30-Day Journal Challenge for Getting Unstuck When Life Feels ‘Meh’

Sleepwalking through life is a silent epidemic.

It’s that nagging feeling that you’re just going through the motions, not really knowing what you want, but at the same time having this deep sense of knowing there’s something more out there for you.

And so you end up watching your days melt into weeks, and the weeks disappear into months, and before you know it, a whole year has gone by and you still have this ‘stuck’ feeling.

How do I know this so well? Because I’ve been there myself—twice.

And trust me, living the exact same year on repeat is no joke.

If you’ve been feeling a little lost, or unfulfilled, with a gnawing sense of untapped potential, I want to invite you to join this 30-day journal challenge for self discovery.

It’s not some magic fix-all solution. Instead, think of it as a personal roadmap. A series of simple, daily prompts designed to help you peel back the layers and rediscover the real you – the one who’s been hiding under all those “shoulds” and “musts” that society’s been piling on.

If you’re ready to stop sleepwalking and start living, let’s go.

If you’ve never taken part in one, you’re probably wondering, “what is a journaling challenge?”

A journal challenge is a guided activity where you commit to expressing yourself – your thoughts, feelings and emotions – for a set period of time.

This exercise could go on anywhere from a few days, to a month. Sometimes even longer.

I’ve found that the sweet spot for a challenge like this one is 30 days – long enough to get into the momentum of journaling, but short enough to maintain motivation and commitment.

Challenges include journal prompts that are usually centered around a specific theme or topic that’s related to an area the participant, or challengee, wants to improve. These areas might include increasing gratitude, developing greater self-awareness, or practicing mindfulness.

For this challenge, our focus is on self-discovery.

I’ve written 30 prompts, one for each day, and these are broken down into six interlinked areas:

1. Your Values: Identifying what you hold dear.
2. Your Mindset: Developing your thoughts and attitudes.
3. Your Passions: Exploring what drives and excites you.
4. Your Aspirations: Identifying what you want to achieve.
5. Your Habits: Building daily practices that support your growth.
6. Your Connections: Understanding your relationships and social interactions.

How you approach these prompts is flexible – you can tackle a single prompt a day, or multiple prompts in one sitting, or even stretch them out over a longer period, like one a week. The pace is entirely up to you.

I’m not promising you dramatic change overnight. what you’re likely to gain, though, is a clearer picture of who you are, what truly matters to you, and where you might want to go from here.

Armed with this deeper understanding, you’ll find yourself better equipped to make more meaningful decisions and take purposeful actions, that lead to gradual, genuine change.

Rules are so restrictive, so technically there aren’t any. But, if you want some pointers to keep you on track, here are a few friendly suggestions you might find helpful:

Don’t worry if you skip a day. It isn’t the end of the world, and it doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It just means that life got in the way, and you can pick it back up again the next day.

Try not to miss more than two days in a row. Keeping the momentum is key. Missing more days can make it harder to restart, so do your best to get back into the rhythm.

Write as much or as little as you like. There’s no pressure to fill a page—just let your thoughts flow freely.
Some days, a few words will be all you can muster; other days, you might write a whole essay. It’s all good.

Not into writing? No problem. Journaling is about expressing yourself in a way that feels right. Feel free to try alternatives to writing – doodling, drawing, painting, or even recording audio. Whatever works for you.

Link your journaling to a daily habit. Do you take five minutes in the morning to drink your coffee, or in the evening while you’re unwinding before bed? Use that time to also journal so it becomes part of your ritual.

Now, grab your journal or empty notebook and let’s begin the challenge.

Your Values

Day 1: What’s one thing you’ve always believed in (secretly, or openly), even when it wasn’t easy?

Think about something you’ve stuck to, even when it would’ve been easier to give up. Maybe it’s being honest, even when a white lie seems tempting. Or standing up for someone, even when others didn’t.

Why does this matter so much to you? How has it shaped your life? Remember times when holding onto this belief was tough. What kept you going?

Understanding what we truly believe in, especially when it’s hard, can tell us a lot about who we are and what we care about.

Day 2: Think of a time when you felt genuinely proud of yourself. What values were you honoring?

The things that make us feel proud show us what we really value in life. So go back to a time when you felt really good about yourself. What did you do? Were you brave? Kind? Hard-working?

Think about why that moment made you feel proud. Was it because you helped someone? Overcame a fear? Achieved a goal?

Day 3: What’s a decision you regret making? What value did it conflict with?

Sometimes we make choices we wish we’d made differently, but our regrets teach us what’s important. Describe what happened. Why did you choose what you did at the time? Does your decision still bother you? Now, try to figure out why it doesn’t sit right with you.

Did you let someone down? Ignore your gut feeling? Go against something you believe in? If you could go back to that time and what would you decide to do instead?

