5 Best Writing Prompts to Promote Positive Thinking

“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” -Ernest Hemingway

Okay, so we may not use typewriters anymore, but Hemingway is on to something here.

When we write, we engage with what’s deep inside our soul. We channel our thoughts into words and reveal our true feelings. Writing shines a light on our understanding of ourselves and the world.

Writing even helps us sort through our problems, fears and concerns. That’s way too hard to do in our heads, and writing brings it all out so we can clearly see it. Overall, writing helps us remain positive.

With positive writing prompts, we can rearrange the way we think about our life. We can step away from negativity and lead our minds down a much more forgiving road.

Here are five writing prompts to get you started:

1 Think About a Time You Had to Learn A Lesson the Hard Way. and Write about What You Learned in a Positive Light.

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Many of us look back at the hard lessons we’ve learned and wish we could have a second chance to do it right. We may beat ourselves up over the decision we made.

Think about what you gained versus what you lost. By thinking about the lessons we learned the hard way in a more positive light, we can sort them out and avoid self-hating tendencies.

2 Think About The Traits You Have That You’re Most Proud Of. Write About A Situation Where One Of These Skills Came In Handy.

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All of us can fall into the trap of comparing ourselves to others. It’s an awfully vicious cycle because when we do this, we’re either better or worse than another person. Either way, we lose.

Writing about a single skill we’re proud of in the context of one situation can help us appreciate what we have. We all bring something different to the table, and this writing prompt will help you realize what that is.

3 Write About A Time You Stayed Calm While Solving A Tough Problem. Think About How You Really Wanted To React.

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As adults, we know we must respond calmly and rationally when solving problems. We have to sit back and think about a situation before we react.

Often, we really don’t have the opportunity to sort those feelings out. We sometimes remain on auto-pilot and don’t even think about it.

By writing about how you truly wanted to react to a problem, you unearth feelings that could be buried underneath.

4 Think About Something You’re Really Grateful For. Write In Detail About Why You’re Grateful For It.

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All the luxuries in our society can be overwhelming. It takes a lot to step back and appreciate what you do have.

This exercise will help you hone in on not only what you’re grateful for, but also why you’re grateful for it. You begin to think about the positives in your life when you are grateful for what you already have.

5 Think About A Change You Made In Your Life, No Matter How Small It Might Be. Write About The Significance Of The Change.

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We may not think it’s significant, but the little changes we make in our lives can make a world of difference in the grand scheme of things.

Don’t beat yourself up for not making the big changes. Instead, focus on a small one you have made.

For me, I made the small but powerful decision to run a mile every morning. Although it’s not much, it’s still way better than not running at all.

Final Thoughts

We all have negative thoughts every once in a while, but no matter how you’re feeling, these positive writing prompts will help you stay positive.