30 Reflective Fall Journaling Prompts

Let’s get cozy! Curl up with your journal and use these 30 reflective fall journaling prompts to explore your feelings.

Fall is such a lovely season. After the scorching days of summer, who isn’t ready for crunchy leaves, bonfires, football and pumpkin spice everything? Fall is always an emotional month for me. I start craving family time and the fresh outdoors. Here in South Central Texas, we don’t have a lot of changing of leaves. We end up driving to Marble Falls or Lost Maples, TX to see the red and gold foliage that other states get so easily.

But Autumn also brings some other deeper feelings. For instance, as we enter the Fall and head towards holidays, it also conjures up other feelings that are just beneath the surface. It’s the time of year I experience grief. The holidays usher in the thoughts of the people who are gone and are no longer here with us. It always seems to catch me off guard even though it happens every year. I miss my grandmothers, particularly in the months of September and November. Also, if I am being really honest, it makes me contemplate the time I have left with my parents and those around me. I told you it was deep stuff!

Fall is a great time to reflect on change, the necessity of family and friends and for Americans in particular, it’s a time to reflect on gratitude. So today I decided to come up with some Fall journaling prompts. Hopefully, they help you explore your feelings privately and give you some perspective.

Will 2020 Be Different

You know, it always seemed to me like more people died in the Fall and Winter than any other time. My mom used to say it was God’s harvest season. That may sound silly, but apparently it’s true. Deaths slightly escalate during the Fall and Winter months mostly because of the sicknesses that are prominent in colder months like Influenza and inclement weather which can cause more accidents.

2020 has been an exceptionally hard year for the world. When I heard about the virus in Wuhan, China back in January, I never would have guessed it would sweep the globe and cause all the hardship it has. So far, I have buried two people from it. I wonder how the colder months will affect the transmission of the virus. I anticipate spikes in cases again.

If I start thinking about it too long, I can become anxious. It has been hard to be apart from the majority of my family this year. The hardest part is my children. They are too young to really understand why we don’t see much family and friends anymore. This year I plan on coming up with lots of activities we can do at home. By the way, if you’d like some ideas on things to do in the Fall as a family, be sure to read my post, The Best Fall Bucket List. Also, one thing I love to when I’m journaling in the Fall is to make a pot of my Slowcooker Pumpkin Spice Latte. It’s so good and uses pumpkin puree instead of artificial flavors.

In the comments below, tell me what you love most about Fall. Thanks for reading.

30 Reflective Fall Journal Prompts

1. What is worrying you right now? Don’t censor yourself.
2. As a relaxing exercise, doodle things that remind you of Fall.
3. Give yourself permission to look forward to things. Write a list and don’t worry about whether or not they will actually happen.
4. Write a letter to your anxious thoughts.
5. Of what do you need to let go? What would happen if you stopped holding onto it?
6. Describe a favorite Fall memory.
7. What do you do when you are feeling lost?
8. Write a letter to someone who has passed away.
9. How do your Autumn traditions differ now from when you were a child?
10. How can you be closer to friends and family this Fall in spite of the Coronavirus pandemic?
11. Write out a playlist of songs that remind you of Fall then give yourself to listen to it.
12. Create a happy list. Write out a list of activities or places that lift your mood.
13. Write a letter to someone who has made your life better.
14. How is your life different from one year ago today?
15. How does Fall inspire you?
16. If you could travel anywhere to experience Fall where would you go and why?
17. Describe a perfect Fall evening.
18. Where do you see yourself this time next year?
19. Will your Fall traditions change because or Coronavirus? Why or why not?
20. What can you do to reconnect with nature this Fall?
21. What has been the worst part of this year?
22. Be your own best friend. Write an encouraging letter to yourself.
23. If today was your last day, what would you do?
24. What do you need more of in life? Less of?
25. What are the silver linings about this year so far?
26. Think back to your favorite Thanksgiving. Describe the scene.
27. What scares you most about change?
28. Create your own Fall bucket list.
29. Describe your favorite Halloween memory.
30. What scary movie scared you as a child? Why?

Other Journaling Posts

• Christian Journaling Prompts
• 25 Christmas Journal Prompts
• Quarantine Journal Prompts
• Lenten Journal Prompts
• Journal Prompts for Self-Confidence
• 50 Journal Prompts
• Gratitude Journal Prompts