Most of us feel like we need to be ready before we start something new. If there is one thing I have learned from being a therapist it’s that we rarely “feel” ready. And when we do, that feeling is fleeting.
That is why I created this 30 day journaling challenge. This simple five-minute-a-day plan will help you stay honest, consistent, and moving toward your dreams even when you don’t feel fully prepared.
If you have been joining me this summer for our journaling series on the How to Dream podcast, this is where we bring it all together.
And if you are finding this in another season of life, that is okay too. You can begin this challenge anytime. The episodes will always be here waiting for you.
Let’s walk through why this challenge works, some daily and weekly journaling prompts you can follow, and how to keep the habit going no matter what comes up.
Why a 30-Day Journaling Challenge Helps
Many people spend their whole lives waiting for the perfect mood or the perfect circumstances to start working toward their goals and dreams. We make time and space for everyone else’s needs, but we keep putting our own hopes and dreams off for “later.” Unfortunately, that perfect day rarely comes.
Journaling is like pressing pause. It helps you cut through the noise long enough to gain enough clarity about what you really want. You may not get the whole picture from one journaling session, but you will often gain enough clarity to see the next step.
What if, instead of waiting for everything to align, you committed to taking just one consistent step each day?
Imagine how far you would be in a year…
How much could you learn and grow? How much closer would you be to your goal?
If you commit to this 30-day journaling challenge, things will change. After 30 days of truly listening to yourself, telling yourself the truth, and consistently taking action toward your dreams, you will see a noticeable difference.
Someday has come, friend. Join the challenge to start building that life you’ve been dreaming about.
The Simple Journaling Rule: Five Minutes, One Page, One Step
For the next 30 days, I want you to commit to these three things: Five minutes. One page. One step.
That is it.
Take five minutes to write. Use one page to tell yourself the truth. And then pick one practical, doable step to move forward.
But what if I miss a day?
We’ve all done it…
We start something new, like a diet or exercise plan. Three days in, we get off track and decide to stop altogether. A year later, nothing has changed.
This isn’t that kind of a challenge.
In this challenge, grace is part of the practice. If you miss a day, come back to it the next day. No shame, no blame, you just keep going. We aren’t striving for perfection here. This is about consistency.
Seven Prompts for Your Weekly Check-In
If you have the time, I’d like to do a slightly longer check-in once each week to dig a little deeper into all the thoughts swirling around in your head.
During those check-ins, you can use these seven questions to guide you:
1. The life I am moving toward is…
Fill in that blank with one sentence. We don’t need the whole plan with all the details. Just one sentence about the life you are moving toward.
It can be specific or broad, as long as it makes sense to you.
Maybe you realized that you’d like a life with more peace or freedom. Or maybe you want a life where you use your voice. You could realize that you want a life where you are healthier and more present. Maybe you want a life where your dreams are no longer tangled up in a drawer. Or maybe you want a life where you don’t have to worry about your finances.
Whatever comes to mind, write it down. Don’t overthink it. You can always go back and change it, or add a different layer next week.
2. The truth I can admit today is…
This is where we stop pretending that we have everything under control, or that one day we will put ourselves first. This is where we get honest about how we truly feel.
Maybe the truth is that you are tired or that you want more in life. Maybe the truth is that you need more help.
Whatever it is, stop waiting for permission. Give yourself that permission today to face the truth you have been avoiding.
3. The thing I need to protect this week is…
Your mind and your heart will tell you what you need when you sit still and listen.
Maybe you need to protect your peace, your time, your energy, or your hope. Maybe you need more sleep. Or maybe you need to protect your attention. We live in such a loud world and it just keeps getting louder. It could be that you need to get rid of some distractions. Or maybe you need to protect your creativity, confidence, or boundaries.
Write down whatever resonates with you. Pick one thing you will commit to protecting this week.
4. What keeps pulling me off track is…
Be really real with yourself here, without beating yourself up. Being mean to yourself is not helpful. What keeps pulling you back just when you start to get some momentum?
Maybe it is scrolling. So many of us spend hours watching what other people are doing when that time needs to be poured into ourselves. Let’s say you have an idea for a business, but you see everyone else posting about theirs and you start to feel defeated and decide to give up.
Or maybe you get a bad text from a parent or a sibling that takes root in your spirit and leaves you thinking, Who do I think I am? Why did I think I could do this?
Or it could be that the thing pulling you back is disorganization. Maybe you need to take some time to slow down, clean up, and figure out where you are heading before you can run forward.
