antics online, where it can put your child’s and your family’s privacy and safety at risk, create a keepsake notebook of all the sweet, funny things your children do. Imagine how much fun you’ll have sharing those stories with your grown-up child and his or her new fiancee!
• Room-by-room home inventory list. What I like about this journaling idea is that as you go through your home filling out your list of treasured possessions, you’ll be reminded of how much you have to be grateful for already!
• Foods you love but always forget to buy at the grocery store because you’re too focused on healthy eating or shopping for meal ingredients
• Words, greetings, and phrases in foreign languages
• List of treasures that you want your relatives to have after you’ve passed on. If you get this notebook notarized, you can probably add it to your will and estate plan.
• List of minor home repairs that can be done in one weekend

Keep in mind that just because your pretty notebook may be filled with lined paper, there’s no reason you can’t fill it up with colorful drawings, paintings, and mixed media collages! The possibilities are endless when you can let go and just start using your new notebook!

Journaling Prompt: Have you ever given someone a pretty journal as a gift? How would you feel if they thought the notebook was too pretty to use? What would you say to them to encourage them to use the journal with worrying about it being too nice to use?

Do you have a collection of tiny journals you’d like to use but just don’t know what to put in them? Do you hang onto these little books—even though you have no idea how to use them—just because they’re so cute and compact?

If that sounds like you, you’re not alone. I have a habit of collecting little blank books and I’ve amassed a not-so-tiny collection of them. But alas, these adorable little journals often end up in an adorable (not) little pile (of clutter) on my desk. So, like some of the other articles I’ve written on journaling, I’ve decided to do one on creative uses for miniature notebooks and tiny journals.

Collect autographs in a tiny notebook

I remember having an autograph book when I was a kid—I got it for my 8th birthday and it had Snoopy on the front. I didn’t get many autographs though because I used to think autograph books were just for celebrity encounters. Now I know that autographs can come from anyone, especially the people you like, love or admire, even if they aren’t famous. According to Wikipedia autograph books are ‘for collecting the autographs of others. Traditionally they were exchanged among friends, colleagues, and classmates to fill with poems, drawings, personal messages, small pieces of verse, and other mementos.’

Write notes to put in your Worry Jar

A Worry Jar, also sometimes called a God Jar, is a place to hold your worries and fears. You can use a pretty vase, a glass jar with or without a lid, or some other type of container that suits your style and personality. When a worrying thought enters your mind, write it down on a piece of paper in your tiny notebook, tear it out and fold it up. Then at the next chance you get, put the little piece of paper in your the God Jar. When that worry crosses your mind, remind yourself that “It’s in the God Jar. God is handling it.” You don’t have to be religious to use a God Jar, but if you aren’t a particularly spiritual person, this may not your thing. If you want to learn more about the origins of The God Jar, read “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron (Chapter 12).

Do some playful doodles in your mini journal

Sometimes when I am on a phone call and I’m stuck on hold, I start to doodle mindlessly all over whatever is in front of me. If I am at my desk, it’s my desktop calendar. If I am in the living room, I usually end up doodling on whatever magazine or scrap of paper is in front of me. But then, inevitably the magazine gets recycled or the calendar page gets ripped off and then my little doodles are lost. But doodling in a tiny sketchbook would solve that problem, wouldn’t

Describe your day in one word

Using my own day as an example, here’s how this type of journal works: Today, I wrote this article, cleaned the house, baked some pretzel bites, visited a friend, called my doctor, and started my passport renewal. I’d call this day Productive. What I like about one word journals is that you can say so much with so little. You really have no excuse for not trying this journaling process out in your wee little notepad.

Record your favourite memory of the day in 15 words or less

At the end of each day, try to describe a funny event or poignant moment from earlier in the day that you want to remember. For people who don’t think they have time to write in a journal at the end of the day, perhaps micro-journaling is a good way to go. We already have micro-blogging (Twitter) and micro-condos. So why not micro-journaling?

What are you waiting for? You’ve got little to lose and plenty to gain by using your miniature diary!

Writing in a tiny journal can encourage you to be more succinct, more focused, more present. Whatever you choose to put in your tiny journal, make sure that each entry fits on one page. If your thoughts start to overflow onto page after after, then you might as well be writing in a regular-sized journal.

Journaling Prompt: What small things are you grateful for in your life? Use one single page of your mini notebook to describe one thing you are grateful for in as much sensory detail as you can fill on the page. For instance, if you are grateful for fresh coffee every morning, how do your senses deepen your appreciation for that little moment of joy?

At Sarah’s Journaling Studio, we believe that journaling is more than just putting pen to paper. It’s a gateway to unlocking your inner artist, unleashing your creativity, and cultivating a deeper understanding of yourself. Journaling is a profound act of self-care. Picking up a pen, confiding in yourself, and trusting your inner wisdom buids a loving relationship with one of the most important people in your world: you!

Embrace the art of journaling. Whether you’re looking to explore different journaling techniques, experiment with mixed media, or simply learn the art of mindful reflection, our online studio has something to offer. Join our vibrant community of journalers and embark on a transformative journey of self-expression and personal growth.

Discover a new passion. From freewriting exercises to vision board workshops, our diverse offerings cater to all levels of journalers. Unlock your creative potential, explore new artistic mediums, and find the joy in the art of journaling. Step into the world of Sarah’s Journaling Studio and let your ink-filled pages tell your story.

Journal Prompt: Write about a current self-care practice that you use to reduce stress. How would writing in a journal more often support you in deepening this self-care activity? 

In our fast-paced world, finding a moment of peace and reflection can be challenging. However, one simple yet powerful tool has stood the test of time for fostering personal growth, enhancing creativity, and promoting mental wellness: journaling. Whether you’re new to the practice or looking to deepen your engagement, filling blank notebooks with daily writing can profoundly impact your life.

The Basics of a Journaling Practice

Journaling-keeping involves regularly writing down your thoughts, feelings, and experiences. This practice can be as structured or as freeform as you like. The key is consistency—dedicating time each day to reflect on your inner world. A blank notebook becomes a canvas for your mind, where you can explore ideas, track progress, and release pent-up emotions.

Enhancing Creativity

One of the most celebrated benefits of journaling is its ability to spark creativity. When you write daily, you give your brain the freedom to explore new ideas without judgement. This process can lead to unexpected insights and innovative solutions to problems. By jotting down random thoughts, sketches, or story ideas, your blank notebook can become a breeding ground for creativity. Over time, you might discover patterns or recurring themes that can inspire larger projects or artistic endeavours.

Promoting Wellness and Mental Health

Journaling is not just about creativity; it’s also a powerful tool for enhancing wellness and mental health. Daily writing allows you to process emotions, which can reduce stress and anxiety. By articulating your thoughts, you gain clarity and perspective on issues that may be troubling you. This can lead to better problem-solving skills and a greater sense of control over your life.

Moreover, journaling can serve as a form of self-care. It offers a private space where you can be honest with yourself, free from external judgments. This practice can boost your self-esteem and help you develop a more positive self-image. Studies have shown that regular journaling can improve mood, increase resilience, and even enhance immune function.

Getting Started with Your Journaling Practice