20 Inspiring Monthly Journal Prompts

Monthly Journal Prompts: How They Help.

By using monthly journal prompts when you go to do your weekly / monthly planning, you can improve your motivation, productivity and mindset. When you focus your reflections on specific areas, it helps keep your enthusiasm, ideas and focus on point.

The benefits of journaling are usually discussed in relation to personal growth, but it's my mission to show you that monthly planning doesn't have to just be all data and revenue.

Business growth and progress towards goals is more than these figures. It's also about you, your growth, understanding what feels right, processing any lessons and creating a plan that not only helps you progress towards your goals, but is also focused on how you feel and what you want to experience each day.

If you're a regular with journaling you'll know how freeing it is to get those thoughts onto paper / into your digital journal, and out of your head.

When you use monthly prompts, it will help you to focus your attention, set your intentions, and reflect and adapt with ease.

As with personal reflections, monthly prompts can help you improve your self awareness, figure out what's working well or not so well, and give you clarity as you move forward.

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Why Monthly Reflection & Planning Matters

Effective planning is essential if you're a coach / therapist / entrepreneur. It ensures that you're clear on the goals you're working towards, as well as managing your day-to-day business tasks.

Task Management

Running a business usually involves several different processes, tasks and appointments, so it's really easy to become overwhelmed and stressed if you don't keep on top of everything.

The chances are, if you're reading this you're a creative or someone who is juggling more than one project at a time. You may have a membership, and also run group coaching programmes. You may be selling digital products alongside your coaching or therapy work.

Each of these projects comes with multiple steps and tasks that need to be worked through. When you regularly reflect and plan you can dump all of these things, along with all of those new ideas that continually pop up. This process helps to remove overwhelm and to keep your focus where it needs to be.

Brain Dumping

If you keep all of your ideas and projects in your head without noting them down in a journal or planner, the chances are you'll forget things, or fall behind on key admin tasks.

It can be tempting to just run away with your latest new idea, but by journaling and brain-dumping each week or month, you can let them go until you have space to work on them.

If you're neurodiverse like me, it's even more important to brain dump, because you'll probably have several projects either already on the go, or a desire to start something new at least a few times a week..!

Scheduling in time each month to review, reflect and plan, you'll be able to approach things more systematically and avoid your brain overloading with 100 half started and rarely finished projects.

Increased Productivity

Regular planning helps you to maximise your time and productivity.

Whether you're in complete control of your daily and weekly timetable, or you're someone who is building a business alongside other work, planning stops you from wasting time thinking about what you could be doing instead of being intentional with your time, lessening the risk of becoming distracted.

Mental Clarity

Monthly planning is great for mental health and wellbeing. Not only will you focus on your professional or business goals, but you can focus on what you want to achieve personally.

Using monthly journal prompts to guide your reflections can help you maintain healthy habits, a positive mindset and balanced life.

I love setting intentions, and I do this monthly, weekly and daily. It makes a huge difference as it allows me to be considerate of how I'm feeling, what I would like to experience, and not just focused on output.

How To Review & Reflect on Progress

Aligning Big Goals

If at the start of the year you mapped out your annual and quarterly goals, you can refer to these each month to help you stay on target. But, be sure to frequently check that those bigger goals are still aligned. Things change, especially when we start working on them, pivoting and bringing them to life.

If you didn't do an annual plan, I would suggest that you create one now for the remainder of this year – whether you're reading this in March or November.

Doing this will give you the overall goal you're working towards and it makes it much easier to plan your days and weeks.

Using your yearly or quarterly goals, decide what you need and want to focus on over the coming month. This may be a big single project, or you may have a couple of things that you need to focus on.

Monthly Reviews & Planning

Use monthly journal prompts like the ones included in this blog to review your progress so far. This helps you check that you are where you need to be, or whether you need to make any adjustments moving forward.

Reflecting on the previous month helps you develop a deeper understanding of what is working well and what needs to be tweaked or changed completely.

These monthly sessions are a real eye opener, and I'm often surprised when I look at the things I've achieved or the learning I have taken from challenges faced. Monthly journal prompts are great for helping you think more deeply around this.

In order to keep growing and keep moving forward you need this clarity. You may have felt disconnected with your goals or your business recently, so exploring where that's coming from can help you reset and refocus.

Do you need to do something different? Do you need extra support? Maybe your overall goals aren't aligned and you need to pivot. By addressing it regularly, you'll save yourself time and energy in the long run.

Set Goals That Motivate You

Setting goals shouldn't just be a boring tick-box exercise. It's about checking in with yourself, your business, your goals and the current direction you're going in. That is why I love to use monthly journal prompts when I'm planning, it gives me insight into the reality of my progress and the direction that I'm heading.

If you've felt like your motivation has been lacking recently, revisit those big goals. Do they still excite and motivate you? Is that goal still what you want? It's easy to just be so focused on getting the work done, that you don't realise it's not sitting right with you anymore.

When I set monthly goals I like to give some freedom (my brain will auto-rebel otherwise). I set 2 main goals based on what I need to get done, then with the 3rd goal I opt for something that I want to do.

Most of the time it's relevant to what I'm working on, but feeling like I've chosen it makes it feel a little more excited about all of the goals.

