5 Inspiring Ways To Journal This New Year

Letter To Your Future Self

Another one of my favourite New Year journal prompts is writing a letter to my future self.

When writing a letter to your future self, share all of the things you dream of achieving over the next 12 months, including all of the hopes and goals you have.

Tell that version of you how you want to feel when you open the letter to read on January 1^st the following year.

And once you’ve penned all of those magic-filled manifestations, be sure to fold your letter inwards to seal that universal power.

Now hold it in your hands as you visualise your manifestations coming true, place it under your pillow for just one night for those dreams to align and then set a reminder on your phone to open the letter a year from now while you keep it somewhere safe.

The most amazing part of this manifesting practice is reading your letter the following year and seeing just how much has come true, if not exactly, then even better than you could have hoped. It’s such a beautiful moment to realise and add evidence to the power of manifestation and giving things time.

New Year Diary Entry

Following on from writing a letter to your future self, another of my favourite journal prompts for New Year is to write a diary entry as if you were already living that dream life you have on your vision board. This is also known as a scripting practice.

Imagine your manifestations have come to fruition. You’ve met your soulmate, you’ve got that dream job or business, you’re living exactly where you want to be. Write a Dear Diary moment as if you’ve had the most amazing day and you wanted to keep that memory scripted forever.

The power of writing in the present tense is that it allows you to access that magnetic energy we need when attracting our manifestations to us, just by reading our diary entry back repeatedly and leaning into those excited and joyous emotions. 

22 Reasons To Be Grateful For 2022 (or whatever year you may be in)

Just like we focused on the energy of celebration earlier, when we’re in the energy of gratitude, the universe continues to give us people, places, opportunities and parts of life to be truly grateful for.

Can you think of just 21 things you can be thankful for from the last year? Or 6 from the last 6 months of the year? Maybe someone helped you when you really needed it, maybe your favourite boxset came on Netflix and it filled your evenings, perhaps you finally sought therapy or maybe you read a really good book. Perhaps you discovered a really good pizza takeout! Whatever it is, if it mattered to and marked you, note it down.

What I’m Leaving Behind

This list is really about being self-aware enough to realise what you no longer want to take into a fresh new year with you.

This could include holding onto resentment for someone or something, it could be the need for closure, it could be chasing someone that doesn’t want to be caught, it could be limiting beliefs that have held you back when you’re tired of playing small.

Although this can feel like an emotional task (maybe leave this one for another day if you’re already on a bit of a vulnerability hangover from some of the other prompts), you’ll notice a real clearance of energy when you write down everything you want to release, leave behind and forgive.

Once you have this list, take it outside somewhere safe and set it alight. Watch the smoke as it rises up into the sky and release whatever hold those words had over you.

As it smoulders, feel your body become lighter and trust the process of choosing to let go.

Beauty In The Ordinary

Last year, I really lent into the trend of main character energy. Not for performance reasons, not to create a Reel that might go viral, but because I really wanted to start turning ordinary moments into occasions.

I love spending time alone, and 2021 was the year I started to date myself. Not just average dates, but secret afternoon cinema trips, jumping on a plane to Greece, checking myself into the First-Class Lounge, buying myself flowers, and taking myself out to my favourite restaurants. I spent money on books and I read them in the park during the summer months.

And this kind of self-love energy is only set to be amplified as we move into 2022.

So what does this have to do with journalling? Well, why not start a list of all the different ways you can become the main character in your life.

Where would you like to visit? Perhaps you want to go on a road trip? How would you spend your ideal evening? Maybe you want to watch the sunrise or sunset? Is there a candle you’d love to try out?

The key to your Beauty in the Ordinary list, is to look at your life right now and see how you can add a little magic into your daily routine. And as a bonus task: set one of them in motion now. Book the thing so you have it to look forward to. If you have time, go and execute one of them now. Start as you mean to go on!

As we draw this post on New Year journal prompts to a close, I wanted to wish each and every reader an amazing New Year, no matter which year you read this. I am incredibly excited for what is to come for The Manifestation Collective over the coming 12 months – I am setting the intention that 2024 is going to be the most epic year yet. My wish is the same for you.

Don’t forget to come and join me over on Instagram and listen to the Podcast here. P.S: If you enjoyed this post, then this post on rehearsing for success might be the perfect next read.