Whatever it is, name it. It is hard to protect your dream from something if you refuse to identify it first.
5. The small habit that would support my dream is…
Notice I said small. We aren’t looking for a dramatic transformation. What is one small habit that would move you closer to your dream?
Do you need to pray or meditate before you check your phone? Do you need to start saving a small amount of money? Or do you need to start reading content that would help calm your spirit and your mind?
Even this practice of sitting quietly with your journal for five minutes can be life-changing. This challenge in itself is one small habit that can move you closer to the life you want.
6. The one step I will take in the next seven days is…
This is how we make the practice a reality. We choose one step. Not 20. One.
Will you make that call? Write the first page of your book? Apply for that job? Ask for help? Schedule the appointment? Send that email? Set the boundary you have been afraid to set? Say yes to the 30 day challenge?
Once you pick the action you will take, give it a deadline. Write: “I will do this by…” and give it a day. Today. Tomorrow. Thursday. A specific day makes you more likely to do it. Without one, it hangs in the air, open-ended, and three months later you’ll wake up and realize you’re still in the exact same place.
7. The hope I am practicing is…
I love this one, because hope is a skill. It is something we practice and protect.
In your journal, finish this sentence: “The hope I am practicing is…”
If you aren’t sure what to write, here are a few ideas for you:
- Knowing that I can begin again.
- Knowing that my life can still change.
- Knowing that I am allowed to want more.
- Knowing that I do not have to have the whole plan figured out, only my next doable step.
- Knowing that my dream is still possible.
- Knowing that I can trust myself again.
When you finish, take one slow breath in and let it all the way out.
Then, look over your page and circle the one sentence that needs your attention this week. That sentence is not random. It is information. It is your mind saying, “This is where we start.”
Journaling often helps you see the story your soul is trying to tell.
A Quick Daily Practice: Three Journal Prompts
If you don’t have time to go through all seven questions each day, no worries. You can narrow it down to these three:
- What truth can I admit today?
- What hope am I practicing today?
- What is one step I can take today?
Journaling Tips for Self-Discovery
Remember, this isn’t a school assignment where you have to get everything in and do it all “correctly.” This is your practice. You can do it in whatever way works for you.
These structured journal prompts offer simple ideas to help prevent writer’s block and make it easier to get started, but they aren’t rules or checklists to follow. They are open-ended suggestions.
Stream of consciousness writing is more than okay. These are notes for you, to help you get clear on how you think and what you want.
There are only three rules for this challenge: Five minutes. One page. One step.
The rest is just a suggestion. That time and consistency will give you enough space to reflect on your growth, understand your story more clearly, and hear what your soul is trying to say.
And that is where change begins and dreams start becoming reality.
Start Your 30-Day Journaling Challenge Today
If you are tired of waiting around for your turn, tired of putting everything and everyone else before yourself, take this 30-day challenge with me.
You do not have to have it all figured out. You just have to be honest with yourself for a few minutes each day. Writing clears the noise, helps you process what you are carrying, and helps you find the hope you need to keep moving forward.
Join me for the 30-day journaling challenge so that we can start making your dreams come true.
FAQs About the Journaling Challenge
How much time will the 30-day journaling challenge take each day?
About five minutes. The rule is five minutes, one page, one step. On most days you answer three short questions. Once a week, you will work through the seven longer prompts to go a little deeper.
What if I miss a day?
Then you start again the next day! Missing a day does not mean you failed. Do not quit and do not beat yourself up. Just pick up where you left off and keep going.
Do I need a special journal to start?
No. Any notebook works. This is your journal, and these are notes for your mind. Use something that makes you excited to pick it up each day and write. (I really like this one!)
What if I do not feel ready?
That is normal. Sometimes, we have to keep going even when our feelings don’t align with what is on the to-do list. This challenge helps you stay in motion even on the days you do not feel like it.
What should I do after the challenge?
Great question! I highly recommend downloading a free chapter of my book How to Dream to see if it might be your right next step. This book will help you identify your dream, overcome your doubts, and create a do-able plan to keep working toward that dream a little bit each day.
Dreams aren’t silly ideas, they are the reason we are here. This book helps you find your dream and put it into motion.
Or, if you prefer more journaling resources, the How to Dream Workbook is another great option. This interactive journal gives you space to creatively find inspiration, time for self-care, and tangible next steps for your dream journey.