It's completely up to you how you choose your goals, but if you struggle to stay motivated – maybe you could try this too!

Another way to set goals that motivate you is to set yourself challenges. Make them fun, get some of your fellow coaches to join in. One of the memberships I'm in (PIPs) sets amazing challenges each month which helps to focus your attention.

There's something about working alongside others (even virtually), that lights a fire in me and makes me want to get involved!

Use some of the monthly journal prompts in this post to set your intentions for the month as well. I think it's important to not just focus on work related goals, but to also think about how you want to feel and what you want to experience this month.

20 Monthly Journal Prompts

Below are 20 monthly journal prompts to guide your thinking in the new month.

The first set of prompts focuses on your reflections of the last month. The second set focuses on setting goals and intentions for the new month.

Journaling alongside planning in business is a brilliant way to ensure that what you're working on is still aligned with your bigger goals and dreams.

It can be tempting to skip this and keep going with what you've been doing, especially if it feels like it's working. But, by taking the time each month before you sit and do your business planning, you might just discover that things could be adjusted a little, or that you need to spend a little less time on one thing and more on another.

It also helps you stay focused on yourself as well as the work you're doing. I love it when I see the growth I have experienced personally – noticing the change in confidence, or the slight change in attitude as I improve month on month.

It's a great confidence and motivational boost that can benefit you, whether you're doing well or finding things tricky.

Monthly Journal Prompts For Reflection:

1. Reflect on your overall growth and progress. How does this line up with your bigger / long term goals?

2. Describe a goal – no matter what it was – that you achieved last month, and describe how it has impacted your confidence or self-belief.

3. Describe a lesson you learned from a recent setback or challenge, and how you can use and apply it moving forward.

4. Write about a goal or dream you've been hesitant to pursue and why. What steps can you take to overcome your hesitation?

5. List three things you’re grateful for right now and explain why.

6. Describe a moment from last month that brought you joy & excitement.

7. What worked well this month? Consider how you could bring this into the new month.

8. What didn’t go as well, or feel as good this month? How could you change things up this month?

9. What training or learning did you undertake this month? (perhaps you listened to a podcast or joined an online challenge). What did you learn that was valuable to you and your growth? How did the knowledge impact your mindset or your approach to your work?

10. How did you manage your boundaries – work / life this past month? What do you need to work on with this?

New Month Prompts:

1. What are your top three goals for this month, and why are they important to you?

2. How are you going to achieve those goals this month? List the steps you need to take to make it happen.

3. Write about a new habit you want to introduce this month and how you plan to make it stick.

4. What self-care practices will you prioritise this month to nurture your well-being & keep a good work / life balance?

5. Describe a project you want to start or make progress on this month.

6. Describe a fear or limiting belief you want to overcome this month. How will you challenge it?

7. What inspires you & what would you like to do more of this month?

8. What are your intentions for the month ahead? How do you want to feel or show up?

9. What do you need to prioritise in your business this month?

10. What challenges might you face this month & how will you navigate them?

Final Thoughts

Monthly planning is key to success and achieving goals with more ease and confidence.

Monthly journal prompts can help you focus on your bigger goals whilst also bringing awareness to things that may need tweaking, or recognising and celebrating your achievements.

Reflecting and reviewing your progress using monthly journal prompts like these is a great way to remain clear and focused on your goals.

The prompts that you use can include personal as well as professional reflections, helping you to stay on track as well as ensure that you are taking care of you.

Tools, Resources & Support

My favourite tools that supports my monthly planning and daily productivity are:

Sunsama – A brilliant task management that is perfect for busy and neurodiverse minds who easily find themselves overwhelmed and distracted. grab a free 2 week trial and free month!

Time Audit – Gain a clear understanding of exactly where your time and your energy is spent. Highly recommend doing this if you're planning to focus on increased productivity.

Tailwind – Fantastic scheduling tool. Great for Pinterest and repurposing across different social media platforms.

Canva Pro – Upgrade your content design with Canva Pro. Explore the enhanced features available in Pro. Grab your free trial here!

Task Batching Brain Dumps – Learn how to batch your tasks with these handy worksheets + Brain dumps

Eisenhower Matrix – Included in this pack of “Anti-Procrastination” worksheets, the Get it Done bundle includes tools for goal setting, prioritising & more!

PS. Did you know I have some journals for sale? Visit the portfolio to check them out!

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Meet Lynsey

Hey there! I'm Lynsey, a coach, counsellor, and mentor for low energy, introverted or low confident female coaches & small business owners. With over 5 years’ experience of running businesses, and over a decade as a tutor and trainer, I've learned the value of effective time management that energises you through working with your energy.

I've lived with chronic illness – ME/CFS since 2011 and since then I re-trained as a counsellor, and achieved a distinction for my MA in Counselling and Psychotherapy Practice; all while running 4 businesses! I want that for you as well & it is possible with the right support and pathway to success.

Improving your mindset, finding acceptance and developing a solution-focused approach to achieving your goals is my passion. Blending mental health support where needed, as well as a supportive space and methods to manage your work more effectively.

If you'd like to know more about working with me, you can email [email protected] or find me on socials (links in the menu)

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