50+ Journal Prompts For Breakups

There’s no sugarcoating it: breakups suck. Even when they’re amicable, they’re still heartbreaking. And if they’re not mutual or amicable, they’re all the more painful.

If you happen to have an anxious attachment style or if you experienced childhood emotional trauma, break-ups can be tough. The breakup might just trigger your old abandonment or rejection wounds: those core emotional wounds that leave us feel shameful and unlovable.

In many ways, the worst part of a break-up isn’t losing contact with someone you loved (or liked). Instead, it’s about triggering those most damaged parts of ourselves. Think about it! Those emotional wounds were there long before your ex-partner. So those deeply rooted feelings aren’t just coming from your current circumstances.

However, break-ups can become the catalyst for our self-healing journey, inspiring (or forcing) us to heal these old emotional wounds.

Today, I want to help you do that. So here’s a list of 50 journal prompts to help you get over a breakup:

50+ Journal Prompts After A Breakup

Processing The Breakup

List all the emotions that you’re feeling right now and describe where they’re coming from.
Write your ex a letter with everything you wanted to say but couldn’t. (Don’t send it!)
What am I happy to let go of from this relationship? / What do I not miss?
What do I miss about this relationship?
What did I learn during this relationship?
What did you do well in this relationship?
What do I want to do better next time?
What will I look for in my next relationship?
What do you appreciate in your ex?
What will you look for in a future partner?
What did you need that you didn’t get in this relationship?
What am I learning from this breakup?
I deserve a great relationship because…
I would like to thank my ex for….
If you could start this relationship all over again, what would you do differently?
What did you not show or communicate in this relationship?
Did you really show up in this relationship? If not, why is that?
What was your first red flag in this relationship? Why did you keep going?
What does the word breakup (or divorce) mean to you?
How did this relationship bring out the best in you?
How did this relationship bring out the worst in you?

Self Healing

What do I need to forgive myself for?
Who else do I need to forgive?
What do I need in order to feel soothed and secure right now?
What do I need in order to feel secure in my future relationships?
If I was putting myself first, what would I do?
What do I need to let go of in order to heal?
What do you need in order to move on?
Letting go would look like…
What can I do with my self-care to feel more loved and nurtured right now?
Which of your core wounds have been activated?
What does your Wounded Inner Child need at this time?

Processing Anger

(Note: this is about expressing your anger and giving yourself permission to feel it–not about smashing up their car, no matter how good that would feel! Remember, anger is a normal human emotion. It’s a sign that you’re standing up for yourself. Shaming yourself out of feeling it only makes it stay inside you longer!)

What did you need and not get in this relationship?
Where you passive aggressive in this relationship? Why is that? (Hint: this happens when you’re not getting something you need.)
Where did your boundaries get violated?
How did this relationship violate my core values?
Where you disrespected from this relationship or breakup?
How did you self-abandon in this relationship order to stay “loved”?
Who did you have to be in this relationship & why?
What else do you have to be angry about from this experience?
In what ways did you play small in this relationship?
Do you have any lingering guilt or shame about the relationship? Why is that?

Getting Ready For Love (Again)

What does your ideal relationship look like?
Do you believe you’re capable of finding/receiving love again? If not, why?
What’s your love language? Did you share that with your ex and if not, why not?
What are you going to look for in a partner this time? What’s the same and what’s different?
What do you need to do differently this time? (ie. expectations, boundaries, tough conversations)
What qualities am I looking for in a partner? How can I start expressing those qualities myself?
How can I improve my communication for next time?
How can I make myself feel safe & not self-abandon next time?
Next time, I promise to do _______ differently.
How can I celebrate being single?

Final Thoughts

The emotional pain of a breakup seems unbearable when you’re in the thick of it but I promise, this too shall pass! Be gentle with yourself and take this time to prioritize you.