Can Joy Improve Your Health?

50 Journal Prompts For Those Seeking Fun

Can joy really improve your health? Join us as we uncover the surprising benefits of rediscovering fun in our daily lives. In this episode, we explore how injecting joy into your routine can significantly reduce stress, boost cognitive functions, and even enhance heart health. Inspired by Lestallion's blog, we introduce you to 50 journal prompts designed to reignite joy through adventures, cherished memories, reflections, planning, and unleashing your creativity. These prompts aren't just about daydreaming—they're practical tools to help you visualize, plan, and make joy an everyday habit.

From dancing in your kitchen to calling an old friend or experimenting with a new recipe, we dive into simple yet powerful ways to make joy a constant companion in your life. The secret lies in embracing these small moments, proving that joy doesn’t require grand gestures or special occasions. Our episode wraps up with a clear message: choose happiness today and transform ordinary moments into extraordinary experiences. Rediscover fun, be proactive about your joy, and make every day a little brighter.

LeStallion offers premium PU leather journal notebooks for writing, dedicated to all those who are pursuing their dreams and goals, or nurturing their personal development and mental health.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Okay, so yeah.
Like who couldn't use a bitmore fun in their lives?
Right, it's like everything'sdeadlines to-do list.
There's pressure to be on allthe time, but what if we could
rediscover that playful part ofourselves, and not just on
vacation, but like every singleday?

Speaker 2 (00:15):
And you know it's interesting.
It's actually more than just amood booster.
Research shows that making timefor fun it's not frivolous.
It's important for ourwell-being.
Less stress, sharper thinking,even a healthier heart.

Speaker 1 (00:28):
Healthier heart.
Sign me up.
So we're diving into 50 journalprompts for those seeking fun.
It's from Lestallion's blog,yeah, but before you think we're
getting all journal-y, theseprompts are more like
fun-finding tools.
You know, we'll pull out themost interesting ones, not just
for journaling but for practicalways to bring more joy into
everyday life.

Speaker 2 (00:45):
And what I find interesting is how these prompts
are set up.
They're in five categories funadventures, your fun memories,
fun reflections, planning forfun and creative fun.
Each one helps us look at whatmakes life enjoyable in
different ways, like a treasuremap.
But instead of gold we're afterthose golden moments of pure
fun.

Speaker 1 (01:04):
Now you're talking my language and speaking of
adventures, one prompt thatstood out to me was describe
your ideal adventure day.
I'm already daydreaming.
What about you?
What would your perfectadventure day look like?

Speaker 2 (01:14):
It's such a smart prompt because it uses the power
of visualization.
When we really imagineourselves experiencing something
we enjoy, it actually activatessimilar pathways in our brain
as if it was really happening.
It doesn't just improve ourmood, but it motivates us to
turn those daydreams intoreality.

Speaker 1 (01:30):
Makes sense to me.
I'm all for turning daydreamsinto reality, so picture this my
ideal adventure day starts witha sunrise hike, maybe somewhere
with a view of a mountain range, ending at a secluded waterfall
.

Speaker 2 (01:45):
I love how you're using sensory details the sight
of the sunrise, the sound of thewaterfall.
It makes the visualizationstronger.

Speaker 1 (01:50):
I didn't even realize I was doing that.
Okay, so after the hike I'dhead to a cozy cafe in a
charming town I've never been to, maybe, a place with
cobblestone streets and uniquelittle shops.

Speaker 2 (02:01):
Interesting.
You chose to explore somewherenew.
Novelty is a big part of whatmakes things fun.
It keeps our brains engaged andinterested.

Speaker 1 (02:09):
That's a good point.
Okay, so after exploring thetown, maybe doing a bit of
shopping, I'd meet up withfriends for dinner at a
restaurant with live music.
You know the kind that makesyou want to get up and dance.

