Journal Prompts for Imbolc
Imbolc, celebrated each year on the 2nd of February, marks a pivotal point in the Wheel of the Year. Nestled between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, it honors the very first signs of a coming spring—the quickening of the earth.
This is the perfect holiday season for journaling and writing. Imbolc is a time to rest, to be inside. (Honestly, around here February is always a time to be inside. It's cold.) This is an opportunity to reflect on the past and on yourself and your life, celebrate the good parts, let go of what you don't want to focus on in the new year, and nurture your best self. Decide what to let go of and what to look forward to in the spring and the seasons that follow. Let’s write!
1. Brigid, the Celtic goddess associated with Imbolc, is the goddess of smiths, healers, and poets. (Learn more about Brigid here.) How are you like a smith?
2. How are you a healer?
3. How are you a poet?
4. Brigid is a triple goddess—maiden, mother, and crone. How are you a maiden? What are you beginning on this Brigid’s Day? What are you new at in your life?
5. How are you a mother? This doesn't have to be to a literal mother to a fellow human (although it can be!). What have you brought to life? What have you manifested in the world?
6. How are you a crone? Similarly, we're not calling you old (unless you own that, in which case we admire your energy!). No matter what season of life you're in, where have you built hard-won wisdom and experience? How do you share it with the world?
7. Imbolc is a time to reflect on what to let go—an underrated but key piece of self care. What do you need to let go of that no longer serves you? What would bring you more balance? What do you work hard on that doesn't serve your dreams? What did you learn from it when it did serve you?
8. This season between the winter solstice and the spring equinox is one of rest and self love. How will you celebrate and nurture yourself this winter?
9. Set a goal for your physical space, whether it's a small new habit or a large project. What is it, and how will you achieve it?
10. Imbolc, looking ahead to the spring flowers beginning to come up, the light returning, and the snow starting to melt, has some potent new year's eve energy--perfect for goal setting. What goals do you have for the next year? How do your goals demonstrate your values?
11. What are you planting this year, in terms of your personal development? What are your plans for growth? (Did you set any new year's resolutions in this area that you want to get started on?) Set intentions and make a plan.
12. How are you transforming during this season of new beginnings and transformation? What will be your fresh start this Imbolc?
13. How will you transform your life? This can be as major as examining your core values or as mundane (but effective!) as spring cleaning.
14. How will you transform (or contribute to transforming) your community or the world? How will you bring new life this Imbolc?
15. How are you building wisdom in this season of your life? How can you nurture that growth this winter?
16. What did you accomplish over the last year that you are proud of? Make space to celebrate yourself!
17. Do you practice divination in any way? If so, how are you feeling about your practice? Is there anything you would like to explore or work on?
18. Can you sit with yourself in silence? What does it take, or what would it take to make that happen in the new year?
19. Brigid is a very protective deity. If you could have protection from anything over the next year, what would it be?
20. What is a practical step toward protection you could implement in the lives of your loved ones this winter? Be creative! Maybe you will give someone a fireproof box as a present or change your friends' neglected smoke detector batteries. What is the protection you wish for them?
21. What are your favorite signs of spring and new growth as the earth is beginning to come to life? What are the things you look for in nature during this season?
22. What brings sunshine and inspiration to your daily life? What brings you light? What can always be relied on to cheer you up?
23. If you could start fresh and renew an acquaintance from your past life, with whom would you renew it? Reflect on your past relationship with this person.
24. In the year ahead, if you could renew a trait or skill you used to have that has been dormant for some time, what would you choose? Why?
25. How do you show winter hospitality, in your home, your community, or your world? (Whatever winter hospitality means to you!)
More About Imbolc
Want to explore more about Imbolc? It might be our favorite holiday around here; we love the new life and new beginnings energy as the earth begins to thaw. And honestly, we start a lot of new projects, which makes Brigid's day pretty much our whole vibe. Here are some places to start:
How to Start Your Wheel of the Year Journal
You can use the above journal prompts for Imbolc in addition to reflecting on your everyday life and goals. Imbolc is a time to plan new beginnings and new growth, think about your accomplishments over the past year, and intentionally make space in this season for growth on your spiritual journey.
Also, journaling is a great way to lean into creating and celebrating an intentional, thoughtful life. And as with any new project, you'll need to prepare for it! Here's how to get started.
Choosing Your Journaling Materials
Choose an option that you like, because if it makes you happy, it will be easier to pick it up over the coming months. And that will make it all the easier to celebrate the wins in your life and plan your spring activities. It's a virtuous self care feedback loop!
Physical Journals
If at all possible, try to hold your journal in person before you buy it. Get a sense of whether you will reach for it and enjoy using it.
Binding
Determine if the physical book itself will lay flat. That is, can you open it to start writing and have it stay open?
Is the binding sturdy? Try to get a sense of whether the cover is going to get detached from the block of pages as you write.
Size
Think about whether your journal's size suits you. If you're going to leave it on your desk and write there, maybe you want a bigger trim size. If you're going to take it to the coffee shop or out in nature, does it fit in your purse?
Paper
Consider the paper texture. If it's too glossy, that limits your pen options. A standard ballpoint will probably work, but if you want to use pencil or other type of pen, it might not make a mark or it might smear easily.
Extras
This isn't necessary, but a ribbon marker is a nice way to keep your place in a journal.
If this is going to be a portable journal, an elastic closure keeps it from splaying open inside your bag. Other clasps can be bulkier, so make sure the journal still lays open comfortably if you look at those.
Digital Journals
What digital options lack in book-nerd cache, they make up for in portability and convenience. They're especially handy if you're journaling in the moment about ideas you might want to use later—don't underestimate a good search feature. You also have plenty of free and very inexpensive options, from Google docs to specialized apps like Penzu.
Tips for Establishing a Journaling Habit
New beginnings of any habit can take time, and that amount of time varies. Focus on intentionally creating space and time for your new practice and exploring some journaling ideas that you might like to incorporate.
Sometimes you have to make space for self care. Create an irresistibly comfortable place to write. Stock it with your favorite pens and journal, along with whatever will give you the energy to spend time writing. While you're at it, remove any obstacles that will keep you from journaling or distract from your inspiration.
Pick a time of day to write and set up a recurring calendar appointment to remind you. Intentionally make space to write at that exact time for the next few weeks, until you're comfortable enough with the habit to vary it. And celebrate yourself when you do it!
If it feels overwhelming to sit down and write for an indeterminate amount of time, try setting a timer for 10 minutes and telling yourself to write that long.
Too long? Try writing 5 minutes.
Still too long? Try writing one line a day.
Try a habit tracker
Add journaling to your favorite habit tracker, be it standalone or in your planner. There's nothing as satisfying as filling in another habit tracker box! (We have a few downloadable habit trackers if you need one! In fact, Imbolc is a great time to plan for achieving your dreams in any area of your life, so feel free to take a moment to set up trackers for all your exciting new projects.)
Regularly evaluate whether the habit tracker is longer serving your needs. It might be fine during Imbolc when you're beginning a habit, but it could get to be too much once you're used to writing regularly in the new year.
What's Next?
Are you finished with these Imbolc journal prompts but want to keep going, even after Imbolc? Look no further—we've got plenty of journal prompts for adults.
