May is a month of transition. The last cool mornings giving way to long, warm evenings, gardens coming alive, and the year's momentum finally hitting its stride. It's the perfect time to pick up a pen and check in with yourself. Whether you're a seasoned journaler or someone cracking open a fresh notebook for the first time, these 31 prompts will give you a place to start each day.
No rules here! Write for two minutes or twenty. Scribble, sketch, or type it into your phone at a red light (okay, maybe not that). The only goal is to show up on the page.
May 1 — What does a fresh start look like for you right now? Describe it in detail.
May 2 — Write about a sound you heard today that you usually ignore.
May 3 — What is one thing you're carrying that you'd like to set down?
May 4 — Describe your ideal Saturday morning, start to finish.
May 5 — Who made you laugh recently? What happened?
May 6 — Write a letter to yourself at age 16. What would you want that person to know?
May 7 — What's a small habit that has quietly changed your life?
May 8 — Look out the nearest window. Describe exactly what you see.
May 9 — What are you avoiding right now, and why?
May 10 — Write about a meal that holds a special memory for you.
May 11 — What does "home" mean to you beyond a physical place?
May 12 — Think about your mother, or a maternal figure in your life. What did they teach you without saying a word?
May 13 — If your current mood were a weather forecast, what would it say?
May 14 — What's a boundary you've set recently that you're proud of?
May 15 — You're halfway through the month. How do you feel compared to May 1?
May 16 — Write about a book, song, or movie that found you at exactly the right time.
May 17 — What does your body need from you today?
May 18 — Describe a place in nature that makes you feel like yourself.
May 19 — What's a question you wish someone would ask you?
May 20 — Write about something you believed as a child that you've since let go of.
May 21 — What are three things within arm's reach right now? What do they say about your life at this moment?
May 22 — When was the last time you felt truly close to God? Relive that moment on the page.
May 23 — What kind of rest do you actually need — and is it the kind you've been getting?
May 24 — Write about someone you've lost touch with. What would you say if you could?
May 25 — What's a fear that used to control you but doesn't anymore?
May 26 — Write about what the sacrifice of Christ means to you.
May 27 — If you could bottle one feeling and keep it forever, which would it be?
May 28 — What's something you keep saying yes to that deserves a no?
May 29 — Describe the version of yourself you're becoming.
May 30 — What surprised you this month?
May 31 — Write a thank-you note to the Lord for the month of May.
Happy writing!
