30 Deep Intentional Goals Journaling Prompts To Help You Find Purpose In Your Life + My Goals For The Year!!
Last Updated on 01/13/2024 by Nicky
Intentional Journaling Prompts To Help You Find Meaning And Purpose In Your Life!
So ya’ll, I’m really excited about these intentional journaling prompts today! Why? Because life without a purpose is like a drifting wind without direction and it’s so easy to drift when you don’t have intentional goals that you’ve set.
And I don’t want that for you! It’s like one minute you feel like you have it all together and the next minute, you don’t even know what your next move ought to be.
Once you start to feel this way, you’re likely to compare yourself to anyone who seems to have their life planned out.
You’ll ask yourself questions like:
- ‘Why me?’
- ‘Why is my life like this?’
- ‘Why can’t I commit to anything?’
- ‘What is wrong with me?’
This could come with several rounds of tears and after your pillow is soaked, you may still not have the answers.
I know that it can be a very painful place because you were created by God to have a purpose and live intentionally.
If this is you, I recommend using these intentional journaling prompts I’ll share next. They will help you set intentional goals so that you can find meaning and purpose in all areas of your life. So what does that mean?
We will be setting goals in the following areas: spiritual, financial, physical health, and mental health because these are the things we talk about here on HAYC. So if you’re ready, let’s get started!
Oh yeah, and this post contains affiliate links to great products that will help you in your health journey. I will get a commission if you decide to buy from these links. Please let me know if you have any questions.
–What Does Intentional Journaling Mean Anyway?
Like I said, it’s so easy to just go through life mindlessly. Never reflecting on your life or the things you do. You can live through 10 years of your life and wake up one day and say “Wow, where did the time go and what did I do with my time”.
I know, because I’ve experienced that.
It’s terrifying to think that you’ve wasted years of your life, not accomplishing goals or pursuing a life of purpose and meaning. I know I’ve looked back on certain years of my life and thought, I didn’t really accomplish any of my goals this year!
I mean what in the world happened? And then I start to feel like a failure! So what can you do to stop feeling this way if you’ve had the same thoughts running through your mind?
Well, one way to change that mindless drifting-through-life feeling is by using an intentional journal. What an intentional journal does is help you gain clarity on your intentions and goals in ways that make them easy and possible to achieve!
With an intentional journal, you can keep a record of the things you want to achieve daily, weekly or monthly and review them every day.
This includes your short and long-term goals, dreams, and aspirations. Soon enough, you’ll find that you’re living out your life’s purpose daily and making great use of your time.
– How do you start an intentional journal?
Whether or not you know what to do with your life, the harsh reality is that time never waits for anyone.
The days and years keep rolling very fast without pity for your clouded and troubled mind. Time is cruel in that way!
Using an intentional journal can motivate you toward having the best and most meaningful days, weeks, and years of your life. And I’ll show you how to start one.
1. Get a journal
The first step to intentional journaling is to get a journal. Like I always say, it doesn’t have to be anything fancy or overly expensive. It just has to serve its purpose.
Now here’s the thing. I used to journal in a regular notebook which is totally fine. But for me, it didn’t work out so well. I’m super scatterbrained and eventually, I would use one notebook then when I lost that one guess what?
I’d start another journal entry in another notebook.
Before you knew it, I didn’t know where I had written any of my thoughts and dreams. So I had to come up with a better solution.
I’m not sure why but using journaling printables in a binder works better for me than using a notebook. Maybe because it’s more distinctive.
Plus printables are more beautiful than regular paper and so much fun to use.
A traditional diary or journal is another great option if you want to keep a more free-flowing journal. Just choose whatever format is best for your lifestyle! You might decide to go the digital route and use Google Docs, Trello, or Notion.
2. Set some ground rules
Decide how often you want to write in your journal and stick to that schedule as much as possible. Also, choose when and how you’ll like to review what you’ve written in your journal.
