Weekly Journaling

           Our stories matter. Our experiences can shape the future, if we take time to record the things that actually helped make us who we are. The things that we thought about, cared about, and worked to achieve. We can leave a legacy through the records we make, and this can help our posterity or family at future points.

           I have always struggled with journal writing, as I have often viewed it as a record of mundane tasks that I did that day. However, I am coming to learn that it is more about capturing the story or spirit of ourselves and trying to put that down for others to experience.

           It is interesting to reflect on life and the things we have experienced. Our memory doesn’t recall everything at once, so it can be helpful to have some prompts from which we can choose to write. If we take the time to write a story or experience a week, after one year alone we will have a decent book about our life.

           The following are some ideas of things to write about:

1.     Describe yourself as if you were writing a letter of introduction to someone you had never met.

2.     Describe how your parents would describe you to someone else.

3.     Describe what your name means or why your parents chose it for you.

4.     Describe your work you do each day, and describe how it affects you and why you do that work. (It’s a job, I enjoy it, it pays the bills, I really wish I had something else, it causes too much stress, etc.)

5.     Describe experiences that lead you on the path to your career or the work you do (or did).

6.     Describe times when the Spirit directed you in a way that helped to shape your career.

7.     Tell about a person who is a hero to you, or about someone you look up to. Describe their qualities and how they have impacted you.

8.     Describe a person you viewed as a spiritual giant when you were a child.

9.     Tell about your favorite childhood friend and the things you would do together.

10. Tell about some of your earliest spiritual memories and the things associated with them.

11. Record a conversation you had with a child during the week.

12. Tell about a time you were in an accident.

13. Tell about when you received a Priesthood blessing that you still remember a part of, or a time when you were healed through a Priesthood blessing.

14. Write about your favorite holiday memory. Add in details about the things still alive in your memory.

15. Write about what holiday helps you feel the Spirit the most and why.

16. Describe something you wish you could do and why.

17. Tell about a topic you have a hard time understanding. If the topic is one that comes up frequently, talk about how you deal with it when it comes up.

18. Describe your strengths and your weaknesses.

19. Describe some of the spiritual gifts or talents you’ve been given.

20. Tell about what you think your life’s mission may include.

21. Tell about a time you prayed sincerely for something, and what answer you received.

22. Record a favorite scripture and explain why it is a favorite.

23. Describe some of your family traditions during your childhood.

24. Describe how you learned the Gospel and some of the important teachers or examples along the way.

25. Write about things you fear. Describe how often you have to deal with each thing.

26. Write about a time you conquered or faced a fear and how it went.

27. Write down a goal and a time frame to accomplish it in.

28. Tell about if you had to live in a different country, where the ideal place for you to live would be.

29. Describe your ideal job and the factors that would make it ideal.

30. Write your impressions of world events and other important happenings.

31. Think of a book you’ve read, and explain why it has made a difference in your life.

32. Describe your earliest memory.

33. Share your testimony in an honest way. Write down what you know is true, what you believe is true, what you hope is true, what you struggle with, and how you deal with things you don’t know.

34. Describe one of your busiest days from start to finish, giving details of everything you did and why.

35. Tell what makes you happy and why.

36. Tell how you deal with loneliness, sadness, or discouragement.

37. Describe the characteristics of your family members.

38. Write down experiences that made you smile as a child.

39. Record your opinions and thoughts on the proper role of government.

40. Take a guess as to what things will be like 10, 20 or 30 years from now based on your take on current events and where they are leading us.

41. Tell about some of the hot topic current events in society, or ones that you are concerned about.

42. Share your memories from the prophets who were alive during your life.

43. Describe your Covid experience and how things were for you.

44. Write down your ideal meal, the foods you love, and the foods you don’t like.

45. Describe what faith means to you, and how you use faith in your life.

46. Describe your relationship with God and things you think you could do to improve it.

47. Tell what you thought your life would be like when you were a child, and the differences now from what you expected or hoped for.

48. Record what you think could help the country improve.

49. Write down and describe a time when you had to do something that required pushing through fear, anxiety, or other internal blocks to complete the task.

