Rewilding Journal Prompts: July
Subtle nudges to a more open heart through self-exploration
Welcome to the Rewilding Journal Prompts series - monthly journal prompts to encourage reflection and exploration of our inner landscapes.
When you think of “rewilding”, what comes to mind? How might journal prompts help you get there?
For me, rewilding means returning to self - not just any self - THE self. Your most truly, deeply, openly, authentically, uniquely YOU self. The self that cannot be denied. The self that cannot be copied or replicated. The self that is always popping up to say “Hi! Remember me?” The self that only you can be.
Of course, to even attempt pursuing this radical notion of being oneself, we also need to rewild our environment and our ecosystem - our thoughts, our actions, our community and support systems, our nourishment, our entertainment…
Much like rewilding a natural landscape, our internal landscapes have very specific short and long term requirements.
Writing is one tool to help us along on this journey. It’s also freely available to most of us, as Katherine May points out in her article Why to Write (along with so many other fantastic points on this topic!).
If, like me, you struggle to find flow in your thoughts, to grasp ideas out of the swirling mists, or simply are not sure which direction you need to go, some writing prompts may set you on the right path. Or even the wrong one, which will then send you in search of the right one!
Whether your goals are healing, personal growth, or simply curiosity, if you are interested in a bit of rewilding inner work and self-exploration, I invite you to try these journal prompts the next time you need a little nudge.
July Prompts: Exploration
Before you start this self-exploration, ask yourself: are you introverted or extroverted (or both, situationally)? I invite you to consider this aspect of yourself as you explore the following questions - it may shift your whole perspective!
~ Do you like to explore? What does the idea of exploring mean to you? For example, you might explore places, things, ideas, flavours, hobbies, hidden meanings, etc. The things you explore could be new or old. You could already know alot about them, or be completely in the dark about them.
~ What do you lean towards in your unique explorations? Do you prefer to explore in safety and familiarity? Or do you the seek new and unfamiliar? Do you like to observe or jump in? Remember we’re diving into YOU - what you lean towards, and what is required for your true self.
~ Where or what would you love to explore next? When you ask yourself that, do you consider external places and things? If you were to consider exploring something within yourself, what comes up for you? Does this feel different or uncomfortable than when you think of external things? If so, lean in a bit - what do you find?
Write your answers in whatever format you feel most comfortable with - bullet point, longform, doodles, stickers, paint, interpretive dance, etc. Let it be messy, no one but you needs to see it. Speak from the heart. You can keep your answers or burn the evidence; the exercise is simply to nudge you towards some pondering, reframing, reevaluating, and rewilding of your current beliefs for a more sustainable thought ecosystem.
Last month’s prompts
If you found these prompts useful, let me know in the comments! Join me next month for some new prompts to ponder :)