Speaker 2 (02:18):
It sounds like you put a lot of thought into this,
and this actually connects toanother prompt from the list
what is your happiest childhoodmemory?
It might seem like a jump, butit relates to the power of
nostalgia.

Speaker 1 (02:29):
Nostalgia.
Tell me more.

Speaker 2 (02:31):
We tend to think of nostalgia as just thinking about
the past, but research showsthat remembering happy memories,
especially those with strongsensory details, it can really
impact our mood and well-beingin the present.
Think about it those carefreechildhood days.
They often have a magic andsimplicity we crave as adults.

Speaker 1 (02:50):
You know, that reminds me of spending summers
at the lake with family buildingsandcastles and chasing
fireflies.
Those memories always make mesmile.

Speaker 2 (02:56):
Exactly, and research actually shows that even
scheduling a few minutes a dayto remember a joyful memory can
really reduce stress hormones.
Like a mini vacation for yourmind.

Speaker 1 (03:07):
So taking a joy break by remembering those carefree
days could actually help dealwith the stress of adulting.
That's incredible, but it doesmake you wonder how do we even
define fun?
It's different for everyone,right?
What's fun for one person mightbe boring for someone else.

Speaker 2 (03:23):
One hundred percent.
And that's where the prompts inthe fun reflections category
are helpful.
They encourage us to thinkbeyond just activities and look
deeper at what truly brings usjoy.
Personally, One prompt thatreally makes you think is when
do you feel most alive?

Speaker 1 (03:38):
That's a really good question.
It goes beyond just listing funthings to do.
It's about those moments whenwe're completely present and
engaged and energized listingfun things to do.

Speaker 2 (03:45):
It's about those moments when we're completely
present and engaged andenergized.
Yes, and this connects to theidea of flow state or being in
the zone.
It's that state of beingtotally absorbed in something
where we lose track of time andexperience, effortless
concentration and enjoyment.
Think about a time you were sointo something that you loved
that the outside world justdisappeared.

Speaker 1 (04:06):
Like when I'm writing a song that's going really well
, yeah, or completely lost in agreat book, those times when you
lose track of time becauseyou're so engaged in what you're
doing.

Speaker 2 (04:15):
And it doesn't have to be something big and dramatic
either.
Sometimes, flow is about therhythm of cooking, the feeling
of getting organized or even areally good conversation.

Speaker 1 (04:22):
So finding those things, even the.

Speaker 2 (04:28):
Exactly, and a lot of times these activities tap into
what's called intrinsicmotivation, that drive to do
something just because it feelsgood and rewarding, not for some
external reward or validation.
It makes me think of anotherinteresting prompt what hobby
brings you the most joy?

Speaker 1 (04:45):
Oh, that one definitely speaks to me, and
it's a good reminder that hobbydoesn't have to mean something
fancy or expensive.
It's anything you're drawn tojust because you love it right.

Speaker 2 (04:53):
Exactly.
It could be gardening, playingmusic, collecting stamps,
writing poetry.
It's all about that pure joy ofcreation and discovery or
simply being present.
And what's beautiful aboutintrinsic motivation is it's a
source of lasting joy, somethingwe can tap into even when life
gets busy.

Speaker 1 (05:09):
So it's not about waiting for vacation to have fun
.
It's about looking for ways tobring those joyful moments into
our daily routines.
Yeah, which actually leads usto the planning for fun prompts.
I love how this sectionencourages us to be proactive
about fun instead of just hopingit'll happen.

Speaker 2 (05:25):
It's about making that shift from passive to
active, which is so importantfor building any new habit.
Instead of thinking I'll relaxwhen I have time, it's about
asking how can I bring a littlefun into my day right now?

Speaker 1 (05:37):
Such a good point.
One prompt that really caughtmy eye was how can you make
everyday tasks more enjoyable?
Because, let's face it, we allhave those chores and
responsibilities we can't avoid.
But maybe, just maybe, we canmake them a little less painful.

