I am a huge fan of journaling. I have seen it be an incredibly useful tool in both my own practice and with my students. I think these periods of reflection that journaling offers can help us investigate experience in a completely unique way. I’ve included a link to more prompts at the end, a brief explanation of comapssion, and a bit about how you might use them.

What Is Self-Compassion?

Before jumping into these self-compassion journal prompts, it’s helpful to understand the concept of compassion. Compassion means showing up and caring for a difficult experience. This is contrary to the normal reaction to difficulty. We often habitually push the pain away or try to avert from it. It’s a protective instinct, but one that doesn’t allow us to see and heal the pain.

By it’s very nature, compassion means we touch the suffering. When it comes to self-compassion, this means tending to our wounds, hurts, and pains with care and presence. This isn’t something we can always do easily. It takes practice and training. I find self-compassion meditation (some guided practices toward the bottom) to be helpful in this training.

The goal of self-compassion isn’t to free ourselves from all pain. It’s to show up for the pain with a tender, caring heart. Think of a pet or child. When they are hurting, how do you respond? We should work toward responding with this same tenderness to our own suffering.

Self-Compassion Prompts

Self-Compassion Prompts for Difficult Emotions

What is difficult about this emotion? What does it actually feel like?
What does this emotion need from me right now?
What does self-compassion look like with this experience?
What judgements or resistance arise in response to this emotion?
What would it feel like to be gentle with this emotion?
What does it feel like to make space for this emotion and allow it to be here?

Self-Compassion Prompts After Making a Mistake

What would I say to a friend who made this mistake?
What would a friend say to me about this?
What story am I telling about this mistake?
Can I recognize I made a mistake without attacking myself?
How can I make amends or repair if necessary?
What feelings arise and need attention related to this mistake?

Self-Compassion Prompts for Self-Criticism

How am I speaking to myself right now?
How would I speak to a loved one in this moment?
How does this critical voice feel to hear?
What is the criticism trying to protect me from?
What would a more compassionate voice sound like?

Cultivating Self-Compassion Prompts

What is a kind response in this moment?
What do I need more of in this moment?
What do I need less of?
What does self-compassion mean to me?
When do I find it difficult to be kind to myself?
What would happen if I stopped criticizing myself in this way?
When have I felt compassion for myself?
When have I felt compassion for another?
When have I experienced compassion from another?

How to Use These Prompts

How you journal is up to you. It’s a personal process. Looking at all of the questions and prompts can be overwhelming. I recommend picking just one to answer at a time.

Here’s how I recommend getting started with journaling:

Pick one prompt to start, maybe whichever calls to you. You also might go with whatever one makes you most uncomfortable!
Set a timer for just a few minutes (2-3 is good).
During that time, write. Write honestly, and don’t try to produce the “right” answer at all. Be honest!
Pick a new question and repeat.

You can go back over your answers and reflect if you wish. Sometimes the benefit comes from simply writing and processing information in this way. We also can benefit from reading it back to see what it sparks in us.

Self-Compassion Meditations

I’m a meditation teacher, so I have to recommend meditation. Below are a few guided meditations you can use from various playlists of ours to begin investigating self-compassion.

More Mindfulness Journal Prompts

We also have some mindfulness journal prompts available here. As I mentioned, I’m a big fan of journaling! I think this practice of writing and investigating can help us process information in a different way. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

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