Remember, the purpose of a self-esteem journal is to foster positive reflection and increase self-awareness, self-acceptance, and self-compassion. True love is unconditional. It means you appreciate and accept that person, thing, or yourself as they are.

Give yourself some time to reflect on the prompt and think about your answer. You might want to brainstorm or jot down some bullet points before you start writing.

How to Develop a Simple, Self-Love Journaling Practice Grounded in Self-Compassion

As we hear stories of childhood bullying and increased incidences of depression, anxiety, and suicide, it is evident that “giving everyone a trophy” has not improved the self-worth of children, teens, or adults. There are more effective ways to foster self-esteem, self-acceptance, and self-love rooted in compassion.

People who find it difficult to love themselves are often dealing with limiting beliefs about who they are and what they deserve. Self-esteem is not just about success. It also recognizes that sometimes our efforts, determination, dedication, and persistence are part of the process and great attributes to develop. Think of a recent challenge you were faced with and how you persisted despite the outcome. Apart from the obvious benefit, that your self-love will improve, there are other benefits self-help journaling brings. I find the more often I do it, the more I actually crave doing it by the end of the day! I get excited to let out my thoughts," exclaims Roxie Nafousi, Self Development Coach and author of Manifest: 7 Steps to Living Your Best Life. Focus on your belly as you breathe in and out slowly. Try to breathe from your stomach instead of from your chest.If it’s your first time choose a journal prompt that isn’t super deep (you can use the deep ones later once you’re used to journaling in general.) While this option does feel more advanced for someone just starting in the world of journaling, a seasoned journaler will find this both enlightening and gratifying once completed. It’s worth noting that while you can technically dive into this year-long journal at any time, the prompts are seasonal, which means you may find that the week in which you start doesn’t exactly match up to the time of year if you go off-calendar. I’m sorry to read about all you’re going through; I encourage you to continue searching for the support you need. If you’re looking for a way to find specialist mental health support, Psychology Today has a great directory you can use to find therapists in your local area. Usually, the therapists provide a summary in their profile with their areas of expertise and types of issues they are used to working with. Our goal? To help you connect with your true self, harness your strength, and manifest your dreams. Choose a self-love journal prompt that resonates with you. It can be something like “What makes me feel genuinely happy?” or “What are my top priorities in life?”