Okay babes, let’s get real – who else has stared at their LinkedIn profile at 2 AM wondering why their career path looks like a toddler’s crayon drawing? 🙋♀️ Six months ago, I was literally crying into my matcha latte because my “dream job” felt about as fulfilling as watching paint dry. Then I discovered the weird magic of intentional journaling (not just writing grocery lists and passive-aggressive reminders to my roommate).
Here’s the tea ☕: Our brains are terrible at processing career decisions while doomscrolling through Indeed listings. But when we slow-dance with a notebook? That’s when the clarity fairy shows up. I talked to three career coaches (who all charge $300/hour btw) and synthesized their secret sauce into these prompts that helped me land my current role doing UX design for sustainable fashion startups (!!).
Prompt 1: “What did 8-year-old me think ‘cool grownup jobs’ looked like?”
Turns out my childhood obsession with rearranging my Lisa Frank stationery collection wasn’t random – it predicted my passion for information architecture! Childhood memories reveal raw versions of our strengths before society told us to “be realistic.” Pro tip: Dig up old school projects or ask parents about your weird kid habits.
Prompt 2: “What tasks make me forget to check Instagram?”
I used to hate coding until I realized I loved the puzzle aspect (not the actual syntax). Time distortion = flow state. Track this for a week – you’ll notice patterns even in mundane tasks. My friend discovered her knack for conflict resolution because she kept getting sucked into mediating Slack debates!
Prompt 3: “What would I do if I had to explain my job to an alien?”
This silly exercise helped me ditch corporate jargon and realize I wanted to “help ideas wear better outfits” instead of “optimizing digital ecosystems.” The alien test strips away status games – that VP title suddenly matters less than actual daily reality.
The Science Bit (But Make It Sparkly):
Neuroscience shows writing by hand activates the reticular activating system – basically telling your brain “HEY PAY ATTENTION TO THIS!” That’s why journaling helps spot opportunities you’d otherwise miss. When I started tracking “moments that made me feel like Beyoncé,” I noticed they all involved mentoring juniors – now that’s 30% of my job.
Prompt 4: “What advice would I give my clone?”
We’re better at solving others’ problems. My clone would tell me to stop taking “safe” contracts that make my eye twitch. PS: Buy the good gel pens – treating journaling as a ritual (not a chore) tricks your brain into taking it seriously.
The Ugly Truth Nobody Talks About:
Clarity isn’t a lightning bolt – it’s more like peeling an onion. I went through 47 pages of scribbles before realizing my ideal workplace needed office dogs and flexible hours more than a fancy title. Track recurring themes over 2 weeks – patterns emerge where single entries lie.
Final Prompt: “What would make future me facepalm?”
Visualize yourself at 80 – what career regrets would she laugh/cringe about? Mine would be staying in toxic workplaces for the “resume boost.” This prompt cuts through temporary fears – nobody’s deathbed wish is “I should’ve tolerated more micromanaging!”
Update: After three months of this journaling jazz, I negotiated a 4-day remote workweek to start my ethical textile side hustle. The prompts didn’t just change my career – they helped me build a life where Mondays don’t feel like emotional hangovers.
Your turn, gorgeous – grab that notebook and let’s turn those career “meh” moments into your personal magic ✨ (Wine pairing optional but encouraged).
