Kris Carr

Kris Carr

Blog Post

Why I Journal and So Should You (+ 7 Creative Journal Prompts!)

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Hiya Gorgeous,

Journaling is a powerful tool at the center of my spiritual practice.

Like juicing, eating kale and loving animals, journaling makes me a healthier person. Today I want to share what my journaling practice does for me, because I think it can do a lot for you too.

You don’t have to be a professional writer to benefit from a regular journaling practice. You don’t have to believe you’re creative or talented either. Who cares about skill? I still misuse a semicolon.

All you need to do is show up and explore (and some good journal prompts can be super helpful, so I’m sharing some of my faves today—keep reading!). Trust me, if you do it enough, it will change the way you connect with yourself and others. And if you pay attention to the patterns in your writing, it will teach you a lot about your habits and beliefs, not to mention your goals. In fact, this one simple practice is the #1 way I’ve hit every major goal I have ever achieved. From being on The Oprah Winfrey Show, to becoming a New York Times bestselling author, to building an extraordinary marriage and supporting my own health as a cancer thriver.

Personally, I journal to connect with my soul.

I write what I need to say. I tell the truth and often let my inner guidance system take the wheel. But most of all, I write to get to know myself at the deepest level—to better understand what I want, how I want to feel, and what’s troubling (or exciting) me.

If I’m struggling with something, I turn to the page. When I’ve got an observation or a great memory I don’t want to lose, I spend a luxurious amount of time jotting it down and musing on my feelings about it. This definitely helps when I’m mining stories for a project (my brain doesn’t hold as much as it use to—thankfully my journals hold it all). But it also helps me feel more capable of working out my own issues and problems, of connecting with my wise higher self, rather than relying on too much external feedback and conflicting opinions.

I find it useful to ask myself questions and then scribble answers or walk around the room mumbling until I know what I want to say. Yes, I become that crazy lady (with awesome cats or in my case—dogs) who talks to herself and gestures.

Psst! Journaling has been a game changer for me when it comes to dealing with stress. So much so that I even created my own Results Journal to share the exact system I’ve used for years. I credit it with reaching all my biggest successes—building a thriving business, being one of Oprah’s SuperSoul 100 and growing the beautiful relationship I have with my husband, Brian. Want to dip your toe into the magic as well? Grab your copy below!

Here are a few of the journal prompts I turn to when I need inspiration.

Choose the journal prompts that speak to you and write them down in the front of your journal. Pick one to explore several mornings per week. I promise you’ll uncover some interesting shizzle.

  • How are you feeling?
  • What could make this day even better?
  • What does your body say about this idea or decision?
  • What are you grateful for?
  • What’s not working?
  • What lessons can you learn from this?
  • What’s your intention for the day?

Learn from your journaling but don’t censor or judge it.

You may not always like what you see, but guess what? You’re not supposed to present your perfect self in your personal pages. We often imagine someone looking over our shoulder, so we’re careful. We don’t write about sex or that weird kink we have about crumbs. We think that historians will be looking back on our lives crafting a special for PBS, so we’re “appropriate.” Forget the historians and be yourself! Doing so will connect you to your authentic power and that’s when life gets really juicy. Doors open. Dreams come true. Love blossoms… and so on.

If it makes you feel safer, lock up your journals. Buy chains and razor wire. Do whatever it takes to be real. Because your writing (soul) craves truth. And sometimes the real you will go through some stinky ass shit. That’s normal! Life isn’t meant to exist in a narrow color spectrum of perpetual happiness. That’s a movie. It’s not reality. Experience all your vivid, fiery, watery emotions. Give yourself permission to be full bodied. You’re peeling. Revealing. It’s a messy, magnificent process. So don’t be narrow or mean. No judgy editors allowed!

Show up and write (use the journal prompts!). Then do that again and again. Got it? Fabulous!

Now it’s your turn. Go write something!

I love you!

Peace & pens,

Add a comment
  1. Leonie says:

    Just thank you 🙂 The reminder and butt-kickin’ motivation I needed to restart my journal habit.

