So I was randomly searching the internet for things like the average temperature of Alaska and how many werewolves does it take to call it a pack, when I stumbled across something called The Five Minute Journal. It’s one of those ideas so obvious that it bums me out that someone else thought of it first. This is exactly the sort of thing which people love to do in the New Year. We like to reflect upon what has come before. We like to record out thoughts, in the moment, so that we can see how far we’ve come and how far we have yet to go… but this takes it a step further… it prompts you for the answers.
What are you grateful for?
What could you have done better?
And I thought, that’s nice and all… and more power to you if you have one (and the discipline to keep it up throughout the year).
But…
I think that not everyone is so happy and upbeat about things. And the bad thing about those prompts is they expect you to actually have a measure of self-improvement over the long haul. So I wanted to help those who might not fit into that box. Give them a few prompts to help them record their daily thoughts.
Journal Prompts for the Apathetic
Quote: “The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything.” – Albert Einstein
Why do I bother?
What would make today less of a grind than the previous day?
Daily Depressions: I am…
3 Horrible things that happened today.
How could things have gone worse?
Journal Prompts for Nightmares
Quote: “Sleep. Those little slices of Death. How I loathe them.” – Edgar Allan Poe
What unnamed HORROR visited me last night?
What device/pill/supplement can I take to stay awake throughout the day?
Daily Fear: I am…
3 Things to try and dream about.
What will I actually dream about?
Pleasant dreams of babies and puppies and kittens… Not these kind with babies eating puppies and kittens…
Journal Prompts for Winning Your Marriage
Quote: “Winning means you’re willing to go longer, work harder, and give more than anyone else.” – Vince Limbardi
3 Things you’ve already seen your spouse do wrong today.
How will I prove I’m the best today?
Daily bit of awesome…
3 Things I corrected my spouse on today.
What other ways was I right today?
Journal Prompts for Procrastinators
I’ll write something tomorrow…
***
John McGuire is the author of the supernatural thriller The Dark That Follows, the steampunk comic The Gilded Age, and the novella There’s Something About Mac through the Amazon Kindle Worlds program.
His second novel, Hollow Empire, is now complete. The first episode is now FREE!
He also has a short story in the Beyond the Gate anthology, which is free on most platforms!
And has two shorts in the Machina Obscurum – A Collection of Small Shadows anthology! Check it out!
He can also be found at www.johnrmcguire.com.
