Reflecting on Your Life With a Journal

If you are using your journal to gain more clarity and want to use it for reflection, the 
following questions will help you do just that.


Dig Deep – Where have you been holding back?

To start with, think about where in your life you might be holding back. What don’t you 
write about? What crosses your mind, that your instantly try to get out of your head? In 
what way are you keeping things to yourself, hiding your feelings, or not being 
completely transparent either with other people in your life, or with what you choose to 
write about in your journal.


What brings you the most joy?

Reflect on the good things in your life. Those people or things or moments that bring a 
smile to your face and let you feel the intense happiness and joy that makes you excited 
and so grateful to have your life. Think of those times when you feel so much joy that 
you feel like your heart is going to burst – what usually causes these emotions?


What brings you the most pain?

On the other side of it, you can also reflect on what is causing you pain in your life. This 
can be any kind of pain, including physical or emotional pain. Maybe you remember 
times when you pushed yourself too hard at the gym, and it caused some insane 
physical pain. Or you experienced a loss of a friend or family member or pet, and you 
want to explore that type of emotional pain. 


What can’t you live without?

Make a list of anything in your life you don’t think you could ever live without, then 
reflect on that. It can be people in your life, experiences or moments, something you 
want to explore, personal possessions you feel are sacred to you. What you feel like 
you could never live without really tells a lot about who you are and what your main 
priorities are in life.


Who has impacted your life the most?

Think about the people in your life who have changed it or impacted it the most. This 
can be a good or bad change. Who has come into your life or left your life, and left the 
biggest mark? 


What is one thing you would take back if you could?

Do you have any regrets? You don’t want to spend too much time thinking about 
moments you wish you could take back, but it is good when you are working on self-
reflection.