The reason is that out of sight is out of mind. I recommend that you go through your intentional journal in the morning before the day’s activities fully set in. Then go over it again just before going to bed.
Going over your intentions for the next day seems to work best for me so that I can hit the ground running in the morning and not waste time…but you choose what works for you!
This time make a mental note or preferably write out what you were able to accomplish during the day in good detail.
Also, keep in mind that it’s a new habit so don’t be hard on yourself if you skip a day (or a couple of days) at first.
Life gets crazy and unexpected things come up so naturally, you may not have your intentional journal at the top of your mind when it does. However, do try and make up your mind to see it through most of the time. Then, keep your intentional journal in a place where you can easily see and access it. It’ll help you commit to it.
3. Be honest with yourself
The whole point of an intentional journal is to be truthful about your thoughts and experiences. Don’t hold back – let your journal be a safe place where you can express whatever is on your mind.
4. Keep it positive
While it’s important, to be honest in your journal, try focusing on your life’s positive aspects. Write about things that make you happy, things you’re grateful for, your goals and their progress, and things that are going well.
If there are areas you need to improve on, state them clearly and write out the steps you plan to take to make improvements.
5. Be patient
I know I said it earlier, but I feel a need to stress this – it may take some time to get into the habit of regular journaling, but stick with it and it will become easier over time.
– What Should The Purpose Of Our Lives Be?
Have you ever asked the chair in your living room what its purpose is? I know that sounds crazy but that’s the same mistake we make as Christians.
We often try to ask the wrong source for our purpose. You’ll agree that the smart thing to do is to ask a manufacturer for the purpose of a product.
And when you’re unable to reach the manufacturer physically, you can turn to the manual to find out what the manufacturer had in mind while making the product and how he/she expects you to use it.
We are God’s creation.
He created us for a purpose and when you read through the manufacturer’s manual, which is your Bible, in this case, you’ll understand what God had in mind when He created you.
The Bible shows us that you were created in the image and likeness of God, to look like Him and function like Him. And your purpose is to live for Christ and glorify Him.
Until you accept the reality of Christ’s purpose for your life, your search for fulfillment will never end. In fact, this is why some people indulge in various habits that bring a false sense of meaning and fulfillment.
I’ve also seen people who reached the heights of success and felt so empty and restless that they questioned the essence of their lives.
God doesn’t want you to live that way. Once you’ve found His purpose for your life, make up your mind that you’ll live it to the full. And your whole life, work, and everything connected to you will bring Him glory.
– My Intentional Goals For The Year
Okay, so it’s time for some transparency. I want to share just a few of my intentional goals for 2023 with ya’ll! I’v got big goals for this coming year and I’m not waiting until 2023 starts to work toward them. I’m starting now (December 2022). So here goes.
– My Financial Intentional Goals
1) Buy a new (to me) car
My car is very old (like 90s old). It still works and I don’t believe in having the latest and greatest car. I just want something that is safe and reliable and gets me from one place to another.
But I don’t want a car payment if I can help it so I”m going to save up for a newer car and try and pay mostly cash for it.
2) Save $10,000 or more by the end of the year
I have savings but not as much as I would like and I want to be a good steward of my money which means not spending frivolously (which I sadly have been doing more than I realized).
So my goal is to save at leat $10,000 by the end of the year in addition to my goal of buying a “new” car.
3) Create a down payment fund on a house
I want to buy a house in the near future and so I need to start putting money away in order to do that.
Perhaps the $10,000 that I’m saving will be used for that I’m not sure but anywho. I need to get talk to a lender to see just how much money I need to save in this fund so I know what my exact goal should be.
– My Spiritual Intentional Goals
1) Pray more consistently
I want to pray more consistently this year and next year. Sometimes I would not see the point of prayer…just being honest.
But I know that prayer works but you have to do it on a consistent basis. I want my relationship with Jesus to grow to new heights this next year and I know that can’t happen without being in frequent communication with Him.
