Fall is my favorite season, so to celebrate I’m offering my biggest discount ever on all new annual subs through the weekend. I likely won’t do another discount this steep until next fall, so if you’ve been on the fence about subscribing, or couldn’t quite commit at full price, now’s the time to lock in a full year for 50% off!
Before I get into the October prompts, I’d also like to say a huge thank you to all my readers, but especially the people who pay to support my work. I’ve mentioned this before, but my goal was to make writing on Substack my full-time gig by 2026, so your support truly means the world to me. Thank you, thank you, thank you, for helping me inch closer to that goal!
Hello again, friends—
I don’t know about you, but after a summer of logistical chaos and emotional cleanup, I’m ready to take on fall by slowing down and paying closer attention. I’ve felt pretty burnt out these past couple of months, so I’m ready to find my way back to my calm, and to myself. For me, that starts with being honest enough to stop pretending I’m fine when I’m not. Or simply allowing myself to rest and recover without feeling like I need to be productive every second of every day. Taking note of the way things make me feel—or how I let things make me feel. And so on…
This is why journaling continues to be the one practice I return to, no matter how off-track I get. I don’t treat it like a productivity tool or a morning routine checkbox. I think of it more like having a private line open to myself, especially when the outside world feels overstimulating or flattened by noise. And during October—when everything outside begins to cool and contract—it becomes even more valuable to hold a mirror up and ask, what’s shifting inside me too?
So I made another set of prompts—this time, 31 of them. One for every day of October.
They’re written in the same spirit as last month’s: gentle, honest, and nonlinear. Little invitations to sit quietly with yourself for a few minutes each week. You can use them every day, or dip in randomly when you want to slow down and reorient. I still use THE DAILY 5 framework as a baseline, but these prompts are great as complimentary, seasonal nudges. As such, I’ll likely be doing a set for every month moving forward.
This month’s theme is tending. As in tending to the things that don’t shout. Tending to the parts of you that don’t get posted. Tending to your thoughts before they harden into beliefs. Tending to the ordinary messes and the soft miracles that make up a life.
As always, take what serves you, leave what doesn’t. And most importantly, write like nobody’s watching. x
Week 1 — Recalibrating
The slow exhale after summer. Begin again, gently.
What feels different now than it did one month ago?
Which routines are working for you, and which ones might need to be retired?
Where do you feel out of sync with yourself lately?
What’s one small adjustment that could make your days run smoother?
What’s one thing you need more of this season?
When do you feel most regulated or clear-headed during the day?
What are you pretending is fine that actually isn’t?
Week 2 — Making Space
Remove what doesn’t belong.
What’s been taking up more of your mental bandwidth than it deserves?
Is there a conversation you’ve been avoiding? What would it feel like to begin it, even just on paper?
What’s one item, habit, or thought you could let go of this season?
Describe a version of your life with 20% less noise. What disappears?
What clutter (physical, emotional, digital) needs to be addressed?
What boundaries need reinforcement, even if no one else notices?
What part of you wants to rest—but doesn’t know if it’s allowed?
Week 3 — Home as a Feeling
Settle into what soothes you. Let comfort be functional, not decorative.
Write a list of 10 sensory comforts that make fall feel like fall to you.
What’s your go-to comfort ritual when the days start getting darker?
How does your environment affect your mental state?
What habits or inputs are shaping your mood more than you realized?
What’s one small domestic thing you could do this week just to care for your future self?
What’s your favorite low-effort way to care for your space?
What does “taking care of yourself” actually mean to you right now—not as a slogan, but as a lived reality?
Week 4 — Reflection + Recommitment
Zoom out. Tell the truth. Decide what’s worth carrying forward.
What’s something you’ve done recently that your past self would be proud of?
What are you currently learning the hard way (and what’s the lesson under it)?
What part of your identity do you feel is shifting?
What’s something you want, but aren’t sure you believe you deserve yet?
What’s something you used to crave that now feels irrelevant?
What have you learned this month that you didn’t expect to?
What’s something you want to bring with you into the next season—and what’s something you’d rather leave behind?
Week 5 — Seasonal Shift
Prepare for what’s next, without the need to rush it.
What feels unfinished as October comes to a close?
What does a “rich” life look like this season—without spending any money?
What are you doing differently this fall that feels like growth?
Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post—I’ll be sharing my cozy fall reading list, must-watch movies, favorite flow state activities, and a few small rituals that have been helping me stay offline and grounded lately. And yes, fall is my favorite season BECAUSE IT IS THE BEST. 🍂
—S
Looking for more journaling ideas?
Prompts for building a journaling foundation
Prompts for exploring your own contradictions
I completed September and felt accomplished. It wasn’t perfect but completed. I appreciate you posting these!