Journaling for Self-Belief & Confidence

Journaling for Self-belief

Are you thinking about starting a journaling routine to improve your self-belief and self-confidence?

This blog explores how journaling can build self-belief through increasing your awareness, helping you to develop a stronger sense of who you are, what makes you feel good, and how to challenge unhelpful or negative thoughts.

The 75 prompts included are designed to help you reflect at a deeper level, encouraging a compassionate and positive approach to life and goals.

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What Does Self Belief Mean?

1. The Collins Dictionary defines self belief as: “…confidence in your own abilities or judgement”
2. Psychologist Albert Bandura (1925-2021) defined self belief (also referred to as self-efficacy) as: “a person's belief in their ability to complete tasks and to achieve their goals”.

Self-belief is believing in yourself and in your ability to achieve your goals and complete tasks that you're faced with.

Once you truly believe in yourself, it gives you an inner strength and innate confidence, supporting you to become resilient and able to face challenges, knowing that you do have what it takes to achieve your goals.

What you think about yourself matters, and if you believe that you are capable, the way that you approach things will be much different to somebody who doesn't believe they are.

“Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right”. H.Ford.

Importance of Self-Belief

Self-belief can influence your behaviour to such an extent that you miss out on life changing opportunities or experiences.

Self-belief isn't about being braggy – it's about believing in yourself as a person. It's about having trust in yourself, your capabilities and being able to recognise and celebrate yourself and your qualities.

The way that you see yourself will dictate how you show up in different situations, it will dictate the choices that you make moving forward, and the opportunities that you do or do not take.

When you have self-belief, you bet on yourself and you feel comfortable in what you're doing.

The Impact of Low Self-belief

As mentioned, low self-belief can lead to many missed opportunities in both your personal and professional life. You may automatically turn down things due to your lack of confidence or lack of belief in yourself; without giving yourself the chance to try.

As a therapist I support many people who put life on hold, or avoid situations on a daily basis due to a fear of not being good enough, or wanting to avoid any risk of judgement from experiencing low self belief / esteem / confidence.

Making decisions is more difficult if you have low self-belief, as you 2nd guess decisions, feel uncertain whether or not it's a good idea, or if you're good enough to give it a go at all.

You'll likely be highly self-critical, fear getting things wrong, and experience low mood or anxiety. Because of these things, low self belief can limit a person's potential and overall quality of life.

How to Improve Self-belief

The great news is – it's more than possible to improve your self-belief and confidence. But it's important to note that behaviour change takes time. Some of these negative thought patterns have been your only way of thinking and feeling for a very long time.

To begin with, you need to become fully aware of what these thoughts and beliefs are, where they may have originated, and then be able to recognise the impact they have upon you.

Once you are aware of the negative thoughts and the power they hold, you can begin to challenge and change them.

This thought shifting mini journal provides an exercise for you to identify and then challenge the negative thoughts. It is a very effective CBT-based activity that I often use in my counselling and coaching work.

Thought Shifting Mini Journal – free mini journal with prompts

Download Journal

Other Ways to Improve Self-belief

Therapy: Seek professional support with a counsellor or therapist. If you are really struggling to improve your self-belief / confidence and it's impacting you and your quality of life, I would always recommend speaking with a therapist / counsellor.

Inform yourself: Research self belief / self esteem / self confidence. Use sites such as Psychology Today, Mind, or your favourite therapists blog.

Self Help: Invest in some self help books, or listen to podcasts for free! My favourite is Mel Robbins who tackles many mental wellness topics.

Knowledge is power. It allows you to take back control over your thinking patterns, allowing you to see that there are other ways of perceiving things.

As you become more aware of the why behind the behaviour, you can begin to work on the root cause as well as support yourself when faced with your triggers.

Connections: Connect with others. Often, when self-belief is low people will shut themselves away through fear of being judged or rejected. Focusing on community connection is a great way to increase your confidence and social skills.

