180 Emotions - Journal Prompts (Part 3 of 6 - Fear)

Fear

As long as you would rather stay indoors, this emotion can be a nice companion. Sometimes hearing the worst case scenario can be a helpful thing. With this emotion, you're always reminded that you can't be too careful.

Past

1. What is a movie you watched during your childhood that left you feeling scared after the movie ended? Which scene from the movie scared you the most? What did it leave you feeling afraid of?

2. Have you ever been scared for your life? If not, write when you were scared for someone else's life. What are the details surrounding this event? Did you feel like you were helpless? What were you ready to do to protect yourself or someone else? What did you do?

3. Describe a time that you let down your guard for another person and had a negative experience. Who was this person? How were you impacted by this event?

4. What are a couple of things that scared you the most when you were younger? Are you still afraid of these things? If not, how did you overcome these feelings?

5. Where were you the last time you were afraid of something to the point that you were shaking or had another physical response? Did the place at which you happened to be add to your fears? What was is that you feared?

6. Has there ever been a time during which you and one or more people were scared at the same time about the same thing? Write in detail about your experience. How did other people react? How did you react?

7. Have you ever run away from something or someone because you were scared? If not, write about what would make you flee. Describe the event.

8. Write about a recent time when you've made an effort to conquer one of your fears. What was the fear? Were you successful?

9. What is something you read about in the news that made you feel fearful for an extended period of time? What was it, and how do you feel about it now?

10. Describe a time when one of your fears negatively impacted a relationship with some other person. What was your fear, and how did that get in the way of your relationship?

11. Write about a time when your worst fears were realized. What was the fear, and how did you cope with the event afterward?

12. Has someone else ever made you feel better about a fear of yours? Did that person fear the same thing? How did that person show understanding? What did that person say?

13. When was a time that you were afraid of doing something but after doing it you felt relieved and realized it wasn't so bad? What was the fear? Describe this time in detail.

14. Has there ever been a time that you were glad to have a fear? Did it help you to be afraid of this thing? How did this fear benefit you?

15. What fear of yours would you say has held you back the most? What have you avoided because of it? Write about what you feel you have lost from having this fear.

Present

1. What scares you the most about getting older? Are there any things you can do to avoid these outcomes? What will it take for you to come terms with these possibilities?

2. What fears enter your mind daily? What things do you do daily to protect yourself from the things you are afraid of?

3. When walking alone after midnight five miles from your house, what is your greatest fear or worry?

4. What is something your avoid doing because you worry about the negative consequences of doing it? Do you wish you could overcome this fear, or do you think having this aversion keeps you safe in some way?

5. If something were to happen to you today and you were physically hurt, what would be your worst fear? Who else would be affected if this happened? How would things in your life change?

6. Thinking about someone close to you, what would be one thing (aside from something physical) you wouldn't want to happen to that person? How would it hurt that person? How would it hurt you?

7. What is something that comforts you when you're afraid? Can you think of a quote, or can you go to an object or a place to feel better?

8. With what animal or insect do you fear sharing a room? What is it about this thing that terrifies you? Do you think it could or would actually harm you? What are you chances of encountering it nearby you in your lifetime?

9. Thinking abstractly, what is the thing you fear the most in your life? Answer regarding yourself (e.g. not being successful, never living up to your potential, dying unfulfilled), and write about why that worries you. What are you doing currently in order for things to end up the opposite way?

10. What is the simplest fear of yours that you could face today? What is holding you back?

11. Do you currently have any fears that you recognize as irrational? What are they, and what makes these fears unjustified? Why do you continue to fear them, and how can you change your way of thinking?

12. What is something you're afraid of telling another person? Is it about your true feelings or thoughts, or is it about something you've done or a bad experience you had? What is it, and what makes you afraid of talking about it?

13. What is something you fear losing? Write an entry as if you just lost this important thing. What emotions do you feel? Can it ever be replaced?

14. Do you find that you've created a certain routine in your life to avoid uncomfortable encounters with people you know or with strangers? What's the worst thing that could happen if you changed things up? What would you do differently if you didn't fear this? If you don't have this fear, write an entry as if you are the person being avoided and you just found out. Why is that person avoiding you? Do you know that person? What would you say?

15. What is a goal you'd like to achieve in five years that you fear may not happen? How would you feel if you didn't accomplish this? What can you do to make sure it happens?