These are prompts from some other place besides a book that ask to examine certain aspects of yourself. I will not have created these prompts myself, so I want to pay respect that they came from somewhere.
This months’ prompts are going to be coming from this substack that I recently started following:
https://open.substack.com/pub/theebookclubx/p/31-journal-prompts-for-november-learning?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
November Prompts
- What part of yourself are you finally ready to understand?
- What does “peace” mean to you now and what used to disturb it?
- Write about a moment that changed how you see yourself.
- What habits or patterns do you want to leave in this year?
- Who in your life feels like warmth and why?
- Describe a version of yourself that you’re growing into.
- What would your younger self thank you for today?
- What does emotional maturity look like to you?
- Write about a time you chose peace over proving a point.
- How do you know when it’s time to let something end?
- What part of your healing still feels unfinished?
- What lesson did this year try to teach you, gently or otherwise?
- Write about a time you surprised yourself.
- How do you show up for others without losing yourself?
- What are you no longer apologizing for?
- Write a letter to someone you’ve outgrown, even if you never send it.
- What boundaries have made your life better?
- How do you comfort yourself when you don’t feel understood?
- Describe your relationship with stillness.
- What does authenticity mean to you right now?
- Write about something you’re proud of but rarely mention.
- What truth have you been avoiding?
- How does solitude make you feel? peaceful or lonely?
- Write about a time you felt seen without needing to explain yourself.
- What are you learning to forgive yourself for?
- How do you measure growth without comparing yourself to others?
- What does “home” mean beyond a place?
- What are you currently seeking, emotionally, spiritually, or mentally?
- Write about a moment of clarity you’ve had recently.
- How have you changed since January?
- What kind of person do you hope to be walking into the new year?
What does authenticity mean to you right now?
Authenticity is a concept that I am always trying to learn and lean into. Finding that truest version of myself. That one that I feel aligns perfectly with the inner workings of my brain. Authenticity is so important to me. I want to be the realest version of myself. It is hard sometimes when you are an autistic individual that has been told that you have to exist within society in a specific way. Oh the joys of masking and being told not to be authentic.
Most of my life has been that something is wrong with who I am at my core. When I used to read “Fear Street” books I would be told that I needed to read “other things” because that was wrong. Hell, a teacher had my grandmother come in because I read too much. I have been told that the things I like to collect were “weird” and that if I wasn’t a “gay male” that I would be “creepy” because I liked at that time unicorns, rainbows, bright colors and positivity. I have been told the television shows that I enjoy are “trash” and “no one should watch that show.” Always someone telling me that what I love or enjoy is not good enough, so authenticity has been something I have learned to suppress so that other people like that version of me. I see other people though living authentically and not being judged in the same way. It impacts me more to hear hurtful things.
I am unlearning the masking that I have had to do in this hurtful society. I am still learning to say what is the authentic version of me. If I didn’t feel like I had to listen to all these other people who would I be? I have unmasked in some ways in this last year because I have learned that as an autistic person I was severely masked. I would not even allow myself to own items in my bedroom that were me, but in this last year I have purchased Rainbow Brite and Strawberry Shortcake items because I love them! When I got my first Strawberry Shortcake vintage doll I cried because I felt such an inner peace. This allowed me to know that I was being authentic in expressing my love for them. I have learned that there are several types of items that are like this, which one of the recent areas I have been exploring is spirituality. I masked heavily because I was raised in Christianity and felt that I had to believe that way. I am realizing that my belief system is more of a mixture of New Age/Wiccan belief systems. I believe in the energy of the world. That there is an energy that we all put out. That we should put more positive energy out than negative. This is my authentic belief system. I believe in mystical elements, not in Christian belief systems. Authenticity is saying that when usually I would have said “Yes, I believe in a higher power.” I want to step into my own truths instead of always being worried about other people’s truths.
Authenticity is something that I will continue to work on, probably for the rest of my life. It is worth it though because I find myself feeling better about myself because I am not hurting others, but really being open about who I am. I find I am doing this in all areas of my life, including at work. I find myself stating how I exist in the world and that I want other people to know how I exist instead of presenting a professional falsehood to be accepted. It is nice to step into truth. I hope I can continue to do that.