Self Compassion: Show yourself the grace and compassion that you would show to others who are experiencing similar things. Approach this next step with kindness, avoiding too much pressure or criticism if things take a little longer than you hoped.

Journal: Journaling is a brilliant tool for increased self awareness, which in turn will help you identify and challenge unhelpful thoughts that are keeping you stuck. Use your journal to identify your strengths and values, reminding yourself that you are important and valued just as you are.

Challenge Yourself: Begin to challenge yourself. Gently begin to push outside of your comfort zone. Challenge yourself to do things like showing up for a meeting, going to that gym class, or putting a reel out on your socials.

It's normal to feel nervous about doing new or challenging things, but by taking on the task, you'll be sending a message of “I can do this” to your brain. When approached carefully, this is a great way to increase your confidence and self-belief.

But remember, if it feels too much, or if you know that your life is being severely impacted, please seek professional help. Speak with your doctor, find a good therapist and approach this safely in a way that allows you to grow and heal.

Journaling for Self-belief

Here are your 75 journal prompts for improved self-belief. Use these prompts to guide your reflections and reframe how you perceive yourself.

Discover Your Strengths

1. Write about a challenge you overcame that you never thought you could. What did this experience teach you about yourself?

2. List five qualities that you admire in others. How do you embody these qualities in your own unique way?

3. Describe a moment when you felt truly proud of yourself.

4. Describe three skills you've developed that make you unique in your work or personal life?

5. Write a letter to your younger self. Highlight the strengths that most stand out to you as you look back at your life so far.

Learning & Development

6. How has your definition of success changed throughout your life?

7. What things have shaped you into the person you are today?

8. Describe a time when a ‘failure' led to unexpected growth or better opportunities.

9. What patterns or beliefs from your past are you ready to let go of as you move forward?

10. How do you want to be remembered? What legacy do you want to create?

Self-Acceptance

11. What parts of yourself do you find hardest to accept? How could you reframe your thoughts or beliefs about them?

12. List three things your body has helped you to achieve. Write a few words of thanks, showing compassion and love to your body.

13. If you knew you couldn't fail, what would you do differently today?

14. Describe your perfect day. What does it reveal about your true hopes and dreams?

15. Write about a compliment you received that was hard to accept. Why was it challenging?

Building Resilience

16. How would you define courage? How have you shown courage recently?

17. Describe a time when you stood up for yourself. How did it feel?

18. What helps you feel grounded when facing uncertainty?

19. Write about a fear you've overcome. What helped you move past the fear?

20. How do you show yourself kindness during difficult times? If you don't, describe how you will in the future.

Relationships & Boundaries

21. What boundaries do you need to set to feel more confident in your life?

22. How do you want others to treat you? If there people who don't meet this expectation, think about what needs to change.

23. Write about a relationship that has helped you grow. What is it about the relationship that feels empowering?

24. What does healthy love look like to you? (Friendships, family or personal relationships).

25. How can you voice your needs in relationships so that you feel valued and respected?

Professional Growth

26. What would you choose to do next in your career / business if you had the support that you needed?

27. Describe your ideal working day / week. What steps can you take to make this your reality?

28. What professional achievement are you most proud of? Why?

29. How do you show resilience and strength in your professional life?

30. What skills would you like to develop in the next year?

Creativity

31. If your life were a book, what would this chapter be titled? Where do you see the story going?

32. Describe a dream that you're reluctant to share with others. How would it feel to achieve this dream, and how can you take that first step towards it?

33. What activities make you lose track of time? How can you make more time for these?

34. How can you nurture your playful side? What did you love to do as a child that filled you with joy and laughter?

35. What would you love to create if you had unlimited resources and time?

Physical & Mental Wellbeing

36. How does your body feel when you're confident compared to when you're feeling uncertain or worried? Describe the physical sensations for both.

37. What self-care practices help you relax the most?

38. Write down three grounding exercises that you can do when you're feeling stressed or worried. Think about why they help you.

