Activities and Ideas

Feeling inspired? Find out more about recovery-promoting activities.

Journaling for Recovery

Journaling is a great way to reflect and process your emotions. We developed these journaling prompts to correspond with our 9 Evidence-Based Tips. Did you check out one of our tips? Now, consider journaling as a way to reflect on what you learned from your experiences.

Journal writing gives us insights into who we are, who we were, and who we can become.” – Sandra Marinella, The Story You Need to Tell: Writing to Heal from Trauma, Illness, or Loss

Check out one of our evidence-based tips and journal about it!

Journaling prompts for exercise and physical movement

Can I recall a time when movement felt good? What was I doing, and how was my body engaged?
What are two of my body’s greatest strengths or abilities?
Are the weeks that I exercise different from the weeks that I don’t? How?
If I could exercise only once per week, would I do it or think it wasn’t worth it? Why, why not?
In 10 years, how do I want my body to look, feel and move as I do my daily activities? Do I think that is possible?
How does exercise affect my mental outlook?

Journaling prompts for self-learning

If I had to narrow my biggest trigger down to one word, what would it be and why?
Where do I need to be emotionally for long-term recovery from substance use?
What do I need to take personal responsibility for in my recovery that I haven’t before?
Where do I feel most at peace, and what can I do to bring that sense of peace into my daily life?
What is the most motivational thing I have heard or experienced that will help me in my recovery?
Where do I see myself in 5 years?
What would it take to be proud of myself?

Journaling prompts to practice gratitude

What’s something that you’re looking forward to?
What’s a simple pleasure that you are grateful for?
What’s something that you are grateful to have today that you didn’t have a year ago?
What’s an accomplishment you’re proud of?
Open your phone or photo album and find a photo that you like. Why are you grateful for this photo? What are you grateful for in the photo?
What’s one of your personality traits that you’re grateful for?
What mistake or failure are you grateful for?
What skill(s) do you have that you’re grateful for?

Journaling prompts to reflect on connecting with nature

What is your favorite season? Why?
If you were a part of nature, what element would you be? Why?
When you go outside, which of your senses are you most thankful to have?
If you could experience any new part of nature, which one would you choose? Why?
What is your favorite place outside to explore?
What is your favorite time of day to be outside? What do you like about it?
Write about your favorite thing that lives outside. It can be a flower, an animal, a vegetable, etc.

Journaling prompts to promote mindfulness

Write about a thought that made you smile today.
Write about something that challenged you today.
Write about an urge that you resisted today.
Write about something that made you feel productive today.
Write about something that made you feel loved today.
Write about an experience that made you feel brave today.
Write about something that you learned today.
Write about three beautiful things that you saw today.

Journaling prompts to reflect on volunteering

Describe how you supported your community through volunteering.
Talk about what group or organization you volunteered with. Why did you choose to spend your time supporting this cause? What personal connections led you to make this decision?
How did you feel when you volunteered? What feelings came up for you?
Did you learn anything new when you volunteered?
What surprised you?
What felt comfortable for you? What felt uncomfortable?
What experiences impact how you view volunteering?

Journaling prompts for building social connectedness and community

Describe the qualities of a good friendship. Then look back over your description and notice any self-imposed rules or beliefs about friendship (those “shoulds” and “have-tos”). Question each statement you’ve written about “good” friendship — is that statement 100% true? Write about how it feels to question these statements.
With whom do you choose to spend your time? How does spending time with them make you feel?
How often do you get together in person with your close friends? What do you do together? How do these activities build and nurture your relationships?
Make a list of your interests and hobbies. Then explore what’s available in your community — local groups you could join that share these interests, volunteering, etc.
What are the best qualities of the friends you have? Write a paragraph for each person reflecting on these qualities.

Journaling prompts to promote good sleep

This might keep me up at night unless I write it down...
Before I fall asleep, I want to send love to...
Write about the most peaceful place you’ve ever visited or heard about.
If I still feel like I need help working through this tomorrow, I’ll ask the following people or Google this question...
Aside from my thoughts, here are some other things that may be keeping me up at night. What would it be like if I eliminated them from my life for thirty days?
Where do I want to visit in my dreams tonight?
This is what I would tell my best friend if they were struggling or having trouble falling asleep and called me right now…
I promise to revisit this in the morning, but tonight I’ll leave this thought or idea on paper...
What am I looking forward to about tomorrow? Later this week? Later this month?

Journaling prompts to promote financial wellbeing

Prompts to help you understand how money affects you emotionally:

I feel the richest in my life when…
When I think about money I feel…

Prompts to help you take one small step in a different direction with your finances:

In 10 years time I want to be able to afford…
I will calculate how much money I make per day and decide a reasonable amount I can save from that total

Prompts for the person who is learning what they value:

Of all of my belongings, I take most care of…
If money did not exist, I would spend my days…

Prompts for the person who hopes to renew their relationship with money:

I would like to feel _________ about money
The dominant emotions that come to the surface when I think about money are…