The journey of Grief is such a hard one to travel, we can often feel alone and confused. These Grief Journal prompts can help you make some sense of how you are feeling and allow you a space to talk freely about your loved one.
What is a Journal Prompt?
A journal prompt is described as anything that inspires and motivates you to write a journal entry.
Its not about writing for hours each day, but to write about your day, a snapshot, a small insight in to what made up your day. The good, the bad and the ugly.
Journal writing and Blogging
Over the last few months I have combined my love of journal writing and blogging. I created a months worth of Journal prompts for July.
The idea behind this was to encourage people to make a little time for themselves each day which we know is really difficult at times but is so vital to our well-being.
Following some wonderful feedback I decided to create one for parents to do with their Children and I know we have had a lot of fun completing this as a family.
It seemed only right to combine my love of journal writing and one of the topics I write about most frequently… Grief.
Writing through Grief
Grieving is hard, it can feel relentless and nonsensical. A seemingly good day can quickly descend in to a bad one for no reason at all. Or at least that’s how it can feel.
What if I told you that by writing about your feelings each day you could begin to see your triggers, or you’d be able to process the emotions you’re feeling or that you’d even be able to smile or laugh over a memory?
That is exactly what writing has offered me. A chance to analyse my feelings, recognise the days that are bad and what lead them to be but to also remember my Mum and all the reasons I loved her.
I began writing in a journal within days of losing my Mum, I can’t tell you what made me pick up a pen and write, what I can tell you is how much it helped me.
I’d talk to her about how I was feeling, about what had happened on the day she passed, how it felt without her, how Dad was doing and all the day to day things, the things I’d of called her to speak about, the conversations we would have had.
I’d not realised just how much I needed an outlet at that time or just how valuable it would be. For me, it was stepping stone to my blog writing and the beginning stages of recovery.
Grief Journal prompts
- Today I am missing…
- I am feeling …
- The hardest part of the day is …
- My favourite memory…
- A smell that reminds me of you …
- 10 words that describe you …
- What I wish I could tell you …
- How losing you changed me …
- When I think about you, I …
- Our favourite thing to do together …
- Your last words to me …
- Today I feel …
- If you were here now …
- If today was a good day, Why?
- What stage of grief do you feel you’re at?
- When I need you most I can call on …
- What helps me remember you …
- If you could see me now …
- Every time I see _________ I think of you
- I choose to remember you by …
- How you left us…
- Write your loved one’s story …
- Things I’ve learnt about myself since you passed away …
- What I find the most difficult to cope with …
- Are you able to freely talk about your loved one…
- I find it difficult to _________ since you’ve been gone
- A quote that makes me think of you …
- The signs I see that make me think of you …
- The kind things people say …
- Life without you is …
Take your time
Some days will be harder than others to complete the prompts, but there is no rule that says you have to do them in any order, you could binge them like I do at times or swap days around.
Your answers don’t even need to make sense to anyone other than you, this is about your journey and is personal to you. You could even answer the same questions on repeat each month and I am almost sure your responses would change.
I will be posting daily prompts on my facebook page which you can follow here Our Favourite Jar Facebook or on Instagram here Our Favourite Jar Instagram
I hope these prompts help you, I know they will help me.
Do your journal? Have you experienced grief and feel that this could help you? Feel free to respond to any prompt in the comments below.
I absolutely love this! I’ve lost a few friends and family members, and I must say it’s very hard. There was an amazing woman who I wish I could’ve known more that passed away while I was in Italy last year. She was battling so much including herself. I miss her deeply. It was so hard to grieve when I was so busy. I found myself crying in the middle of the dance floor during the New Years Eve party. I wish I could’ve had this. Thank you for writing this. Anytime I find myself grieving, I will pick up a pen and paper and use these prompts!!
Thank you so much Noah. Losing any one dear to us is so so hard. We have to make time for ourselves to process this x
How come grief is one of your most frequent journaling topics?
I have done different topics for my Journal prompts, this is the first month I have done grief prompts. I talk about grief a lot on my blog because I have found it has helped me a lot since I lost my Mum last year
That’s a really good exercise. Grief can make it difficult to think about anything else so allowing yourself to write about it kills two birds with one stone.
It is so helpful x
This is a lovely idea. Great for someone like me who doesn’t like publicly airing particular emotions. With this exercise, I can get the emotions out, but keep them private.
i think writing about grief dies help us overcome it a bit and ease it up – i think its a actually a great prompt for anyone who has lost a loved one or even a beloved pet x – kind regards Pati Robins- stylesqueeze blog
I can imagine how helpful this is. Also it gives you something for the future to look back on and remember.
Grief is such a hard thing to deal with and I love this could really help. What a good idea!
I am sorry to hear about the loss of your mum, that must be so hard for you. My son died 13 years ago now and my journey of grief is ongoing. This sounds like a really helpful tool.
Oh Laura, I am so sorry x
This is a really helpful guide, I love how it prompts you to open up about your grief through your writing and get it out in the open where you can begin to heal
I wish I had the knack to a journal, often I start and give up long before day 3
I lost my mum just 4 weeks ago and it still feels unreal. So this post comes at a great time for me. I’ll write these down in a diary and answer the relevant ones when I need them. Thanks so much x
I am so sorry for your loss Cath. It is so unbelievably hard. If you ever need to chat, give me a shout. Sending love to you x
This would be really useful for my niece, she lost her father when she was 6 and often struggles to know how to talk about her emotions. I think she would really benefit from these prompts to help her, thank you
I really hope it is of some use to her x
This is something I keep thinking I should do. I need to get my thoughts out my head
This sounds like such a therapeutic thing to do. I must admit I sometimes try and write things down when I have been feeling overwhelmed and it really helps.
It really does help, once it is written down it removes it from your mind, even temporarily x
I can imagine journalling can be so therapeutic when dealing with grief. I struggle to vocalise how I feel sometimes so I wish I’d journalled when I had my miscarriage.
I am so sorry for your loss x
I used to find journalling very therapeutic before i started blogging – great idea for prompts
Thank you x
The prompts are v powerful. Beautiful way to get your thoughts and feelings down
Thank you x
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and idea. What an inspiring and healing post.
Thank you for reading x
[…] I can’t wait to answer these prompts and I hope you join me. I will be sharing the responses like I did with The Journey of Grief – Journal prompts on Instagram and Facebook. […]
Some great promts. I’ve not really experienced grief just yet in my life, but I keep a journal for my mental health since reading your journal posts. Great tips. Thank you.
I’m so sorry to hear about the passing of your mum. I can only imagine how difficult this must be. I lost my grandad towards the end of 2019, right before Christmas. It’s something I’m still coming to terms with. These journal prompts sounds like a great way of writing down those feelings and trying to let them go.
I lost my husband and ive tried to journal but my mind wont stay in one place. I cant seem to do anything that i enjoyed before he passed. The journal prompts help. Thank you