5 Journaling Prompts to Nourish & Strengthen You as the Seasons Change

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I don’t know what the weather is like with you, but the season is turning here with cooler temperatures, wind, and lots of rain. Which is fitting because on September 21st, not only is it World Gratitude Day but it’s also an equinox—one of two dates annually where the hours of daylight and darkness are equal.

The equinox marks a change in the rhythms of nature, and this planetary shift is a great opportunity to pause, reflect, and reconnect with something greater than ourselves.

In the northern hemisphere we leave behind the creative growth time of summer and begin gathering in, preserving and preparing. Plants draw in vital life-force to their roots to protect from winter harshness. And as the nights get longer and darker, we retreat into ourselves and our homes to rest, reflect and strengthen our spirits.

But in the south, things are literally “hotting up”. Spring is underway, flowers and plants bloom—bringing forth what has been hidden. Energy increases with the lengthening days and it’s an opportunity to get creative and grow—ourselves, our gardens, careers, businesses or our lives.

Are you ready for this season’s shift?

We’ve just left behind the long summer/school holidays, and are shifting up a gear to get things done before the end of the year.

Yet there’s still a lot of disruption and change and uncertainty around the world—both man-made and natural disasters. We live in a VUCA world (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity)—and sadly I don’t think this is changing anytime soon.

Yes, if you’re reading this, you’re likely extremely lucky compared to many parts of the world. But there is still a lot to concern us.

So it’s important to be grateful for what we have! But at the same time, we must also acknowledge our truth—whatever we feel about what’s going on in our world.

So, where do we go next?

Good question. Well, it’s a good time to update your Goal-Setting & Resilience Map—3 Month Planner and set some goals for the rest of the year. This updated goals “lite” workbook is a great opportunity to refocus and decide what to get done in the next 3 months or so.

And the coming equinox gives us an opportunity to reflect: we can think about our priorities. So I created these journaling prompts (for both north and south hemispheres) to help. Enjoy!

5 Journaling Prompts to Ponder this Equinox

If you’re heading into Fall/Autumn and Winter

What do the shortening days and lengthening nights mean for you this year? What does the change of seasons mirror in your life?
What have you learned this year that will help you as we head into the final 3 months of the year?
As you reflect on the challenging events of the last 3-5 years on you—and those important to you—how have these impacted you? How are you different? In what ways have your priorities shifted as a result? How do you/will you stay positive?
- Example challenging events include; the COVID pandemic & resulting economic situation, the war on Ukraine, awareness of systemic racism, climate events/disasters—and more.
What is it time to let go of? What needs to be put to rest? What might you need to prepare for?
What do you value? What are you looking forward to? What are you grateful for? How will you nourish yourself?

As you answer these questions, also consider what you can do to make life easier and more enjoyable:

What Action/s will you take? And when will you do them? (the more specific you are the better—it’s easier to action something super-specific)

If you’re heading into Spring and Summer

What does the lengthening of the day and shortening nights mean for you this year? What does the change of seasons mirror in your life?
What have you learned so far this year that will help you as we head into spring and summer?
As you reflect on the challenging events of the last 3-5 years on you—and those important to you—how have these impacted you? How are you different? In what ways have your priorities shifted as a result? How do you/will you stay positive?
- Example challenging events include; the COVID pandemic & resulting economic situation, the war on Ukraine, awareness of systemic racism, climate events/disasters—and more.
What has been dormant over the winter? What would you like to bring forth? What actions do you need to take now so that your ideas come to fruition?
What do you value? What are you looking forward to? What are you grateful for? How will you enrich your life?

As you answer these questions, also consider what you can do to make life easier and more enjoyable:

What Action/s will you take? And when will you do them? (the more specific you are the better—it’s easier to action something super-specific)

Wrap-up

It is from deeply knowing ourselves that we make better decisions, learn to stand up for ourselves and what’s important. We gain strength, creativity and feel more inspired about life.

You too can feel the magic of living a more creative, empowered, soul-filled life.

And all this can be as simple as setting pen to paper and asking and answering questions…

The equinox gives us a focus, an opportunity and jumping-off point to to let go of what’s no longer needed, and explore what’s coming up next. It helps us see the cyclical nature of our lives and the world we live in—transitions, beginnings and endings.

Take this opportunity to plan, prepare and take action—an important part of resilience.

Remember: Change the world. Start with you!

If you enjoyed this article with journaling prompts, you may also like:

How & Why to Start Gratitude Journaling! Plus 7 Beautiful Prompts to Go Deeper
Get Motivated: 6 Super Ways to Energize, Refocus & Lose those Blahs
Look Ahead and Get Inspired this Fall—With HUGs!

Image of Women pondering and reflecting on bench with beautiful view by ANEK SANGKAMANEE via Shutterstock

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