My favorite times to write in my journal are either first thing in the morning, or right before bed in the evening. I love being able to take some time before sleep to really reflect on my day. Writing down things that happened during the day also helps me to clear my head and process my thoughts.
If you’re looking for some inspiration for your evening journal routine, I’ve put together some ideas for what to journal about at night. Of course, you can journal about these things at any time of the day, but hopefully they’ll help you get the creative juices flowing.
>> Also, check out my list of printable journal prompts for the evening! <<
Reasons to journal at night
If you already spend time journaling at night, you probably have a routine down and understand why it’s so beneficial. These are some of my favorite reasons for journaling after the sun goes down!
- Journaling in the evening gives you a space to “brain dump” – I tend to be a bit of a worry wort. Writing down all of my anxieties and worries at the end of the day helps me to find solutions and work through difficult situations. I love waking up with a clear head because I did a brain dump before bed. It’s also a good way to process any kind of frustrations I may have encountered throughout the day.
- Journaling in the evening helps you remember – Journaling is also a helpful tool for remembering important events and experiences. I like being able to look back to old journal entries and find exactly when things occurred. Practicing journaling at the end of each day is a nice way to give yourself a sense of peace as well.
- Journaling in the evening gives you a creative outlet – I also find that I am most creative in the evening. So, journaling at night gives me a good outlet for self-expression. I like being creative with my journal entries and taking the time to explore new feelings and ideas without any sort of judgement. I know I’m not the only one that doodles in their journal!
- Journaling in the evening can boost productivity – Writing down our plans for the next day can help us to organize our ideas and prioritize important tasks. I like being able to clarify my goals and reflect on what is working (and what isn’t working). Doing this allows me to make progress towards my goals, no matter how big or small they may be.
What to journal about at night
If you’re feeling stumped with writers block, fear not! These ideas for things to journal about in the evening will help inspire you. So, grab your favorite journaling pen and let’s get started.
1. Things you are grateful for
I’m always talking about gratitude and how important it is. The evening is the perfect time to reflect on everything we’re thankful for. Count your blessings!
2. What could have made your day better
No matter what, there are usually things that could have made our day a little bit better. They don’t need to be big things. But, revisiting the day and reflecting on what could have made it a better day can help us make positive changes going forward.
3. Your favorite moments
Each day is a collection of individual moments colliding together. It’s easy for these moments and memories to get lost in the shuffle forever. Journaling helps us remember these moments. So, think about your favorite moments that happened through the day and write them down to remember forever.
4. Your biggest accomplishments
It’s important to acknowledge and appreciate all of the accomplishments, big or small. What was your biggest accomplishment today?
5. Things that inspired or motivated you
If you noticed any sources of inspiration that helped motivate you, write them down in your journal at night. These bursts of inspiration are important to recognize. You never know when they’ll creep up again, and you should keep track of all the things that inspire you.
6. Any regrets you may have
Perhaps you said something in the morning before you had your coffee. Or, maybe you regret not doing something you should have. Writing down your regrets in an evening journal is a good way to acknowledge these regrets and move past them.
7. Lessons you learned
I like to think that every single day is full of valuable lessons. If you learned anything new today, write it down so you won’t forget.
8. Challenges you faced
Sometimes, we’re faced with challenges and difficulties. But, overcoming these challenges is how we learn and grow. Write down any challenges you faced so you can remember how you overcame them and tackle similar difficulties in the future.
9. Plans for the next day
Thinking about the day that is ahead of us is a good way to stay organized and productive. The evening is a nice time to unwind and map out a course of action for the following day.
10. How you practiced self-care and how you can tomorrow
Practicing self-care is an important part of life. While I do consider the act of journaling self-care, maybe you did something during the day to take care of yourself a little extra. Or, maybe you can plan some self-care activities for the days ahead.
11. How you can be more productive tomorrow
It’s not uncommon to look back on your day and feel as though you were incredibly unproductive. Even if you were really productive. Think of what is working for you in terms of productivity, and how you can be a little more productive going forward.
12. Long-term goals
Once a week or once a month, it can be beneficial to visit our long-term goals. These could be 1-month goals or 1-year goals. It’s entirely up to you. Revisiting these goals and the ways we can achieve them helps us to stay on the track to success.
13. Ways you can grow and improve
I believe that life is a never-ending journey of self-improvement. Think of all the ways you can improve on yourself and grow without being too hard on yourself.
14. New skills you’d like to learn
Building skills is one way to improve and work on ourselves. If there are any new skills you’d like to learn, write about them in your evening journal and all the ways learning this new skill will help you in your day-to-day life.
15. Relationships and their impact on your day
Our interpersonal relationships are worth reflecting on when the days come to a close. What relationships do you have in both your personal and your working life? How do these relationships influence your day, and what changes (if any) should be made?
16. Any books, movies, or songs that inspired you
If you saw any movies, read any excerpts from books, or heard any music that resonated with you, jot them down in your evening journal so you can revisit them another time.
17. Who you admire
Sometimes, people can inspire us in unique ways. Did you encounter anyone that inspired you or motivated you? Why do you admire the people you do? It’s worth diving in and examining the personalities of the people you look up to most.
18. Places you want to visit
Now and then I’ll come across a new place that I’ve never heard of and want to visit. It’s really easy to forget these places, so it can be nice to jot them down in a journal at night. That way, when I’m aching for a getaway, I’ll know where to look for inspiration!
I like to conclude my evening journal routine with motivational or inspirational quote. I hope these ideas about what to journal about at night helped to inspire you. Don’t forget to check out some of my other journal prompts for more ideas to help get that creativity flowing!
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