    Thank you.
    Love
    Leonie

  2. Kylie Warry says:

    Thanks Kris, you are soooo right! I weirdly started journal writing a few weeks before I was diagnosed with cancer. I just felt the need to write. I’ve now kept a daily journal which made my blog come alive with ease once I was well enough to do it.

    You are an inspiration – wish you were closer would love to share a sexy green juice with you!
    Love your work xx

  3. Abe Stone says:

    Well put Kris,

    I think the biggest hurdle in my life and I’m sure others is the censoring you mention. We live out lives through filters and judgment. Writing is a way to get around that, so take advantage of that.

    Then there are those things we write that can help others if we let them out. That’s why I blog as well.

    x

  4. SANS SOUCI says:

    tHANKS KRIS….I NEED TO GET BACK TO WRITING. I SAID SOMETHING TO A DEAR FRIEND AND SHE WON’T ACCEPT APOLOGY…JEREMY HAD TOLD ME TO WRITE MY THOUGHTS…THANKS FOR REMINDING ME THAT I NEED TO DO IT. TO LESSEN THE HURT OF HER NO LONGER CARING….ALSO NEED TO WRITE ON THE ISSUES I COPE WITH EACH DAY AND HOPEFULLY CAN ACCEPT THEM BETTER THEN I DO. ALSO, AM ALONE ALOT SO WRITING WILL BE LIKE TALKING.
    HAVE A GREAT DAY SOUCI

  5. Oh, I love, love me some writing! Love journaling with color too… Wether it be colored pencils, colored pens, markers (even crayola), paint, watercolor…. Something! It’s real! It’s refreshing! Cranson’s blue spiral Mix media journal from Micheals/Dick blick is perfect for this. Oh cut, paste and glue stuff from your everyday life… a simple glue stick works great!

  6. Julie says:

    Thank you so much for this *hugs* I do blog but the thing is, in trying to write the ‘perfect’ or ‘right’ post, sometimes, nothing comes out at all. This leaves me frustrated and tense. Your tips are just so perfect! After reading this, I’m absolutely going to give myself permission to just write to myself, no filters! Thank you! x

    • Kris Carr says:

      Perfectionism only holds us back sweet Julie. Keep loosening those reigns. Our writing needs breathing room. It also needs triumph AND failure. Allow for it all. Just write. :)!!!! xo

  7. MARY says:

    I lost my mother this year, and I was encouraged to journal by a friend. I haven’t started, but as usual, Kris is there to nudge us along, and your timing is alway spot on, how do you do that??? I have a question. Do you have to physically write down the words, is the actual act of writing part of the experience, or can you type or use Siri to dictate as well? I spent the morning after my mom died, lingering at the Hospice facility, which I found very soothing, and dictated my thoughts and feelings into my iphone about how I felt during the last few days I spent with her there. I haven’t even read the notes yet, I’m not ready. But I’ll take time this week to print them out and start the healing process and make them the first page of my journal. Thanks Kris, for the push, you’re amazing!

  8. Margie says:

    You are SO amazingly gorgeous, natural, exuberant for life and infectious in that exuberance. Thanks Chris. Loads of love,
    Margie from N.Z. 🙂 xxx

  9. y says:

    You’re awesome! I needed to hear this. <3

  10. Nancy says:

    Love your writing prompts Kris. They are like taking the highway to your inner truths. A great starting point on a journey of yourself. Writing always gives me the clarity I need to make wise choices and be in touch with my authentic self. Thanks for your weekly words of wisdom. Reading your blog always leaves me feeling happy and hopeful.

  11. Victoria says:

    I have started to journal when a childhood memory pops up, from eating/smelling certain food, a word, phrase; what joy of the moment I have seen, such as stars twinkling in the night sky and how I feel living/reliving those. It’s awe-some. 🙂

  12. deb says:

    Thanks so much, honey! This is EXACTLY what needed to hear today! xoxo

  13. Matt Jager says:

    I love the brash authenticity here Kris. “Life isn’t meant to exist in a narrow color spectrum of perpetual happiness. That’s a movie. It’s not reality.” It’s so true. And it seems harder to remember that we all have deep struggles as we become more digital. Writing is such a difficult thing for me, but I know it’s valuable so I’ve been making it happen recently. I have always written songs and poetry to get me through the difficult times, and now I’m working on writing when I’m happy as well! Thanks for using your writings to inspire!

