ADHD Awareness Month: 31 Journaling Prompts to Increase Your Awareness of ADHD

October is ADHD Awareness month. While others are writing about how we can be more aware and inclusive of ADHD as a whole, I’ve decided to take a different approach.

I’m focusing on improving your awareness of your ADHD. 

This month is a good time to reflect on your own experiences with ADHD - the challenges, the benefits, the emotions, the self-perceptions, and everything else that comes with neurodiversity. So, I’ve put together 31 journaling prompts for you. These prompts are designed to help you deepen your self-understanding, practice self-compassion, and uncover more strategies to help you thrive. You can use them as a daily challenge throughout the month (forgive me for being a couple of days late!), or pick and choose as you go. Either way, I hope they bring you a greater sense of connection with yourself.

Morning prompts

1. What is my single greatest priority for the day? What makes this priority important, urgent, or relevant to today?

2. How do I feel this morning? What are my energy levels like?

3. What feels overwhelming today? How can I break it down to be less overwhelming?

4. How can I reduce a distraction today?

5. What’s one act of self-care I can build into my day?

Managing challenges

6. What’s currently swirling around in my head? Brain dump it out with no filter.

7. What can I delegate, delay, or delete from my to-do list?

8. Imagine talking to a friend about a challenge I’m facing - what might I say?

9. What’s a task I’ve been avoiding, and what’s the absolute tiniest step I can take? Think: something that takes 5 minutes or less

10. In what way can I seek support today? Think: asking for body-doubling, for a reminder, for something to be written down, or for someone to listen

Self-compassion

11. What’s one way ADHD made life harder for me this week?

12. What’s one way I showed up for myself this week?

13. When I notice a critical thought, what’s a gentler thought that could replace it?

14. What’s something I’m feeling proud of - no matter how big or small?

Identity and values

15. What are my favorite qualities about myself?

16. What are my three biggest values? (If you’re not sure, take the VIA Character Strengths Survey!)

17. How could I integrate more of my values into my day-to-day life?

18.  When do I feel most like myself?

19. What strengths do I bring to my relationships, work, or other responsibilities?

20. What kind of life am I trying to build? What’s one small step I could take toward this life?

Emotional regulation

21. What emotion has been loudest for me lately?

22. What helps me soothe my emotions? How can I incorporate that today?

23. Emotions are often signs of unmet needs. What need is underneath this emotion?

24. Write about a recent moment of rejection or misunderstanding. What would I say to a friend in this situation?

Creativity and joy

25. What activities make me lose track of time, in a good way?

26. What’s one fun thing I can plan for today?

27. How does my ADHD help me be creative?

28. How does my ADHD make it hard for me to follow through on things I love to do?

Evening prompts

29. What took up most of my attention today? How do I feel about where my attention went?

30. What challenges came up for me today? What’s one small step I could take to help myself with them tomorrow?

Reflect and reset

31. Looking back on the month, what patterns are coming up with my moods, focus, or energy? How can I support myself with anything that needs more care?

I hope these prompts help you get to know yourself a little better. If you have any journal prompts you’ve found to be helpful, sharing is caring - drop them in the comments below!