Writing in a journal is probably the best way to preserve a record of your life for family and posterity, so it’s no wonder a new FamilySearch blog post is calling for people to put pen to paper for record-keeping reasons.
But the post also points out that there are some benefits of journaling that are just for you. For example, did you know that journaling can help you sleep better and boost your immune system?
Journaling can also improve emotional well-being if you’re willing to dive into tougher topics. Even though this can feel intimidating, the post says, “Don’t shy away from difficult memories. . . . Working through those emotions can help you accept them and move on.”
If you need a little inspiration to get started, the FamilySearch post gives lots of writing prompts in several categories. Here are some of our favorites.
Quick and Easy Prompts
- What are you excited about in the next week?
- Name a place you hope to visit one day. What would you like to do there?
Prompts to Capture Your Early Memories
- Who was your best friend as a child? What did you do together? Are you still in touch today?
- What do you remember about your hometown? Do you still live there? If not, have you ever visited?
Prompts to Capture Your Family
- Describe your parents. What did they look like? What did you do together? How do you feel about them?
- Describe challenges you’ve faced with your family. How did your family navigate those challenges?
Personal Prompts
- When do you feel the happiest? The saddest?
- What is something you would like to learn to do? What’s holding you back?
For the full list of journal prompts, see the original post on the FamilySearch blog.
