mental health Archives - Our Tiny Nest

10 Journal Prompts for Self Discovery and Reflection

Recently, I started journaling. I have always enjoyed writing and for me, putting my thoughts to paper has been great for self reflection, goal setting, and overall mental health. I’m sharing some easy ways to get started journaling and 10 journal prompts for self discovery and reflection.

Why journal?

Writing in a journal has been shown to be an effective way to organize one’s thoughts and clear the mental clutter. Given the fact that we have been living in a pandemic, social distancing, homeschooling, working from home, etc. many of us are feeling the stress and burnout.

Journaling can be a great resource for helping one recognize their feelings if they tend to bury them (ahem, me!), cope with anxiety or depression and aid in personal development and setting goals. It’s a safe space where you can have a little check in with yourself daily and may also be useful in helping recognize any patterns.

Tips to get started

1.) Get a journal. You don’t need anything fancy, a simple notebook is just fine or you can choose from several pretty ones on Amazon.

2.) Write! You can start with just brain dumping where you basically just write whatever is on your mind. For me, I sometimes find that blank page intimidating and I like to start with some journal prompts. (See below). However you start, just write.

3.) Be consistent. Make it a habit . Try to do it at the same time each day. And if you a miss a day, or 2 or 5, don’t beat yourself up. Just pick up the pen and write again. Eventually, the more you do it, it will become second nature.

4.) Make it your own. You can draw, add photos, do whatever you want. It’s just for you. The main thing is to be honest with yourself.

Here are 10 journal prompts for self discovery and reflection

1.) What are my top strengths?

2.) What is something I thought I couldn’t do but did anyway?

3.) What does my ideal life look like? How can I achieve it?

4.) Top 5 short and long term goals.

5.) Write about something that’s been weighing heavy on you or causing worry.

6.) What made me feel good today?

7.) If my body could talk it would say…

8.) Write a list – bucket list, books you want to read, places you want to visit, etc.

9.)How do you feel right now? Why do you think you feel that way?

10.) What’s something I need to let go of that’s holding me back?

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February 26, 2021 By Nicolle

1 In Lifestyle/ self care

Ways to keep yourself from slipping into a funk while social distancing

This post was sponsored by Reebok as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

Thank you to Reebok for sponsoring today’s post.

Quarantine life day 1,354. That’s what it feels like anyway. And while my husband and I are both deemed essential and have to go to work, we’re still feeling the slump from not being able to go anywhere or see family or friends. There are some things that you can do to keep yourself feeling upbeat. I’m sharing with you some ways to keep yourself from slipping into a funk while social distancing.

1.) Get dressed every morning – Getting dressed, doing my hair and throwing on a little makeup makes me feel human and like a contributing member of society. This is something I learned back when I was home on maternity leave. You don’t have to get all fancy. Some days I put on jeans but most of the time it’s comfy athleisure. I love the new Reebok all-inclusive sizing line at Kohl’s. They carry sizes from XS-4XL. The line is perfect for whether you’re lounging at home, chasing the kids or getting in a workout.

2.) Do something active – Exercising is a great way to boost one’s mood and also burn off all of those yummy treats and drinks that we’ve been consuming while home quarantined. Daily walks, bike rides and going for hikes has been a way for our whole family to exercise together and burn off some steam.

3.) Get outside – If there’s a silver lining it’s that this pandemic has come at time where it’s starting to get nice out. This is a great time to get outside and do some spring yard work or spring cleaning. Since we moved into our house a few years ago I’ve been wanting to start a garden and this was the perfect opportunity.

4.) Connect virtually with family/friends – Thankfully we live in a technological savvy world and there’s several apps that make it easier to connect with loved ones. Set up a virtual Happy Hour or play games with family and friends from afar with the Cards Against Humanity Lab.

What are some ways you’re getting through this time at home?

Be sure to head to Kohls and check out their new line of athleisure!

