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Journal prompts. They’re always in high demand at this time of the year, regardless of whether you love or loathe them.
Now that the fireworks and fanfare of another year have come and gone, many people will be embarking on achieving the goals they set for 2024.
Embodied writing is like journaling but different.
I weave embodied writing with standard journaling or writing (it doesn’t matter what you call it). Embodied writing differs because we are not simply brain-dumping or documenting what’s at the top of our minds. We are consciously shifting our awareness from the mind to the physical body while feeling and processing whatever emotions arise.
We’re not judging anything that surfaces (or doesn’t surface). Curiosity and exploration are at the heart of this practice.
Before we begin writing, we cultivate what we call a resource—a container of safety, stability, and support (or the opposite of overwhelm if these words don’t resonate with you)—in case we are triggered, which is always possible while writing.
Grab a piece of paper or your journal or a mobile device, read the questions below, and use whichever prompts you feel most drawn to.
Twenty-four journal prompts to kick-start 2024:
1. How does the idea of a new year feel in your physical body?
2. As you contemplate the year ahead, do you notice any physical sensations in the body arising?
3. What surfaces for you physically when you think of letting go of 2023?
4. What is your body’s reaction when you contemplate making your resolution for the year to be yourself?
5. If you make one promise to yourself in 2024, what will it be?
6. As you consider the challenges that may arise in the year ahead, do you notice any sensations in your body?
7. What on your regular to-do list no longer serves you?
8. Where do you typically feel tension in your body? What will you do when you notice these sensations arising in 2024?
9. If you could have or achieve anything in 2024, what would it be and why?
10. What habits, beliefs, or situations are you ready to release to make space for new opportunities?
11. What does self-trust feel like in your body?
12. What does self-betrayal feel like in your body?
13. Beyond your name, job, and other responsibilities in life (mother, husband, son, sister, and so on), who are you? Imagine you’re describing yourself to someone you’ve never met but aim to go beyond your identity.
14. What values are you carrying into 2024, and how do they make you feel?
15. What do you need to make 2024 your best year yet? (Go with whatever “best year yet” looks like to you.)
16. Does gratitude have a role in your life? If so, expand on this.
17. What makes you feel safe? Where do you feel safety in your body? (Feel free to switch “safe” for the opposite of overwhelm if you can’t relate to the word.)
18. What do you notice in your body when you feel into being present?
19. Imagine your bare feet sinking into lush grass. What do you notice in your body? What can you see around you?
20. What story are you telling yourself that no longer serves you?
21. Where do boundaries fit in your life? What do you notice in your body when you focus on the word “boundaries”?
22. You deserve to be loved unconditionally. What feelings and sensations arise in your body as you read that line?
23. How connected to your body do you feel in this moment?
24. When writing your last journal entry on 31 December 2024, what do you hope to write, and how will this make you feel?
The magic is in the process
I can rave all year about what a fantastic and under-utilized tool writing is. I wrote this article back in 2021. However, it’s only through firsthand experience that you’ll be able to reap the benefits or figure out writing isn’t for you. (Writing won’t be for everyone, just like any other tool.)
I do not believe in fairy dust (sadly). Therefore, I won’t promise you that embodied writing or journaling will solve all of the world’s problems. However, from experience, establishing and maintaining a regular writing habit can have several positive impacts on our daily lives. Writing can complement healing, assist with stress and anxiety reduction, accelerate personal development, and more.
So, over to you. Grab a pen, paper, or mobile device and learn how writing may benefit you. I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
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