  14. Kari says:

    Hi Kris! As always, your insight is both boldly big-picture and full of beautiful little gems. What would we do without you?! Love and gratitude. -Kari

  15. Bonnielove Evoy says:

    You are magnificent Kris! Just this morning I realized I needed to journal,… its been a while. I have been in a slump but didn’t want to face it. So I wrote about the paradox of gratitude. Being so focussed on being grateful for the wonderful life I have and nature and security blah, blah……that I was in denial about some of my poopy-bum-shitty-ass-smelly feelings of loneliness, overwhelm, confusion, stuckness and lethargy. So I wrote and wrote, and it felt good. LaterI see this lovely, blog of yours re-affirming that it is ok not to always be Bonnie Sunshine farting sparkles and rainbows. I am grateful for You, beautiful You Kris!!!!

  16. Jacqueline says:

    A great scab was just ripped off a 14-yr-old wound–and I am wracked with sobs. I have been trying to get back to the lifeline of journaling for the past month that I used to rely faithfully on, but have just been sputtering. Your post with your lovely understanding and inspiring energy just broke through my cover.

    When my ex-husband and I separated in 2001, he stole all of my journals (I had kept them since I was 12 thinking I would want to remember what it was like when I had kids of my own, and later, to cope with incest and abuse recovery as guided by my counselor and recovery programs and workbooks.) I used them to vent frustrations with motherhood and marriage, as well as to tap into the wisdom of my dreams, my inner guidance, and spiritual explorations.

    Our first day in court I discovered he had photocopied about 1500 pages worth, analyzed them with his mother’s help, and highlighted and categorized them into sections, and had his lawyer submit them to court without my knowledge. He tried to use my work to take away my children, humiliate me, and break my spirit, all so outside of court he could try to coerce me into staying in the marriage because “he really loved me.”

    I thought I had healed from this violation that cut so deeply many years ago, but apparently more needed to be released. I am grateful it has now been revealed so I can again trust this beloved process of self-knowing.

    • Kris Carr says:

      Jacqueline, cry as much as you need to (rage too) no one should ever experience what you went through. I’m so glad this helped you and I hope you can feel safe enough to write again, remember what I said, it’s OK to lock them up and protect them. Do whatever you need to do to get your writing going again. You are loved–by me. xo kc

    • L says:

      Jacqueline, I am so terribly sad to read what happened to you. I write often, and I know it is soooo personal and private. I hope you can learn to trust again. In the meantime, Julia Cameron’s book ‘Artist’s Way’ suggests shredding the pages after writing each morning. It’s kind of freeing, actually, to not need them anymore —like you’ve released something for good. Just a thought… xo

  17. Anne says:

    Hey Kris! What an amazing post. I’ve been writing for over fifteen years. It’s a nostalgic feeling reading through through my thought processes and my feelings from my late 20’s to now my early 40’s. Lots of things have changed in my life but who I am hasn’t. I can see that in my writing. I’m forever thankful that I started doing this all those years ago.

  18. Hannah says:

    I JUST set up a blog for the first time (minutes ago.) I feel so excited and the first article I saw in my newly set-up feed was this. Thank you for inspiring me and making me think “this is right.” Xxx

  19. cara says:

    I just read your article on writing it gave me a little hope I have struggled with depression most of my life and writing was a special place for me but I abandoned it but now I’m reconsidering it as it can help me with my depression . Kris you are an inspiration to me I do believe what you have to say because you’ve been in very dark places I think if you can make it thru what you been thru I can make it thru my dark places. You are such blessing to all of us, thank you!

  20. Daphne van der Goot says:

    Hi Kris!

    I think I really needed this post! Started writing when I was 13, but recently I didn’t feel like doing it anymore.. But now all my experiences and thoughts seem to just get stuck in my head. I’m having a lot of problems sleeping and writing might just be the solution to that. Seems to be cathartic anyway, so why not give it a go 🙂 Thanks, great timing 😀

    Love from the Netherlands!

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