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Journaling has a soothing impact that can help individuals gather their thoughts. You always feel better after journaling, but similar to working out, the most challenging part can be getting started. Recovery journaling is very important to the healing process, so the next time you feel stuck and don’t know what to write, turn to these 20 recovery journal prompts.
1. Reflect on the progress you’ve made so far.
Whether your recovery journey has been a few weeks or a year, it’s important to take the time to acknowledge the progress you’ve made. Describe all the effort you’ve put into your recovery journey so far and give yourself the credit you deserve.
2. Identify 10 things you’ve learned about yourself in your recovery journey so far.
There’s no doubt your recovery has shown you you’re a lot stronger than you ever realized you could be. Now, take the time to identify what else you’re learned about yourself during the recovery process. Aim to identify at least 10 things.
3. What do you feel about your recovery today?
Recovery is a process, and your feelings towards recovery can likely shift all the time. Reflect on how you’re feeling about your recovery today, in this moment.
4. What scares you the most in recovery?
When you allow fear to go unaddressed, it can grab hold of your life. Challenge your fear straight on and ask yourself what scares you about your recovery journey.
5. Explain what recovery means to you.
Recovery looks and feels different for everyone — and that’s okay. Try to identify and dissect exactly what recovery means to you.
6. Write a letter to your future self.
You know your recovery is a process that will get a little easier every day. Write a letter to your future self — whether that’s one year, five years or 10 years from now — and tell them how much you’re looking forward to getting there.
7. Write a goodbye letter to something in your life you want to lose during the recovery process.
Addiction recovery journal prompts should acknowledge both the good and bad parts of recovery. One of those good parts is letting go of harmful aspects of your life.
8. I couldn’t imagine living without …
You can take the time to list all the things in your life you couldn’t imagine being without and are grateful for. This can include people, things, your job or whatever else comes to mind. This recovery journal prompt will likely put you in a high-spirited mood.
9. After recovery, what’s one skill you’d like to learn?
A big part of recovery journaling is looking toward the future. People struggling with addiction often only live in the moment. Start learning to look forward to what’s in store for you next and making plans for your future.
10. If my body could talk, it would say….
Addiction is exhausting for both the body and the mind. It’s important to remember how strong your body is, how much it’s been through and how it will continue to be healthy.
11. Write a letter to your addiction.
If you could talk to your addiction, what would you say? Think about this and get all your thoughts out. It can feel very calming to get these feelings off your chest.
12. If you weren’t in recovery, what would life be like today?
Recovery can be challenging and requires constant effort. That’s why it’s so important to look back and see how far you’ve come. Take a moment to think about what kind of day you’d be having if you weren’t in recovery.
13. When you meet new people, what do you want them to know about you?
Your recovery is a lifelong journey, but your addiction doesn’t have to define you. Ask yourself how much you want to share with new people or how long you have to know a person before deciding to open up about what you’ve been through. This can help you better prepare for this situation when it arises in the future.
14. Which relationships matter the most to you, and what can you do to prioritize them?
It’s very likely your recovery journaling has helped you identify the things — and people — in your life that matter most. Take a minute to think about those people, what they’ve done for you and what you can do for them.
15. Describe your happiest moment.
Many recovery journal ideas can be heavy, so sometimes it’s nice to include prompts that are light and happy. Take a break and write about your happiest moment in life and why it made you feel that way.
16. Reflect on the last mistake you made and what you learned from it.
Nobody’s perfect, and we all make mistakes. However, it’s essential to take the time to try to learn from our mistakes so we don’t repeat them again.
17. Write about why you think you were an addict.
Having struggled with addiction doesn’t define you. Still, take the time to think about what led you down that path so you can confront what made you seek substances to escape reality. This is a heavy prompt, so make sure you’re ready before you write about this.
18. What are my short-term goals?
It’s important to have short-term goals so we can see the immediate benefits of our efforts. So much of recovery is about the long term, so remember to address the short-term wins too.
19. What are my long-term goals?
Our long-term goals help us keep an eye on the bigger picture. It helps make all the small efforts and challenges of today more manageable when you think about what you’re working towards.
20. What makes me smile?
Take the time to write down everything that makes you smile. We have a feeling that by the time you’re done writing the list, there’ll be a huge grin on your face!
Recovery journaling is one of the many steps to a successful recovery. Journaling has many mental health benefits, including reducing stress, depression and anxiety. For addiction and recovery, this process helps individuals recognize and celebrate their progress, look forward to their future, find an outlet to express complicated feelings and maintain personal accountability. Journaling isn’t a science and can look different for everyone. Find the right time of the day when it works best for you to journal and incorporate the practice into your daily routine. You may find big triggers or revelations that come out of your journaling — discuss these feelings with your therapist.
Remember, there’s no right or wrong way to journal. And everyone needs a little help once in a while, so it’s good to have these recovery journaling prompts in your back pocket!
FHE Health
If you need an addiction recovery program, FHE Health can help. We offer a variety of programs that assist individuals in getting the help they need in their recovery journey. Contact us today by calling (833) 596-3502. Our compassionate team of counselors is ready to help you.