2) Deeper Bible study
I want to study the Bible in a deeper way. I’m not exactly sure what this looks like nor how to measure this goal. But I want to do more than just read the Bible.
And I also don’t want to skip over parts that I’ve read over and over. I’m notorious for looking at a Bible verse and thinking “Oh, yeah, I’ve read that before” and just skimming it.
But I would really like to think about the verses and see what God is telling me and not gloss over them.
3) Helping others
I want to be more mindful of people less fortunate than me. Whether that means volunteering on a regular basis, reaching out to people who seem like they need a friend, giving money to charity on a monthly basis, or any number of things.
I just want to be on the lookout for ways I can bless others. Two charities I really love are World Bible School which helps share the gospel of Jesus with the world and Samaritan’s Purse which also helps share the gospel but also helps with earthly needs as well.
– My Physical Health Goals
1) Lose 50 or more pounds
Even though in the past I have lost 65 pounds, I am sad to say that I have gained some of that weight back. Fortunately, I haven’t gained all of the weight back and I am determined to not let that happen!
So I will be recharging my weight loss journey because I can’t keep going backwards. Nope…time to get back on track, you feel me!? I’ve been working out consistently for the last 3 weeks or so with some hiccups because I was sick and had a severe toothache.
I’m also doing Weight Watchers (WW)…okay, well I have the app and I track occasionally. So now it’s time to track consistently because that’s when I see the most progress.
– My Mental Health Goals
1) Speaking positive affirmations
You know, I kind of thought positive affirmations were a little silly. But honestly, saying them has been helpful to me. Repeating certain affirmations over and over has really made a difference so I’m going to continue to do that.
For instance, I usually am too lazy to put in a recipe in my WW app because I didn’t want to add in all the ingredients. But I baked some homemade rolls and instead of copping out I said to myself over and over “I will track this”.
I don’t remember what I said exactly but it was similar to this. And because I said it over and over and gave my mind NO excuses, I did track it. Plus, I use a lot of negative language like “I sure hope I achieve my goals this time”.
This is crazy talk! I say this as if I have no say over whether or not I crush my goals! I mean who else has control over this EXCEPT me? I have to determine that I’m going to do it and not let life get in the way barring some major life changes or roadblocks.
Obviously, if I get in a car wreck or lose a family member that is going to get me off track but if nothing like that happens, I (with the Lord’s constant help) am in control of what I do or do not accomplish.
So it’s about changing that mindset like I talk about in this post that will make a difference!
2) Travel More
I consider traveling part of my mental health journey for real for real. This year I want to get extremely close to reaching my all “50 states” goal.
I only need about 10 states so I hope to get around 9 of them this year including Alaska! And I’ll probably create a travel journal for the Alaska trip!
–30 Intentional Journaling Prompts To Excel and Reach All Your Goals
Okay so now that you’ve read my intentional goals let’s help you find your own intentional goals for next year. It’s important because finding your purpose is like finding yourself. No one can do it for you; it’s like a treasure waiting to be discovered and unraveled. But I do hope these questions will lead you on the journey to your treasure!
Let these 30 intentional journaling prompts guide you on how to fill your life with purpose!
– General Intentional Journaling Prompts
What is my biggest accomplishment?
What goals have I set in the past that I didn’t quite finish?
Who is someone I admire and why? How can I emulate them?
What is something new I want to learn?
What are some things I want to do before I die?
What will I do differently this year to achieve all of my goals?
How can I stop saying “I wish I could do…” and instead say “I can do…”?
– Physical Intentional Journaling Prompts
What are some things I need to do to take care of myself better?
What are some health scares that I’ve had that I don’t want to ever happen again
Who is my physical health inspiration? How can I emulate them this next year?
What are 3 small healthy habits I could do daily that would make a huge difference in my health?
– Spiritual Intentional Journaling Prompts
How can I do each day to become a better person today?
What can I do to make someone else’s day better?
