Could you use a break from being acceptable? These daily July journal prompts invite you to get refreshingly honest.
In the words of the great Madeline L’Engle: “If you want to write, you need to keep an honest, unpublishable journal that nobody reads, nobody but you.”
If we haven’t met, I’m Megan. I’m a trained facilitator, respectful writing coach, and award-winning author. I journal daily-ish. It’s not magic, but I think this reflective practice helps me in writing and in life. If you’d like to try a new direction in your journaling this month, here’s my Megged-up list of July journal prompts.
I suggest giving yourself at least ten minutes or one full page per prompt, but go as long as you like!
July Journal Prompts
Click here for a printable .pdf file of all 31 July journal prompts.
1. Counting only what I’ve done in the last 24 hours… what good might come from my actions?
2. What used to seem important but matters less now?
3. What do I mean when I say “maybe?”
4. What makes a decision easier?
5. What purpose does pain serve in my life?
6. When does ambition get in my way, and when does it bring out my strength?
7. What do I wish for my loved ones?
8. What word might be wonderful to never hear again?
9. What spoken and unspoken expectations do I have for myself today?
10. To free more time and space: what can I pull back from?
11. Where do I want to put more of my attention?
12. What’s my relationship to who I was a year ago?
13. If every day were like today, where would I be in a year?
14. What part(s) of my body do I trust?
15. Which folks contribute to what’s good in my life?
16. What animal (any species) deserves more fanfare and cultural appreciation? (PS. I think it’s fruit bats.)
(psst… if you want mood music to help you focus, here’s my personal journaling playlist:
ok, back to the prompts…)
17. What is my heart set on today?
18. When is it important to be sure, and when it is useful to guess?
19. Why would I want (or not want) to go to outer space?
20. Can I list every goal I’m actively pursuing right now? (Even slightly or a little bit pursuing counts.)
21. What’s my relationship to mentorship?
22. What catastrophes or mistakes am I successfully avoiding right now?
23. Do I trust any cravings?
24. What (if anything) is good to think about, but not to say?
25. When have I slept well in my life? How can I sleep better?
26. What’s non-negotiable for me today?
27. Where can I be more flexible in my life?
28. Who do I think is doing a great job?
30. What can I win in the next hour? How will I get that victory?
31. Who would I be without language?
Those are my July journal prompts. Thanks for giving them a look.
Journaling is its own reward, but if you stumble across an idea that you want to share… I hope you’ll chase that impulse! Could you turn that spark into an essay, a talk, a poem, a story, a book? Does someone need to hear that truth today?
If you want to make an impact with your words, I’m available to give you f*ckin’ friendly, majorly honest sliding-scale creative writing coaching. Get your ideas into the world.
xo, megan
Or just go home to the blog.
These (hopefully) really quite helpful creative writing tips offer what I’ve learned as an award-winning author who writes a million words a year, and what I’ve learned about supporting others as a private writing coach.
There’s no one way to write. There’s only your way. I hope some of my tactics and ideas can help you find it.
Yup, I’m a writing coach.
I work with folks at all levels of experience and all levels of income. My writers range from unhoused teens living on the streets to C-suite executives who want to up-level their communication. If you want a private coaching session but can’t afford it, email megan@howtowritesomething.com and ask for scholarship info.
curious/confused?: what does a writing coach do (and not do)
THANK YOU to this month’s generously supportive patrons who are helping me build a digital library of free writing resources to support writers with different access needs! Three cheers for A.J., Dan, Jason, Jennifer, Jessica, Josh, Katherine, Kathleen, Marianna, Nell, Sarah, and some anonymous folks who’ve asked not to be named. Come on in, the Patreon’s fine.