Day 4: If you could change one thing about society, what would it be and why?

Thinking about what we’d like to change in the world can tell us a lot about what matters to us personally.

Write about what concerns you most about the world we live in right now. Is it how people treat each other? The way we handle money? How we treat the planet? Why does this particular thing get under your skin? How has it affected you or people you care about?

Day 5: What’s a value you’d like to embody more in your daily life? What’s holding you back?

Think of a quality you admire in others. Maybe it’s being more patient, braver, or kinder. Now, be honest with yourself – what’s stopping you from being more like that? Is it fear? Habit? Lack of time?

Once you know what’s in your way, try to think of small, everyday ways you could start living up to this value.

Your Mindset

Day 6: What belief about yourself is holding you back the most?

We all have that nagging voice in our head that tells us we can’t do something. What does yours say? “I’m not smart enough”? “I’ll never be successful”? Where do you think you picked up this idea, and how has believing it affected your life?

Now, let’s poke some holes in it. What proof do you have that it might not be true? How might things be different if you didn’t believe this about yourself? Challenging these thoughts we have about ourselves is the first step to getting unstuck.

Day 7: How do you typically react when faced with uncertainty? How could you respond differently?

Life throws all sorts of curveballs at us, but how we deal with them makes a big difference in how we feel day to day. So how do you usually handle times of uncertainty?

Do you worry a lot? Avoid making decisions? Or do you get excited about the possibilities? Think about recent times when you weren’t sure what would happen. How did you deal with it? Did your reaction help or make things worse?

Now, imagine handling it differently. Could you see the unknown as a chance to learn something new? Can you focus on what you can control and let go of the rest?

Day 8: What’s a story you keep telling yourself that might not be true?

We have go-to explanations for why things are the way they are in our lives. What’s yours?

Maybe it’s “I’m just not a people person” or “I’ll never be good with money.” Now, let’s fact-check this story. Is it really true, or is it just something you’ve gotten used to believing? How has thinking this way affected your life?

What if you tried on a different story? You don’t have to believe it right away, just imagine how things might be different if you did.

Day 9: If you could give advice to your younger self, what would it be?

Imagine you could have a conversation with your younger self.

What would you want to say? Maybe it’s “don’t worry so much” or “take more chances.” Think about why you’d give this advice. What have you learned since then? And how much of this advice do you still need to hear today? Often, what we wish we knew back then is exactly what we need to remember right now.

Day 10: What’s one way you could be kinder to yourself starting today?

A lot of the time we’re our own worst critics. How do you talk to yourself, especially when things go wrong? Now imagine how you’d treat a friend in the same situation. Could you be that understanding with yourself?

Think of one small way you could be nicer to yourself. Maybe it’s taking a break without feeling guilty, or praising yourself for small wins.

Your Passions

Day 11: What did you love doing as a child that you no longer do?

Think back to when you were a kid. What made you lose track of time? Maybe it was drawing, building things, or making up stories. Why did you stop doing it?

Sometimes we leave behind things we love because we think we’ve “grown up” or they’re not practical. But those childhood joys tell us a lot about what really lights us up. Could you bring a bit of that back into your life now? It might spark something you’ve been missing.

Day 12: If you had one year to pursue anything without consequences, what would you choose?

Imagine you’ve got a free pass for a year. No need to worry about money, what others think, or failing. What would you do? Travel the world? Start a business? Learn to play an instrument?

Your answer will reveal passions or dreams you might have pushed aside.

Day 13: What’s a skill or hobby you’ve been curious about but haven’t explored yet? What’s stopping you?

We all have that thing we say we’ll learn “someday.” What’s yours? Maybe it’s a language, a sport, or a skill. Now, be honest – what’s really keeping you from starting? Is it time? Money? Fear of looking silly?

Sometimes naming the real obstacle is the first step to overcoming it. Through reflecting on it, see if you can find a way around it. Even if that means taking the tiniest step towards learning something new?

Day 14: When was the last time you felt completely absorbed in an activity? What were you doing?

Remember a time when you were so focused on something that you forgot to check your phone, or eat? What were you doing? It could be anything – cooking, fixing something, helping someone, or solving a problem.

These moments of flow are clues to what truly engages us. They’re worth paying attention to because they point to activities that make us feel alive and fulfilled.

Day 15: If you could instantly master any talent or skill tomorrow, what would you choose and why?

If you could instantly be great at something new, what would you pick? Don’t overthink it – go with your gut. Now, why that particular skill? Is it something you’ve always admired in others? Something that would make your life easier or more fun?

Your Aspirations

Day 16: What’s one small change you could make today that would bring you closer to your ideal life?

Think about how you’d like your life to be. Now, what’s one step you could take today to move in that direction? It doesn’t have to be big.

