How To Make A Journal Jar & How To Use It

You’ve heard about the many benefits of journaling and have resolved to give it a go. You may have even bought yourself a beautiful journal and basic journaling tools. But getting started may be a little more difficult than you thought.

Maybe you’re stuck thinking of what to write.

Or maybe you’re hesitating because you don’t want to spoil that beautiful new notebook. You want that first entry to be your best ever and that leaves you stuck at the starting point.

One way that you can get unstuck and get into the habit of journaling is by creating your own journal jar. It’s a simple but genius idea.

What is a journal jar? It’s simply a jar filled with random journal prompts. You can use your own or get ideas from the many prompts you’ll find on my site.

Here’s how to make a journal jar in 5 easy steps and how to use it to get those words flowing in your journal.

How to Make a Journal Jar 

1. Find a suitable jar. You can use anything, a mason jar, cookie jar or a vase.
2. Write down the prompts suggested below onto slips of paper and put them in the jar.
3. Whenever you’re stuck for journaling ideas, just pull out a prompt.
4. Set your kitchen timer for thirty minutes.
5. Put your prompt in front of you and simply write down whatever comes into your mind.

How to Use Your Journal Jar

Here are some suggestions on how to use your journal jar to help get you started with journaling.

Lists

Start easy by making lists. You can write as little or as much as you want under each listing.
1. Favorite books
2. Favorite songs
3. Song genres you could listen to all day long
4. Favorite movies
5. Movie or movies you’d love to see again
6. Dream solo vacation destinations
7. Dream solo family vacation destinations
8. Best meal/s you’ve had and the restaurants that served them
9. Top goals to achieve this year, in five years, in ten years

Confessions

1. Something people don’t know about you
2. Things you wish you had done
3. Your secret desires
4. The most outrageous thing you’ve ever done
5. Biggest gamble you’ve ever taken (this could be a career, relationship, travel – anything that felt risky)
6. Letter to someone you’ve wronged

“If” Questions

1. If you could meet anyone from history, who would it be?
2. If you could meet any fictional character(s), who would they be?
3. If you could host a dinner party with anyone from history or fiction, who would you invite?
4. If you could go back in time and fix anything, what would you choose?
5. If you could change one thing about yourself right now, what would it be?
Little things you love
It’s easy to think of the big things you love in your life, what about the little things? Like maybe the way your dog greets you when you come home, or the narcissi that bloom without fail every spring? Think across every part of your life.
1. Family members
2. Pets
3. Movies
4. Books
5. Food
6. Activities
7. Nature

Look back over your week

Try to think as widely as you can, from managing to get the early bus to trying a new recipe or meeting your exercise goals.
1. Write down all the things that made you feel good.
2. What did you learn this week?
3. What did you achieve?
4. What promises did you keep?

With a journal jar, you’ll never be stuck again for ideas on what to write in your journal!