Writing isn’t just a great skill to have for school or work. The practice of mindful writing, using writing prompts, can be personally powerful – they can help you to consider things you might not ever think about on your own. Writing is an effective process for personal growth because it forces you to slow your thinking and organize your thoughts. You can’t write nearly as quickly as you can think!

There are numerous writing prompts that can help you to discover more about yourself and possibly open up new ideas and possibilities. Here are a few to get you started:

How do you think others view you? Imagine being an observer and watching yourself go through your typical day. What would you think about yourself if you were the average person? What changes do you think you should make based on this observation?

• There can be a big difference between how you observe yourself through your own eyes compared to how the world views you.
• Getting “outside of yourself”, even just for a moment, may help you notice habits that you weren’t aware of.
• Some of these habits are positive ones that you should continue, but others may not be as favourable and could be holding you back.

If you had lots of money and free time, what would your life look like? What would you do? What would you stop doing?

• Everyone wants more time and money, but what would you do if your wish came true?
• Think about places you would travel to, charities or causes you would support, physical items you fancy, or hobbies and interests that you’d love to pursue more.
• When doing this exercise, it’s helpful to ask the question “why” for each one. You may notice a theme or pattern develop from doing this.

What negative experiences from your childhood are still influencing or impacting you today? What impact is this having on your life? Why haven’t you let go of these experiences?

• Although they can be very hard to look at, our childhood traumas and negative experiences can provide clues on the choices we make as adults.
• If it’s too difficult to go into your past on your own, enlist the guidance and support of a counselor to help you navigate through it.

Describe the five habits you could develop that would have the greatest positive impact on your life. What would you accomplish by having these habits? Why haven’t you been able to develop these habits yet?

• Start with writing a list of the good habits you possess – we all have some! This is a good way to honour yourself.
• Next, think about some of the habits you know need some work. These could be things you know from your own experience, or perhaps they could be habits mentioned to you by others (as awful as that can feel sometimes!)
• Good habits can make a world of difference in your personal and professional life.

In our next blog post, we’ll cover more great self-discovery writing prompts in Part 2!

Want to improve your writing skills for employment or college entrance? Contact us to find out how we can help you!