25+ Fall Journaling Prompts (To Feel Better This Autumn)

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Fall is a perfect time to get into journaling. In this post, I included some of my favourite fall journaling prompts, great for self-reflection and clearing your mind during this busier season. With so many holidays just around a corner, it’s a great idea to start regular journaling now so you can reduce the amount of stress you usually feel at this time of the year. Longer evenings, beautiful scenery outside the window, the sound of rain pattering on the window… Autumn brings many opportunities for journaling in a safe and cosy environment. So, take a blanket and a cup of hot chocolate, and let’s get started!

Why fall journal prompts are important?

I was raised in Poland, where All Saints’ Day is a public holiday, during which everyone tends to family graves and the surrounding graveyards, lighting candles and leaving flowers. Even though I haven’t celebrated it for years, I still associate November, and thus also autumn, with nostalgia and reflection. Journaling helped me many times in recognizing and dealing with my emotions safely. It also prompts you to check in with yourself more often, so if you’re prone to having a low mood during this time of the year, try it out.

With four months left before the end of the year, it’s difficult to not reflect on your goals, achievements, and yourself. Autumn is the perfect time to explore change, growth, and self-reflection. That’s why fall journal prompts are important – they help you get a grasp on all your achievements this year so far, and goals you still want to achieve. Just because most of the year has already passed by, it doesn’t mean you can do nothing to catch up with your plans and things you wanted to do.

How to journal in autumn?

Take your time, keep an open mind, and don’t force yourself to journal. If you’ll be trying too hard, journaling might not work as intended. Anytime you find it too difficult to write anything, relax, and look outside the window. Focus on beautiful, colourful leave on the trees. Let your mind roam free, and start writing once you feel you’re ready.

Using autumn journal prompts is not about finding out the perfect response to them. Write the very first thing that came to your mind without thinking twice. Let your words flow and see where they’ll take you. Sometimes you can discover some hidden truths about yourself this way.

Journal regularly to reduce your stress levels and keep your mind clear and free of intrusive thoughts. Fall season often feels busier than ever, even though the entire world around us winds down already. With holidays just around the corner, get all the peace you can to stay on top of everything without feeling overwhelmed.

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25+ fall journaling prompts

1. What are you worried about right now?
2. Describe your favorite fall memory.
3. Do you feel lost or overwhelmed? Why? What can you do to change that?
4. Create a happy list – list of activities or places that lift your mood. Why do they work?
5. How has your life changed during the past 12 months?
6. Where do you see yourself next year?
7. Describe an ideal autumn evening. What steps you can take to get closer to your vision?
8. What has been the worst part of this year?
9. What do you need more and less of in life? Think of all the things that make you happy, hopeful, or, on the contrary, sad, resentful, anxious.
10. Do you like change? Why? If not, what scares you most about it?
11. Create your own fall bucket list.
12. What makes this time of the year special and meaningful for you?
13. If you could change one thing about autumn, what would it be and why?
14. Do you have any fall-related traditions? What new traditions would you like to start this autumn? Why are they important to you?
15. Do you have anything new you’d like to learn this autumn?
16. Describe autumn in one sentence.
17. Do you feel emotional during this season? Why do you think is that?
18. What is your favorite autumn related quote, and what does it mean to you?
19. What are your favourite ways to de-stress during this busy season of the year?
20. When was the last time you went for a walk in nature? Describe it. Where did you go? Who were you with? What did you see? How did you feel? What were you thinking about? Let your imagination run free.
21. Think of the summer that has just ended. What lesson did you learn during that time of the year?
22. Autumn is the beginning of the end of the year. Think of all the goals you’ve set at the beginning of the year. Is there anything else you’d like to achieve before January?
23. Looking ahead to winter, what are you most looking forward to?
24. Describe your favourite childhood memory. Bonus points if it’s fall-related!
25. If you could get anything you want this fall, what would it be and why?
26. What is your biggest dream? What stops you from going after it?
27. Who’s your favourite person to spend time with and why?
28. Is there anything that ends for you this fall? How do you feel about that?

A few words on autumn journal supplies

The idea of journaling has been romanticized by others lately. For a very long time, I believed I need a new LAMA fountain pen and colourful ink. Preferably purple or dark orange, to match the season I was in. I didn’t want to use a notebook I’ve already had, instead I set out in a search of a Moleskine journal with dotted pages. It took me a while to get all of that, but when I did.. I was too scared to start journaling.

Having this beautiful (quite expensive) notebook in front of me created pressure to write nicely and avoid making mistakes. When I finally caved in and started writing, it turned out that fountain pen I so badly wanted scratches paper and it makes my skin crawl. I didn’t like how my handwriting looked like so I stopped writing altogether. I hid a fountain pen and a notebook I dreamt about for so long and never used them again.

It made me realize that I don’t need anything fancy to start with. While using branded items might make your journaling session feel more special, they might also be a reason for getting writer’s blocks or for fear of writing.

Since then, whenever I journal using a pen and paper, I use simple BIC Crystal pen, and a notebook I’ve already had at home. Pick a pen that glides smoothly across the pages so you won’t be frustrated while journaling, and start writing. Don’t overthink this.

If you prefer to journal digitally, you can use a free version of Notion or Google Docs. For journaling on iPad, you might want to use free apps like Nebo or OneNote, or paid ones like Notability or GoodNotes. Use whatever works best for you.

Concluding thoughts on fall journaling prompts

Fall is a beautiful, and kind of nostalgic season, perfect for spending some time reflecting on your life. With only a few months left until the end of the year, it’s a great time to get a grasp on your goals and achievements of the year.

This time of the year creates plenty of opportunities to start journaling. I hope that those 25+ autumn journal prompts will help you reflect on your life and set goals for the remaining few months. Use longer evenings to your advantage and spend some time with a pen and paper to help you transition into the new season. When doing it regularly, you feel better during this busier time of the year. Happy journaling!