Lists to Start the Month

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If you were going on a journey and could only take what would fit in a backpack, what would you take? Why?

Cesare Pavese is known for saying that "we do not remember days, we remember moments." Describe your moment.

Oscar Wilde has said that "I never travel without my diary. One must always have something sensational to read on the train." What one thing do you always carry with you?

Write about one thing you are most proud of in your life.

Do you agree with Albert Einstein in that "imagination is more important than knowledge?" Why or why not?

In Letters to a Young Poet, Rainer Maria Rilke wrote to young Franz Kappus "...if you wake up every morning thinking about being a writer, then you were meant to be a writer." What do you wake up every morning thinking about being?

Select the one thing that you hate most about yourself and write about it as if it were the one thing you love most about yourself.

If you were a caution sign, what would it say? Why?

Sheryl Crow sings that "...it's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got." Do you derive happiness from shiny new things, or do you cherish the items you already own? Explain.

I write for the sheer joy of writing because behind everything there is a story to be told. What do you do for the sheer joy of it? Why?

Inspired by People Magazine's Interview of Chris Hemsworth, this prompt asks you to write about the lasts in your life:   

• What was the last thing you lost? 
• When was the last time you were awestruck?  
• What was your last spontaneous moment? 
• What is your last vice? 
• When was the last time you sang or danced just because? 

Look up your elemental symbol or zodiac sign. How many of the traits are accurate for you? Do you think there are inaccuracies? Why?

If you could reinvent yourself, who would you become?

Have you ever changed who you were to try to make someone else happy? Who? Why? Did it work? When did you realize it is better to be yourself than try to please everyone else?

What is the quote or mantra you draw on to get you through tough times?

Would you consider your significant other to be the Sun, Moon, or Northern Star in your life? Why?

You are being sent away in exile and can take one companion, one book, and one random object. What/who would you choose? 

Write about a movie or book that inspired you. What aspects of the story made an impact on your life?

According to Matthew McConaughey, there are 3 things he needs each day:   

• Something to look up to 
• Something to look forward to  
• Someone to chase  

Thinking about your life, how would you define these 3 needs? (Inspired by his 'Best Actor' acceptance speech, 2014)

Write about each of these prompts for ten minutes or as long as you want:

• Who I Was
• Who I Am Today
• Who I Want To Be 

Where will you be in ten years? Write in the present tense, beginning with where you wake up in the morning.  Include as many details as possible. 

Write about your favorite book. If you have the book on hand, begin your journal entry with a passage from one of the pages. Why do you love it so much? Is it the message, or the fact that changed your life? Share why you think someone else should read it.

A genie offers you three wishes. Do you use them right away? Save them?
What do you wish for? What does your life look like after each wish? 

Open your journal and write. Don’t pause to think. Just keep your pen moving, letting your stream of consciousness flow without judgement. Keep writing, and eventually you’ll move into deeper reflection.  

Look around you and make a list of everything you believe to be true — objects, colors, smells, sounds. Now, turn those things upside-down and inside out. What if your perception of your world is actually the opposite of reality? What would that ‘opposite’ be? 

Write down one or more of your favorite quotes, and explain your thoughts and feelings about them. Why are they your favorite? Now, write your own quotes and motivational thoughts. If you're creative, design social media posts around them and share them with your followers. 

Begin a journal entry with the words, ‘I write because…’ 

Write about a time you chose the illusion of safety over a new adventure. What might your life look like if you had chosen differently? In what ways are you still choosing safety over living a full of adventure? 

Write down 3-5 of your favorite words. Next, mind map your thoughts and feelings around each of the words. Turn it into word art by writing  the words using your favorite lettering style and drawing doodles around it, coming up with  creative ideas as you work.