Speaker 2 (05:50):
Absolutely.
It's all about perspective andmaking small but meaningful
changes.
For example, I used to dreadgrocery shopping, but then I
started listening to my favoritepodcast during the trip and it
actually became something Ilooked forward to.

Speaker 1 (06:03):
That's awesome.
I've started doing somethingsimilar.
While I clean, I put on somemusic and let myself dance while
I tidy up.
It makes the whole experienceso much better.
Plus, it's like bonus cardio.

Speaker 2 (06:13):
You got it.
It's all about finding thoselittle things that turn a chore
into a more positive experience.
It doesn't need to be anythingcomplicated.
Another prompt asks how wouldyou spend a fun day with $100?
It challenges us to beresourceful and realize that fun
doesn't have to cost a fortune.

Speaker 1 (06:30):
So true.
Some of my favorite memoriesare about the simple things A
picnic in the park, exploring anew part of town on foot, trying
out a new coffee shop.
Sometimes the most enjoyablethings are the ones that are
easy and affordable.

Speaker 2 (06:41):
You're getting at something really important.
Fun is often about intentionand being open to playfulness.
Speaking of which, that takesus to our final category
Creative fun.
These prompts encourage us toconnect with our inner child and
approach fun with a sense ofcuriosity and imagination.

Speaker 1 (06:58):
This is my favorite section.
It's like giving ourselvespermission to be silly again and
explore those what-if scenarioswe might usually ignore as
adults, like this one If youcould invent a fun new holiday,
what would it celebrate?

Speaker 2 (07:12):
I love it.
It reminds us that fun isn'tjust about passively watching TV
or scrolling online.
It's about actively creatingand taking part in experiences
that spark joy.

Speaker 1 (07:22):
It's not just about making new holidays, though that
does sound fun, but it's moreabout bringing that playful
attitude, you know, thatchildlike wonder, into our
everyday lives.

Speaker 2 (07:30):
Exactly, and actually there's a lot of research now
about the benefits of play forgrown-ups too.
Playing and being playful itreduces stress, improves your
mood, helps with problem solvingand can even boost your
creativity.

Speaker 1 (07:43):
So it's not just goofing off.
Although I'm all for a littlebit of that, there are real
benefits to tapping into thatplayful part of ourselves.

Speaker 2 (07:50):
Definitely it's about letting ourselves try new
things, being a bit silly, nottaking ourselves so seriously
all the time.
This prompt really gets at that.
What's something creative andfun you've always wanted to make
.

Speaker 1 (08:02):
Oh, I like that.
One Could be anything likewriting a story or learning an
instrument or finally doing thatDIY project you've been putting
off.

Speaker 2 (08:10):
Yeah, it's about that human urge to create and
explore, the one we often forgetabout as we get caught up in
life.

Speaker 1 (08:16):
It's easy to get stuck in a routine and forget
about the things that bring usjoy.
This prompts a good reminder tomake time for those things
again.

Speaker 2 (08:23):
And remember, it doesn't need to be perfect or
something you'd post online.
The joy comes from creating andexperimenting and expressing
yourself.

Speaker 1 (08:31):
It's about giving ourselves permission to play, to
try things out, to make alittle mess.

Speaker 2 (08:36):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (08:37):
And see what we can do.

Speaker 2 (08:38):
Exactly Okay.
So before we wrap up our deepdive into all things fun, I want
to leave you with a finalthought.
I'm listening, thinking aboutall these prompts.
The question I want you to askyourself is what one small thing
will you do today to add alittle bit of fun to your life?
It can be something simple likeputting on some music and
dancing in your kitchen, callinga friend who makes you laugh or

(08:59):
cooking a new recipe.
The important thing is tochoose joy, even in the smallest
moments.

Speaker 1 (09:05):
I love that.
It's a good reminder that wedon't need a special occasion or
a vacation to have fun.
We have the power to choose itright now.
So until next time, go outthere and have some fun.