50. Tell who your favorite religious leader is and why he/she is your favorite.

51. Share your thoughts and feelings on the Book of Mormon and its impact in your life.

52. Record a dream you have had that has stuck with you.

53. Write about your worst haircut or hairdo ever.

54. Record your most embarrassing moment, or a collection of the top embarrassing moments.

55. Write about the hard times that have shaped your life, for good or bad. Include things that helped you through them, or things you could use if you are currently in them.

56. Make a list of popular grocery stores, and tell which ones you like and why, and which ones you refuse to shop at and why.

57. Describe places or companies that you feel are too dishonest or unethical to do any type of business with or patronize in anyway.

58. Share about a time you lost something or had something stolen and the efforts you went through to try and get it back.

59. Tell about a time you didn’t follow the crowd, or about a time you did and wished you hadn’t.

60. What do you suppose your first day of life was like?

61. What are your most vivid or your favorite memories of your father?

62. What are your most vivid or favorite memories of your mother?

63. Where did you grow up and what memories do you have from that area?

64. Which is the first birthday you remember? How did your family celebrate birthdays?

65. What were your favorite childhood games? With whom did play them?

66. What grandparents did you know growing up? What memories do you have of them?

67. What was your extended family like on your Mother’s side? What are some of your memories with them?

68. What was your extended family like on your Father’s side? What are some of your memories with them?

69. What were your first few years of school like? Who was your favorite teacher and why?

70. Where did you attend elementary, and what memories do you have from there?

71. Where did you attend Junior High, and what memories do you have from there?

72. Where did you attend High School, and what memories do you have from there?

73. Where did you attend College, and what memories do you have from there? 

74. Do you have any friends from school that you kept in touch with for awhile, or are still in touch with?

75. Was there a time you hurt someone that you really loved?

76. Who was the first person you fell in love with?

77. What was a significant spiritual experience from your life?

78. If you served a mission, where did you serve? What did you learn while on your mission?

79. What miracles have you personally witnessed in your life?

80. If you are a parent, describe what it was like to become a parent and the memories from that time.

81. Describe what qualities you have that you see in your children.

82. What did you want to be when you grew up? How did that influence you in getting to where you are now?

83. What is a significant trial that you experienced?

84. What is some wise counsel that you received, and who gave it to you?

85. What friend from High School had the biggest impact on you?

86. Name all of the places you have lived, and share a memory or two from each. 

87. Which home do you consider to be your “Home, Sweet Home?”

88. What pets did you have as a child? What were their names?

89. When did pets cause a problem for you?

90. What pet were you most sad to lose?

91. Did you ever have any mice or rat issues in any of your homes?

92. Did you ever feel the presence of an Angel or Spirit in your home or your life?

93. Which ancestor do you feel you are most like?

94. Has God ever made a promise to you? How has that promise played out in your life? 

95. If you are a grandparent, describe some of your favorite experiences.

96. Describe qualities of your grandchildren that you see reflect pieces of you.

97. Describe what you have learned from your Patriarchal Blessing?

98. What are some of the places I have been able to travel to and see?

99. What were some of my favorite quotes or sayings?

100. What is something you wish you could change in your life?

101.  What were some significant historical events that occurred in your lifetime?

102. Compare your public and private side. What did people not know about you?

103. What does your testimony of the Gospel consist of?

104. Pick some long-term goals you can work towards and list them, along with things you will need to do to accomplish them (attend school, learn to wake up earlier, etc.).

105. Describe what it means to be a “[Insert your last name]”. Every family has an identity of some sort, something that makes them unique from other families, and you can write about that identity. If you can’t think of something, start with thinking of things you would never do that other families do. If, for example, you would never ride a roller coaster, then begin with recording “‘[Last name]’s’ don’t go to amusement parks.” You can write about how your family uses their time and things they generally don’t do.

106. Share about something in your past that you regret.

107. Write about something you would love to see made into a movie and why.

108. Tell about your favorite winter activity. Describe some of the times you can remember doing that activity.

109. Describe one of the worst weather situations you experienced.

110.  Tell about the place where you would feel God’s Spirit the most.

111.  Record your favorite vacations or vacation spots. Tell about some of your memories from those, and describe things that make them your favorite.

112.  Share about whether you are a city or country person, and the ideal place for you to live based on that and other factors, such as weather, distance from other family, etc.

113.  Describe what makes you you. Interests you have, things you don’t like, things you do like, ways you contribute to others, etc.

114.  Write down something you wish your family or posterity could understand and internalize.