Journaling guides and journal prompts.
Practical, gentle guides on journaling, overthinking, people pleasing and therapy, with prompts you can use today. Written by the team behind Pleso Therapy. Not medical advice.
Overthinking before bed: what to write when the same thought keeps returning
If the same thought keeps returning before bed, try a brief note naming the worry, what is still unknown and one possible next step for tomorrow. The worksheet and example below separate a task you can plan from uncertainty you cannot settle tonight. Writing is optional and does not guarantee sleep; stop if it fuels the loop, and seek professional help if sleep difficulties persist or affect daily life.
Choosing an AI journal alongside therapy: privacy and notes checklist
When choosing an AI journal to use alongside therapy, check how sensitive entries are stored and processed, whether you control exports, and what the subscription actually costs. This checklist and a comparison card turn those questions into things you can verify before subscribing. AI can produce inaccurate interpretations; use any output as a draft to review, not a clinical assessment or a substitute for your therapist.
How to set boundaries when someone close to you calls every evening with problems
Decide when and how long you can talk, explain the change, and prepare what to say when you end the call. A five-part worksheet helps you describe the current pattern, choose the support you can offer, and review the arrangement after a few calls. A clear explanation does not guarantee that the other person will accept your decision.
An emotion journal after work: what to write and how to review your entries
After work, describe one situation, the emotion you notice, what you did next and anything that helped. Once you have a few entries, compare them and choose one small change to try. Noticing similar circumstances across several entries does not establish what causes your irritability.
How to start journaling when you don’t know what to write
To start journaling when you don’t know what to write, pick one recent moment and finish three sentences: what happened, what I noticed and what I need next. A short entry counts, and you can stop there. This guide includes a first-entry example, a three-step starting routine and choices for paper or digital notes. Journaling is optional reflection, not a daily test or a replacement for therapy.
Journal entries after an unclear conversation: 2 examples
After an unclear conversation, separate what was said from what you assume, name your feelings and choose one question to ask. The five-part worksheet and two fictional journal entries below show how to do this after a short message or an unclear agreement about chores. The aim is to clarify one situation; writing cannot tell you what someone else intended.
50 journal prompts for when you don’t know what to write
When you don’t know what to write in a journal, choose one question about the situation on your mind and answer in a few lines. These 50 prompts cover repetitive thoughts, relationships, saying yes too quickly, work, therapy and ordinary days. A topic guide and a three-line worksheet help you start without completing a whole list; skip any question that feels unhelpful.
Sunday night worry about Monday: a five-minute journal plan
For Sunday night worry about Monday, start by naming one specific concern, choosing a small first step and deciding what can wait until working hours. The five-minute worksheet and example below help you make a limited plan, then leave room for your evening. Recurring overload or unsafe working conditions need support and practical changes; a Sunday routine cannot solve them on its own.
What to write before and after therapy: journal prompts and note templates
Before a therapy session, write one situation, what you felt and the question you want to bring. Afterwards, keep one thought and any agreed next step, when you feel ready. These prompts and two visual note templates help you choose a starting point when your mind goes blank. Your notes are optional: you decide what to share, and any exercise agreed with your therapist takes priority.
People pleasing: how to pause when you say yes but mean no
If you often say yes before checking what you want or can manage, begin with a pause rather than a perfect refusal. This guide explains people pleasing as an everyday pattern, offers three phrases to buy time and a worksheet for checking capacity, preference and a possible reply. Context and safety matter: setting a boundary is not always simple, and the pattern alone does not establish its cause or a diagnosis.
New guides, now and then.
Gentle reads about overthinking, relationships, work and the time between therapy sessions, with prompts you can use the same day. About once a month, by email.
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