#19: 7-Day Journaling Challenge for Moms Who Need a Damn Minute

Hey mama, when was the last time you checked in with yourself? Not the grocery list version of you. Not the lunch-making, meltdown-managing, multitasking queen. The you-you. If you're running on caffeine, chaos, and emotional fumes, it might be time to pause and put pen to paper or fingers to the keyboard.

This 7-day journaling challenge is your invite to slow down and reconnect with the one person you spend all day ignoring: YOU. No filters. No fluff. Just a few honest minutes each day to untangle the mental knots, vent without judgment, and remind yourself that you are still here, still worthy, still you.

How it works:

• Each day, come back to this post.

• Read the prompt.

• Write what comes up. No editing. No overthinking.

• 5 minutes is enough. So is 1 sentence.

Ready? Let’s do this.

Day 1: The Check-In

Prompt: "How am I, really?"
Why: You can’t pour from an empty cup. Let’s find out what’s even left in it.

Try this:

1. Write down 3 words that describe your current emotional state.

2. Circle one and explore why that word came up today.

3. Note one thing your body needs today (rest? movement? a damn nap?)

4. Write a kind sentence to yourself like you would to a friend.

Day 2: The Anger Audit

Prompt: "What’s been pissing me off—and what do I need?"
Why: Mom rage is a blinking neon sign that your needs are being ignored. Let's decode it.

Try this:

1. List the top 3 things that got under your skin this week.

2. For each one, ask: What boundary got crossed?

3. Identify one unmet need beneath the anger (sleep, space, help?).

4. Write one way to advocate for that need this week.

Day 3: The Honesty Hour

Prompt: "What am I tired of pretending to like?"
Why: No more polite pretending. Name what feels fake and set yourself free.

Try this:

1. List things you’re “supposed” to enjoy but secretly don’t.

2. Ask: Who benefits from me faking this?

3. Write one thing you're done pretending about.

4. Create a new boundary or action to support that truth.

Day 4: The Dream Scene

Prompt: "What would my ideal day actually look like?"
Why: You deserve to want things. Get real about your desires—before they turn resentful.

Try this:

1. Describe your perfect day, hour by hour, no limits.

2. Highlight anything that made you go “Oof, I miss that.”

3. Choose one small piece of that dream to recreate this week.

4. Affirm: “I deserve to experience joy in my everyday life.”

Day 5: The Self-Compassion Scan

Prompt: "What part of me needs the most compassion today?"
Why: Be as kind to yourself as you are to your kids. That’s not selfish—it’s survival.

Try this:

1. Write down the meanest thought you’ve had about yourself today.

2. Flip it. What’s the gentler truth?

3. Write a letter to that struggling part of you—like a mom to her child.

4. End with: “I forgive myself for…” and finish the sentence.

Day 6: The Boundary Blueprint

Prompt: "What do I want to say 'no' to this week?"
Why: You can't do it all—and you shouldn't try. Let’s make space.

Try this:

1. List 3 things that are draining you right now.

2. Ask: Which one can I pause, delegate, or drop?

3. Write a sample script for saying "no" (even just in your head).

4. Affirm: “My time and energy are valuable and worth protecting.”

Day 7: The Brave Shift

Prompt: "What would I do if I trusted myself more?"
Why: Confidence starts with listening to your own voice then acting on it.

Try this:

1. Write down a recent moment where you doubted yourself.

2. What would trusting yourself have looked like instead?

3. Describe one bold move you’ve been daydreaming about.

4. Commit to one micro-action in that direction this week.

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You did it! 7 days of showing up for YOU. I hope these prompts made you feel seen, held, and just a little more like yourself again. Journaling won’t fix everything, but it will remind you that you’re not just surviving; you’re healing, processing, growing. And that’s badass. If you liked this and want more, visit my Stan Store to grab my newest journal I made that targets self-exposure, self-kindness, self-acceptance and self-compassion to really work through your past, heal and transform into who you want to be.

Want even more messy, magical self-care that actually fits into your mom life?
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Keep writing. Keep coming home to yourself.
You’re doing better than you think and I am so proud of you.

Xo,
Caitlin @ Love Yourself Too, Mama