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40 CBT Journaling Prompts to Change Thoughts & Habits

1/28/2025

If you’ve ever felt stuck in negative thought loops or struggled to break unhelpful habits, you’re not alone. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) gives you practical tools to change thinking—and behavior.

What is CBT journaling? CBT journaling is a structured way to notice unhelpful thoughts, test them against evidence, and replace them with balanced alternatives. Using a simple “Thought Record,” you log the situation, emotions, automatic thoughts, and your rational response—which reduces anxiety and helps you act on healthier beliefs.

What is CBT journaling?

CBT journaling pairs reflective writing with CBT techniques. The core tool is the Thought Record:

  • Situation (trigger)
  • Emotions (0–100%)
  • Automatic thoughts
  • Evidence for / against
  • Balanced alternative thought
  • New emotion rating + micro‑action

This isn’t “positive thinking”—it’s accurate thinking. You’re training a more balanced, evidence‑based inner voice.

Common cognitive distortions

  • All‑or‑Nothing: “If I’m not perfect, I’m a failure.”
  • Catastrophizing: Expecting the worst.
  • Mind Reading/Fortune Telling: Assuming others think badly / predicting failure.
  • Personalization: Taking blame that isn’t yours.
  • Should Statements: Rigid rules that generate shame.

40 prompts (by category)

All‑or‑Nothing Thinking (8)

  1. Where did you think in black‑and‑white terms today?
  2. What’s the middle ground—and how does it change your feelings?
  3. Pick a “failure.” What evidence shows partial success?
  4. Replace “always/never/everyone/no one” with accurate words.
  5. When you were “perfect,” what imperfections actually helped?
  6. How would life change if you stopped demanding perfection?
  7. What evidence shows progress on a skill you’re learning?
  8. How would you treat a friend who made your “mistake”?

Catastrophizing (8)

  1. Worst‑case vs. most‑likely outcome—what’s the delta?
  2. If the worst happened, how would you cope—step by step?
  3. Recall a predicted disaster that didn’t happen. What did?
  4. Realistic probability—what evidence do you have?
  5. One small step that would improve this situation?
  6. What “end of the world” have you already survived?
  7. What would you tell a friend catastrophizing about this?
  8. What small positives are you overlooking?

Mind Reading & Fortune Telling (8)

  1. What are you assuming others think? What’s the evidence?
  2. Recall a negative prediction—what actually happened?
  3. Coach someone making your prediction—what would you say?
  4. If you could read minds, what’s the most boring explanation?
  5. Which past experiences bias this prediction?
  6. How would you act if you assumed positive intent?
  7. What everyday explanation competes with your theory?
  8. If you’re wrong, what’s the best outcome you can imagine?

Personalization & Shoulds (8)

  1. What are you taking responsibility for that isn’t yours?
  2. Would you blame a friend the way you blame yourself?
  3. List your “should” rules. Make one more flexible.
  4. Where did a rigid rule come from?
  5. What opens up if you drop this rule?
  6. How would you respond if someone else broke it?
  7. What evidence shows you’re less responsible than you think?
  8. How would life change if you stopped taking things personally?

Behavior Change & Micro‑Steps (8)

  1. What’s one 2‑minute step you can take now?
  2. Break the task into 2‑minute chunks—what’s first?
  3. What’s the smallest action to remove today’s barrier?
  4. Think of a habit you changed—what worked then?
  5. If you only had 5 minutes, what would you do?
  6. What would you do if you couldn’t fail?
  7. What can you do today to make tomorrow easier?
  8. If you coached someone else on this, what’s step one?

Thought Record (template)

  • Situation | Emotions (0–100%) | Automatic Thoughts
  • Evidence For / Against | Balanced Thought | New Emotion
  • Micro‑Action

A Step-by-Step Example

  • Situation: My boss gave me blunt feedback on a project in a team meeting.
  • Emotions (0–100%): Embarrassment (90%), Anxiety (80%), Anger (60%).
  • Automatic Thoughts: "I'm going to get fired. Everyone thinks I'm incompetent. I messed everything up."
  • Evidence For: The feedback was direct; it happened in front of people.
  • Evidence Against: My boss has praised my work before; the feedback was about one part of the project, not me as a person; no one else seemed to react negatively.
  • Balanced Thought: "The feedback was hard to hear, but it's about the project, not my job. It's a chance to improve. My boss is direct, and my colleagues are focused on their own work."
  • New Emotion: Disappointment (40%), Motivation (50%).

Next step

Prefer guidance? Try Letters L04 (Emotion/Habit) and L08 (Inner Critic) in the app. Questions? Contact us.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.