39. How do you ensure that you are meeting your emotional needs? If you don't, how can you change this?

40. Describe some habits that you would like to introduce to help improve your well-being?

Values & Purpose

41. Describe your values and beliefs. Why are these so important to you?

42. Do your daily actions align with your core beliefs? If there are any conflicts, think about how you can live in a way that fits with your beliefs and values.

43. What causes or issues do you feel passionately about? Why are they important to you?

44. Write about a time when you trusted your intuition. What happened?

45. What does living authentically mean to you? Describe your life, relationships and energy.

Visualisation

46. Imagine yourself five years from now. What advice would that version of you give to you right now?

47. What dreams have you put on hold? Why? What needs to happen to make them goals again?

48. How would you spend your time if money weren't a concern?

49. Visualise yourself achieving your big goal. Describe what you had to do to get to that point – the lessons learned and the emotions felt along the way.

50. Write about the person you're becoming.

Gratitude

51. Describe five unique qualities that make you who you are.

52. What personal growth have you noticed in yourself over the past year?

53. Write about three small wins you achieved this week. Celebrate each win.

54. Consider how overcoming past challenges prepared you for your future success.

55. What aspects of your personality do you most appreciate and why?

Emotional Growth

56. What old stories about yourself are you ready to rewrite today?

57. How can you show compassion to the parts of your history that you feel guilt or shame for?

58. Write about a mistake you made. How did you find a way to forgive yourself. Or, if you still carry guilt, how can you begin to show yourself compassion and grace?

59. What emotions do you find hardest to express? Why? How would expressing this emotion help you?

60. When or where do you feel safe enough to show vulnerability or to express emotion?

Impact

61. How do you lift others in your community up?

62. What unique perspective do you bring to your work?

63. Write about a time when your voice made a difference to your own life or others.

64. What do you want to be known for professionally and personally?

65. Describe who inspires you, what is it about them that motivates you?

Personal Growth

66. When do you feel most confident? How can you apply this to a challenge you're currently facing?

67. How do you remain authentically you when you're working towards growth and change?

68. How can you learn to trust yourself more?

69. Write about a time when you surprised yourself with your own strength and resilience.

70. What makes you feel excited and motivated to keep going?

Moving Forward

71. What life lessons are you currently learning?

72. How has your relationship with yourself evolved and improved over recent years?

73. What key message or learning from others has helped you stay focused on your own personal growth journey?

74. If you could share one piece of wisdom with somebody who is a few steps behind you, what would it be?

75. What are you most excited about for you in the future?

These prompts are designed to help you reflect on a deeper level, and bring your past experiences and learning into the here and now.

While these prompts can be great to help you focus your thinking, the power of simply clearing your mind through putting your thoughts to paper is where the magic lies.

Tools, Resources & Support

Below are some of my favourite tools and resources. Some are related to habit change as well as mindset support and improved productivity.

• Thought Shifting Workbook – This mini journal & workbook is perfect if you're looking to challenge negative thought cycles.
• Eisenhower Matrix – Included in this pack of “Anti-Procrastination” worksheets, the Get it Done bundle includes tools for goal setting, prioritising & more!
• Task Batching Brain Dumps – Learn how to batch your tasks with these handy worksheets + Braindumps.
• Mindset & Wellness Worksheet Bundle – A set of worksheets and activities to help you improve your confidence and sense of wellbeing. A great selection of printable mental health & therapy & coaching tools for personal use, or to use with clients.

Final Thoughts

If you have low self-belief and it's impacting your life, there are things that you can do to make some changes.

Whilst journaling isn't a replacement for therapy or professional help, it can be a powerful tool and something that can have a lasting impact on yourself and your life.

Journaling for self-belief can help you identify triggers, shift your mindset and in turn strengthen your confidence and self belief.

Remember that it takes time to undo years of critical thoughts, but with a consistent journaling and self reflective practice, you can address lingering limiting beliefs, challenge self doubt, and learn to see yourself in a positive and compassionate way.

What's your favourite prompt?

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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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