And for more ideas while you’re social distancing, check out

15 things to do with your kids while you’re social distancing

April 29, 2020 By Nicolle

3 In health/ intentional living/ Motherhood

10 ways I practice self care daily since becoming a mom

There is no job more exhausting than being a mom. Don’t get me wrong, it’s extremely rewarding but it’s also downright exhausting. All of our energy goes into caring for our families and making sure everyone is healthy and happy. As mom’s it’s natural we’re always doing for everyone else that so often our own self care takes the back burner. But it’s like they say when you board the plane “put on your own oxygen mask first before helping others”. What good are you to everyone else if you’re not at 100% yourself?

If you go on the internet, you’ll see the term “self-care” all over. But self-care is more than just massages and bubble baths. (I love those things as much as the next woman trust me.) Self care is anything that re-fuels or re-charges you, mentally, physically or spiritually so that you can continue to give your best self. I’m sharing some simple ways you can add self care to your day to day routine.

Here are 10 ways I practice self care daily since becoming a mom:

1.) Enjoy a cup of hot coffee or tea by yourself – That first morning cup of coffee, alone and in silence, it’s sacred. That’s my me-time. My husband knows that if he or my son happen to wake up early, to stay in bed and give me my time alone.

2.) Get dressed in the morning – I don’t get all fancy, but putting on jeans and a top, doing my hair and throwing on some concealer and mascara makes me feel like a decent human. Think of when you were on maternity leave, hadn’t showered in a week and wore that same pair of leggings for the 5th day in a row how you felt. The power of a hot shower, real clothes and a little makeup does wonders for your mental health.

3.) Clean or organize something – For me, having a clean home is like my xanax. Now, don’t get confused, my house is in no way spotless. I’m not on my hands and knees scrubbing or vacuuming every day (that’s why I have a Roomba). But daily I go through our common living spaces and put things away to get rid of the clutter and keep it organized. Looking at things scattered around my house makes my brain feel scattered and anxious vs when things are orderly bringing a sense of calm.

4.) Cook or bake something – For some people this may seem like more work so if that’s you, then don’t do it. I love being in my kitchen. On my days off I love to either bake a yummy treat to have in the house (try my version of Joanna Gaines’ lemon poppyseed bread) or try a new recipe for dinner. It’s fun for me and makes me feel like I accomplished something.

5.) Practice gratitude – Each morning, usually during my morning coffee, I think about the things that I am grateful for and everything I have. When things start to go a little sideways, I bring myself back to that mental list and remind myself of all I have to be thankful for.

6.) Read a book or listen to a podcast – Reading is one of my absolute favorite things to do. I love to lay down with a good book and flip through the pages, getting lost in the story. It doesn’t have to be a book. You can read a magazine or a few articles from a favorite blog. I love The EveryMom and Nesting With Grace. You can also listen to a favorite podcast.

7.) Do some goal setting or daydream – I do this during my morning coffee (see why that time is so sacred?). Sometimes it’s just daydreaming about a nice vacation or thinking about projects I want to do around the house to make our home my dream home. Other mornings it’s literally writing down things that I want to accomplish that day.

8.) Laugh – whether it’s laughing at myself or something my son said or did, I try to find the humor in daily situations.

9.) Say No – This was something I was lucky to learn a few years ago at a time when I felt like I was being stretched too thin. I’m a natural people pleaser and I like to make people happy. But if it doesn’t make you happy or stresses you out, it’s ok to say no to things.

10.) Go to bed early – Nothing recharges you like a good night’s sleep which since entering motherhood is few and far between. A couple night’s a week, I go to bed early before anyone else, leaving my hubby to do bedtime duty. I’ve been doing this since I was in college. When I was home from school it was a little joke with my parents that “I was retreating for the night”. But that’s just what it is, my retreat. Some nights I read or meditate or doing nothing at all and just let my mind veg out. It’s a nice way to end the day and quiet the mind from all the constant thinking and worrying.

What are some of your favorite ways to practice self care?

Check out my post on

Why Every Mom Needs a Solo Night Away

10 self care ideas for moms

May 10, 2019 By Nicolle