Coping with Anxiety: 31 Mindful Journaling Prompts for May and a free PDF
I have suffered from anxiety for many years and when I need to find ways to cope I use journaling prompts to help me get through the day.
Skip to Download the Printable Prompts & Affirmations
Journaling is a great way to help you cope with anxiety and it’s a good way to get your thoughts and feelings out into the open and see them in black and white.
Journaling can help you cope with your anxiety in a variety of ways, such as by helping you release pent-up emotions, providing you with a sense of clarity, and helping you understand what triggers your anxious feelings.
It can also help provide insight into what might be causing your feelings of anxiety in the first place and help you come up with solutions to better handle it.
There is no right or wrong way to journal and it can be done a lot of different ways. For example, you could write down everything that's on your mind, you could make a list of what you're grateful for each day, or you can use a prompt to spark your thoughts.
You could also focus on something specific like how you feel during social interactions or when going out in public.
There are so many benefits to journaling, but there are also some things that you should keep in mind before starting this process:
Be aware of any triggers that might cause anxiety
Be aware of how you might feel after writing
Write honestly
Try not to censor yourself
Most importantly, allow yourself to be vulnerable- no matter what the outcome is
Here are a few basic journaling prompts that can help you cope with anxiety:
What are you feeling?
What is the worst that could happen?
What would you say to your best friend if they were feeling this way?
What is the best thing about this situation?
Take a minute to look through this month’s journaling prompts. Don’t skip over the ones that will bring out all the feelings. Those are the ones that will help you the most.
Choose ONE prompt each day and dedicate 5-10 minutes to writing your answer. If your time runs longer because you have a lot to write, it’s okay. Keep writing!
Be as creative as you like here…the sky’s the limit!
COPING WITH ANXIETY Journaling Prompts - MAY 2022
What do you want to do this month? Write your goals for the month, and think about what you need to do to accomplish them.
List three small steps you can take toward your goals.
What does anxiety feel like to me?
Where in my body do I experience anxiety the most?
Are there specific triggers that make me feel anxious or overwhelmed?
What do I feel most anxious about right now? how long have I been worried about this?
How do my worries affect my daily life?
Are my worries realistic?
How can I put 3 worries to rest?
What kind of thought went through my mind this week?
Write about a time you were anxious and it went away. What did you do to get it to go away?
What practices have helped me in the past when I feel anxiety setting in?
What can I do to support myself when I know I’m entering a situation in which I might feel anxious, overwhelmed, or stressed?
What advice would you give to someone struggling with anxiety?
Mid-Month Review: We’ve been focusing on your annual goals, but how are your goals for this month coming along? What can you accomplish in the remainder of the month?
What 3 activities make you the most anxious?
How can you reduce your exposure to these activities?
If these activities are necessary, how can you change your mindset?
What negative thoughts do you most often experience?
Why do you think you have those negative thoughts?
Can you turn any of those negative thoughts into positive thoughts?
What self-care practices can I do for myself to nourish my whole self? How can I take care of my mind, body, and spirit?
Where do you feel the safest? What about this environment makes you feel safe?
Who makes you feel the safest? What about this person (or people) makes you feel safe?
Describe what it feels like to feel safe, supported, and protected.
How can you carry these feelings of being safe, supported, and protected into my everyday life?
What has my anxiety taught me about the world?
What has my anxiety taught me about myself?
Look ahead to next month: What events do you need to prepare for? What are you looking forward to?
Monthly Review: What good things happened this month? What were your favorite moments this month?
Monthly Review: How did this month go? Which goals did you complete? What do you still need to work on?
BONUS PROMPT: Write a letter to someone who contributes to your anxiety. Tell them how they mak you feel and why they make you feel that way. Safely burn the letter and try to let go of your negative emotions.
affirmations FOR ANXIETY
I am in charge of my breathing
I am currently reducing my anxiety
I am calm. I am relaxed. I am okay.
I am brave. I am strong. I am safe.
I choose positive and nurturing thoughts
I cultivate inner calm
I am right where I need to be
I am not in danger; I am just uncomfortable; this too will pass
I believe in myself
I am confident
DOWNLOAD THE PRINTABLE PROMPTS AND AFFIRMATIONS
ENTER YOUR EMAIL BELOW TO DOWNLOAD YOUR PRINTABLE
The new daily journaling prompts for May come out on the last Monday of the month. Look for them on May 30th.
JOURNALING SUPPLIES I RECOMMEND
Even though you only need a pen and paper, here are some of my favorite journaling supplies if you want to check them out:
I like to use a few different notebooks for journaling but my favorite is this Leuchtturm1917 Softcover. I prefer the squared pages but you can also get the dot grid, lined, or blank formats.
If you would rather use a spiral binding, these notebooks are the best! I love that they come in a three-pack so I always have an extra one on hand. These are also squared format but I think they are available in line and dot grid too.
To be honest, my go-to pen is a simple, classic black Bic but when I want something a little fancier I use either use these Muji Gel Pens or these Micron Sakura Pigma.
Get creative with your journaling and add some Washi Tape, Stickers, or if you’re artistic you can draw your own doodles.
Sometimes I like to add photos to my journaling and over the years I’ve tried a bunch of different printers. I started out using this Fujifilm Instax Mini but it wasn’t very practical to carry around all the time. Since the quality was so much better when I use my phone for pictures I decided to splurge on the Canon Ivy Mini Printer. It connects directly to my phone through the app and easily prints on 2x3 sticker photo paper that I can add right to my journal page instantly.
I hope today’s post inspires you to pick up your journal and start writing! Here are a few Everyday Journaling Prompts to get you started.
I’m so happy you stopped by today! Thanks, ❤️
BEFORE YOU GO:
Here are a few more journaling posts you might like:
Printing Tips:
THE ULTIMATE LIST OF PRODUCTS, APPS, TOOLS, AND RESOURCES I USE ON A DAILY BASIS
See my Link Party Directory for a current list of blog parties I attend each week.
All printables are created and designed by Maria, the Krafty Planner Girl
FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY – Please Read Freebies Terms of Use.
(This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.)
- Share this post -
Did you like this post? Do you know someone else who might enjoy it? Please take a minute to share it on Pinterest, Facebook, or your favorite social media… Thank you!
shop