Maybe it’s sending an email you’ve been putting off, or spending 10 minutes on a hobby. Small changes add up over time, but only if you start somewhere.

Day 17: If you knew you couldn’t fail, what would you start doing immediately?

Imagine failure wasn’t an option. What would you try? Start a business? Perform on stage? Ask someone out? Our biggest dreams are the ones we’re most afraid to pursue.

This prompt will help you recognize what you really want, deep down. Once you know that, you can start moving towards it in real life.

Day 18: What does success look like to you, beyond societal expectations?

Forget what your parents, friends, or society say success should be. What does it mean to you? Is it about relationships? Personal growth? Making a difference?

Your idea of success might be totally different from what you’ve been chasing. Understanding your own definition will help you focus on what truly matters to you, not what others expect.

Day 19: What’s a goal you’ve been putting off? What’s the smallest step you could take towards it?

Breaking big goals into super small steps makes them feel less overwhelming. And taking that first step, no matter how small, can give you the momentum to keep going.

Day 20: If you could design your perfect day five years from now, what would it look like?

Imagine waking up five years from now on a perfect day. What does it look like? Who’s there with you? What are you doing? Give yourself full permission to dream even if it feels a little silly to do so.

Your Habits

Day 21: What’s one habit that’s not serving you well?

We have habits we know aren’t great for us. Things like doom scrolling on our phone first thing in the morning, or saying yes when we want to say no. Pick one that you would like to change.

Day 22: What’s a small, positive habit you could start tomorrow?

Think of one tiny good habit you could start right away. Make it so small that it feels almost too easy. Like drinking a glass of water when you wake up, or stretching for two minutes a day. The smaller it is, the more likely you are to actually do it. And these tiny habits can grow into bigger changes over time.

Take this prompt further. Get intentional about building new habits with this habit tracking workbook.

Day 23: How do you typically spend your free time? Does this align with your goals and values?

Are you scrolling social media? Watching TV? Hanging with friends? There’s no right or wrong answer, but does how you spend your time match up with what you say is important to you?

If not, how could you shift some of that time to activities that better reflect your goals and values?

Day 24: What’s one thing you could do daily to feel more fulfilled?

Think of something small you could do every day that would make you feel good. It might be calling a friend, writing in a journal, or spending time on a hobby.

It doesn’t have to take long – even 5 or 10 minutes will make a difference. The key is doing it consistently. How could you fit this into your daily routine?

Day 25: What’s a habit you’ve always admired in others? How could you incorporate it into your life?

We often admire in others what we want to develop in ourselves.

Is there a habit you’ve noticed in someone else that you admire? Maybe they’re always reading, or they stay calm under pressure. You don’t have to copy them exactly – think about how you could adapt it to fit your lifestyle and personality.

Your Connections

Day 26: How have your actions positively influenced someone else?

Think about a time recently when something you did really made someone’s day better. What happened, and how did it affect them?

Now, think about how your positivity makes you feel and what it reveals about your interactions. How can you keep spreading this energy in your daily life?

Day 27: What relationship in your life needs the most attention right now?

Relationships need care, just like plants need water. Which of your relationships feels a bit neglected? Maybe it’s with a friend, a family member, or even yourself.

Why do you think it’s been overlooked? What small thing could you do to start nurturing this relationship again?

Day 28: How do your relationships impact your sense of purpose or fulfillment?

Think about the people in your life. How do they affect how you feel about yourself and your life? Do some relationships energize you, while others drain you?

Understanding this can help you focus on nurturing the connections that support your growth and happiness.

Day 29: What’s a conversation you’ve been avoiding that might lead to positive change?

We put off having certain conversations because we feel uncomfortable about approaching the subject. What’s something you’ve been avoiding talking about?

Maybe it’s about a problem in a relationship, or a change you want to make. Why have you been putting it off? How might things improve if you had this conversation?

Day 30: If you could strengthen one aspect of your social life, what would it be and why?

Look at your social life as a whole. What area could use some work? Would you like to make new friends, deepen existing relationships, or get better at setting boundaries.

Why does this area feel important to you? What’s one small step you could take to start improving it?

Our connections with others play a huge role in our happiness, so it’s worth putting some thought into this.

Congratulations! You’ve made it to the end of this 30-day journal challenge. Give yourself a big pat on the back for sticking with it.

You’ve gained valuable insights into your values, passions, and aspirations.

But know that this is not the end, it’s just the beginning. Keep using what you’ve learned about yourself to make small changes in daily life. Try setting some goals based on your new self-knowledge, or adjust your routines so they line up with your true values.

And if, or when you’re feeling stuck again in the future, revisit this challenge. These prompts will always offer you a fresh perspective.