How can I make a difference in the world?
How can I show others more love today?
How can I connect with the Lord on a daily basis?
What is God saying to me that I keep ignoring?
– Mental Intentional Journaling Prompts
How can I make each day count?
What and who am I grateful for?
How can I show myself more love today?
What goal am I afraid of pursuing and why?
What are some things I take for granted?
What is something good that happened to me today?
What is something I need to let go of?
Who do I need to reach out to and why?
What are some things I need to work on in myself?
What is something I’m passionate about?
– Financial Intentional Journaling Prompts
What were my financial goals this past year?
Did I reach any of them? Be specific about which goals I did and did not reach.
Why do I think I was or was not successful in meeting my financial goals?
What is my financial net worth?
Could I pay for a $1,000 emergency?
Am I on track with my retirement goals?
Want to read Intentional Journaling Prompts post later? Save it to one of your mental health Pinterest boards!
– What Intentional Goals Will You Set This Year?
Now that you’ve seen my goals and seen the intentional journaling prompts, I want you to set at least 3 intentions for the next year.
You see, God wants you to have a joyful and purposeful life but the devil wants the opposite. He seeks to always get you into that state where you feel sorry for yourself and struggle to live a meaningful life.
Don’t give him a chance to derail the plans God has for you!
One way to do it is to determine that you’ll live out God’s purpose for your life fully.
After you’ve made this decision, the next thing you want to do is grab your journal, write your answers to the intentional journal prompts I shared earlier, and use them to reorder your life.
The changes will surprise you in a great way.
We all know how important it is to set aside time for relaxation & self-care. Our mental health depends on it! So if you’re looking for a relaxing escape from the anxieties & stresses of the crazy world we live in then enter your email to access our Renew Your Mind Mental Health Journaling Bundle!
What’s Included In The Renew Your Mind Mental Health Journaling Bundle:
- The Creative Rest Christian Coloring Book: These 5 beautiful coloring pages are accompanied by words of faith and inspiration designed to help you focus on the positive, relax your mind, and dwell on positive Christian affirmations.
- Joy Comes In The Mourning Grief Journal: If you’ve lost a loved one, then journaling is a tool you can use to begin to heal from your loss in a positive and healthy way
- The Stress-Less Anti-Anxiety Journal: This journal has Count Your Blessings, Quiet Time With God, & Today I’m Feeling… pages as well as a Self-Care To-Do List & A Mini Day & Week Planner.
- 15% Discount code to use on any product in the HAYC store!
Plus I add to this bundle all the time
Just click here and the Renew Your Mind Bundle link will be sent to your inbox!
If Intentional Journaling Prompts has helped you, please share it on social media!
More HAYC Posts About Journaling For Mental Health
25+ Beautiful Adult Coloring Pages Christian Women Can Use To Boost Their Mental Health
9 Fun & Creative Things To Write About In Your Journal!
9 Creative Ways To Jazz Up Your Boring Journals & Boost Your Mental Health!
20+ Creative Lists To Write In A Journal When You’re Bored Or Anxious
50 Journal Prompts For Mental Health That Will Help You Process & Elevate Your Thoughts!
Journaling For Mental Clarity: How This Writing Craze Can Boost Your Mental Health
Medical Disclaimer: While Healthy As You Can strives to provide the most accurate information, anything you read on this site is purely for informational or entertainment purposes and should NOT be considered medical advice or as a replacement for a doctor’s care, diagnosis, appointment, advice, etc. I am not a medical professional at all. Any information, tips, or ideas that you try as a result of reading this blog is tried at your, the reader’s, own risk.
Mental Health Disclaimer: While I care deeply about your mental health, please know that I am NOT a licensed medical professional, therapist, counselor, social worker, or mental health professional. Any advice here is not to be taken as medical advice or a diagnosis. IF you need to talk to a licensed mental health professional you can use online-therapy.com (affiliate link) or call a mental health hotline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
