Journaling and reading are two hobbies that go hand in hand. Both reading and journaling allow us to reflect on life experiences, whether they are our own or those of a character whom we deeply relate to. Combining the power of journaling with reading can help us to get more from the books we read and help us see ourselves in a clearer light. We believe in the power of reading and reflecting, so here, we will pair some introspective reads with journal prompts for self-reflection.
Reading + Journaling = Healing: How To Do It
Before we dive into book recommendations to pair with your journaling journey, we have some tips to share on how to make the most of this experience. First, choose your book thoughtfully and engage in active reading strategies such as highlighting, annotating, and taking notes on anything that feels important. Pause often and reflect on things that stand out to you or where the story makes your mind wander off to.
You can focus on reflecting on the book, the characters, their choices, and write about your thoughts on that. Understanding how the character acted or reacted can help you to understand yourself better. Try to imagine yourself in the character’s shoes and reflect on what you would’ve done in their place. Finally, really focus on your emotions while reading. What parts of the book made you feel different ways?
The Book of Alchemy: A Creative Practice for an Inspired Life by Suleika Jaouad
If you are still unsure of where to start, Suleika Jaouad’s The Book of Alchemy is the perfect place to practice reflective journaling about what you’ve read. Jaouad shares the importance of journaling and creativity as an element of self-reflection and healing. She, along with a hundred writers, artists, and thinkers, shares essays about living an inspired life.
Each essay is paired with journal prompts to encourage readers to begin journaling and reflecting on everything they take in. The Book of Alchemy contains a wide range of themes, and it encourages readers not only to read essays that encourage them to actively engage in what they have read.
Here we will share a few of our own prompts and book pairings to help you discover exactly what you need.
Educated by Tara Westover
Educated is a memoir where Tara Westover shares her experience breaking away from the isolated life in the mountains of Idaho where she grew up and seeking out her own education. She must break away from everything she knows and forge her own path to get the education she deserves. This book plays on themes of resilience, perseverance, and self-discovery. Here are a few journal prompts to think about and reflect on while reading Educated:
- “How have I been resilient in my life?”
- “What are the best parts of my life, and how were they shaped by adversities I overcame?”
- “How does the personal history I have created for myself shape my identity?”
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
A Man Called Ove is a beautiful and heartwarming novel about a curmudgeonly man named Ove who forms an unexpected friendship with the lively young family who moved in next door. This book is largely about the importance of connection as opposed to loneliness. It is about forgiveness, and most of all, it encourages readers to find joy in the small moments in life. Here are some perfect prompts to further engage in this book:
- “When have I felt most connected to another human being?”
- “If I slowed down today, what little joys would I notice in the world?”
- “Take a moment to stop and take notice of all five senses and write down what you feel. How does it feel to slow down like that?”
A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf
In A Room of One’s Own, Virginia Woolf creates a vivid argument for women’s creative autonomy. She explores what it means to create, and what is needed to be a creative woman when the field is dominated by men. It provides vivid writing and deep thought about overcoming society’s obstacles. A Room of One’s Own explores independence, freedom, privacy, and the need for solitude to create. Journal prompts that can accompany this reading include:
- “What would a room of my own look like for me? What fuels my creative inner life?”
- “How would I define my sense of self?”
- “How do I give myself permission to think for myself even if others disagree?”
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
Into the Wild is the true story of Chris McCandless, a young man who made the ultimate escape from society in a journey that eventually led to his untimely death, alone in the Alaskan wilderness. Into the Wild is a book filled with angst, perfect for those struggling to feel understood by society. While it is not advisable to follow in McCandless’ footsteps, it is an interesting story to reflect on. Here are some journal prompts to pair with Into the Wild:
- “Have I ever wanted to leave my life behind, to walk away from everything? Why?”
- “Chris McCandless wrote, ‘Happiness is only real when shared,’ and he lived a rather solitary existence. Do I agree with this statement?”
- “Is there a way I can seek freedom in life without abandoning responsibility or connection?”
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar follows a young woman, Esther Greenwood, who is on the verge of a breakdown. This book is a careful unraveling of Esther’s mental health, an incredibly realistic depiction of these desperate feelings. The Bell Jar is an introspective book, bringing a certain rationalization to a deeply concerning mental state. Like Esther, it yearns to be understood, and pairing this read with these journal prompts allows for a new kind of self-awareness:
- “What has been my personal ‘bell jar’? What in my life has made me feel trapped, and what helped to lift that feeling?”
- “Use the fig tree analogy: what are all my hopes and dreams for my life if nothing stood in my way? As I grow older, what ‘figs’ remain the most important? What ‘figs’ can I let go?”
Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney
Sally Rooney’s Beautiful World, Where Are You follows two long-distance best friends navigating young adulthood. They struggle with the state of the world they live in and where they are meant to fit in it. Beautiful World, Where Are You is extremely honest and demands that readers reflect on the world around them. Prompts to pair with this read require readers to face harsh truths about themselves and their world. Here are a few journal prompts to help you reflect on this book:
- “Do I ever feel overwhelmed by the state of the world? What can I do to stay both hopeful and aware?”
- “How do I analyze myself versus others? Am I too harsh a judge on one over the other? How can I treat both myself and others with more patience and compassion?”
The Sunflower by Simon Wiesenthal
The Sunflower is a deeply philosophical read that grapples with a question that even the Dalai Lama has struggled to answer. It tells Simon Wiesenthal’s experience as a Jew during the Holocaust, taken to the bedside of a dying Nazi and asked for forgiveness. Did he do the right thing in not granting this dying man comfort in his final hours? This book has gained attention from countless writers, thinkers, and leaders reflecting on forgiveness. The Sunflower gives readers a chance to learn about their personal beliefs. Here are prompts to pair with this ethical quandary:
- “What does forgiveness mean to me?”
- “Reflect on a time when I struggled to forgive someone or I did not receive forgiveness from another, did I feel entitled to forgive or be forgiven?”
- “What would I have done in Simon’s place?”
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
In The Year of Magical Thinking, Joan Didion details how she got through one of the most challenging parts of her life. She details how she found the will to maintain her sanity each day. This book is about the power of your mindset and deals with how you can make it through the hardest of times. Here are some journal prompts to pair with The Year of Magical Thinking:
- “Reflect on the concept of mind over body power. What are both the positive and negative outcomes of this type of thinking?
- “How do my memories shape the way I live my life?”
- “How can I stay connected to the parts of my identity that are connected to someone I’ve lost (or something that’s ended)?”
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Before the Coffee Gets Cold tells the surreal story of a cafe in Tokyo that offers the magical ability to travel back in time. Customers come to see a loved one one last time, meet a child they never got to know, or confront someone they never got the chance to, but they only have this ability until their coffee goes cold. In this book, author Toshikazu Kawaguchi takes on nostalgia and regret. Journal prompts for reflecting on the past are a great pair for this story:
- “What is an event or time I would go back to if I could, and why?”
- “How would reliving a past event change it?”
- “How does nostalgia make you remember an event differently from how it was?”
There is no better feeling than finding pieces of yourself in a book. Pairing journaling with reading allows you to gain self-reflection in any story and better understand yourself and the people around you. We hope that this has opened a whole new way of reading for you.
Want to learn about different journaling techniques? Click here.
Find these books and more on our Stimulating Novels That Challenge the Status Quo bookshelf on Bookshop.org.
