New Year Journal Prompts

The end of a year is a natural moment to pause. Instead of a list of resolutions, try writing: first about the year that is ending, then about the one ahead. You will make better plans once you have looked back honestly.

Spread these over a few evenings around the New Year. Your answers make a great entry to read again next December.

Each prompt below has a Write about this link: it opens a new private entry with the prompt as its title, so you can start writing straight away.

Looking back on the year

• What are three moments from this year I want to remember? Write about this: What are three moments from this year I want to remember? →
• What was the hardest part of this year, and how did I get through it? Write about this: What was the hardest part of this year, and how did I get through it? →
• What surprised me most this year? Write about this: What surprised me most this year? →
• Who were the most important people in my year? Write about this: Who were the most important people in my year? →
• What did I learn this year that I want to keep? Write about this: What did I learn this year that I want to keep? →
• What am I proud of from this year? Write about this: What am I proud of from this year? →
• What did I let go of this year? Write about this: What did I let go of this year? →
• If this year were a book, what would this chapter be called? Write about this: If this year were a book, what would this chapter be called? →

Taking stock

• Which parts of my life feel in good shape right now? Write about this: Which parts of my life feel in good shape right now? →
• Which parts need more care next year? Write about this: Which parts need more care next year? →
• What habits served me well this year? Write about this: What habits served me well this year? →
• What drained me this year that I do not want to repeat? Write about this: What drained me this year that I do not want to repeat? →
• What did I say yes to that I should have said no to? Write about this: What did I say yes to that I should have said no to? →
• What did I keep putting off? Write about this: What did I keep putting off? →
• How did I change as a person this year? Write about this: How did I change as a person this year? →
• What am I most grateful for from this year? Write about this: What am I most grateful for from this year? →

Looking ahead

• How do I want to feel at the end of next year? Write about this: How do I want to feel at the end of next year? →
• What one word do I want to guide next year? Write about this: What one word do I want to guide next year? →
• What would make next year a great year, in a sentence? Write about this: What would make next year a great year, in a sentence? →
• What do I want to learn next year? Write about this: What do I want to learn next year? →
• Which relationships do I want to grow? Write about this: Which relationships do I want to grow? →
• What adventure, big or small, do I want to have? Write about this: What adventure, big or small, do I want to have? →
• What will I do more of, and what will I do less of? Write about this: What will I do more of, and what will I do less of? →
• What is one small change I can start on the first of January? Write about this: What is one small change I can start on the first of January? →

A letter to future me

• What do I hope future me has done by next December? Write about this: What do I hope future me has done by next December? →
• What do I want to remind future me about this moment? Write about this: What do I want to remind future me about this moment? →
• What worry do I have now that I hope future me has forgotten? Write about this: What worry do I have now that I hope future me has forgotten? →
• What advice would I give myself for the hard days next year? Write about this: What advice would I give myself for the hard days next year? →
• What do I want future me to keep doing, no matter what? Write about this: What do I want future me to keep doing, no matter what? →
• What question do I want to answer again next December? Write about this: What question do I want to answer again next December? →
• What would make future me proud, even if the year does not go to plan? Write about this: What would make future me proud, even if the year does not go to plan? →
• How do I want to celebrate next New Year? Write about this: How do I want to celebrate next New Year? →

What an answer can look like

Word for next year: lighter. Less saying yes to everything, more evenings with nothing planned. One change for January: phone stays in the kitchen after 10 pm. Future me, if you are reading this in December, did it stick?

That's it: a few honest lines. Nobody grades a diary.

Tips for using journal prompts

• One prompt is enough. Answering a single prompt well beats skimming five.
• Set a small limit. Five minutes or three sentences keeps it easy to start.
• Be specific. Names, places and details make entries worth rereading.
• Keep it private. You write more honestly when you know nobody else will read it. How Ediary keeps entries private.