What is self-trust?
"Self-trust" is the ability to believe in and place confidence in our own experiences, knowledge, and perspectives; to be hopeful in our ability to navigate challenges and reach toward our most important dreams; to courageously give ourselves permission to follow our deepest instincts and values.
Why do we need it?
Self-trust is what enables us to put all the other purposes we’ve explored so far into action. Self-nurture, self-discovery, and self-listening come alive in our daily experiences off of the journal page when we trust ourselves enough to live from the inside out.
How can journaling help us give self-trust to ourselves?
Our journals can be a space where we not only listen to our own voices (self-listening), we go deeper and believe what we have to say, we take what we know to be true for ourselves and we let ourselves feel that knowing in our bones. Our personal writing can also help us talk to ourselves in a permission-giving way, gently opening pathways of possibility with each “it’s okay for me to…”.
Ready to experience it?  Here's a quick journal prompt.
What images or metaphors come to mind for you when you think about the word "trust"? As you describe and visualize these images and/or metaphors, what feelings stir in you?

What is self-listening?
"Self-listening" is the act of paying attention to our own voices and wisdom: giving weight and value to what we hear within ourselves.
Why do we need it?
We live in a noisy world with so many competing voices.  Our big-heartedness can set us up for people-pleasing, where we set our voice aside to keep others comfortable.  Our thoughtfulness can at times confuse us with analysis that explains away our inner wisdom and intuition.  
How can journaling help us give self-listening to ourselves?
Journaling is a moment where we intentionally quiet all voices but our own.  Not only can we hear our voices as we're writing, we can also read back over our past words and find new resonance in things we've said to ourselves before.
Ready to experience it?  Here's a quick journal prompt.
Spend the next three to five minutes as free from distraction and activity as possible, simply being and observing what happens within you. Next, write what you noticed, felt, thought, experienced; use as much detail as you can. Re-read your description and add anything else to it you may have missed.

What is self-discovery?
"Self-discovery" is the process of unearthing and honoring previously unknown, unseen, or unrecognized parts of ourselves (including abilities, flaws, preferences, narratives, achievements, and more).
Why do we need it?
Self-discovery helps us to become more flexible, balanced, and grounded in who we are so that we can more intentionally, more effectively, more imaginatively navigate the ever-changing world around us.  Sometimes, our thoughtfulness can lead to us "take ourselves too seriously"--self-discovery reminds us we can be playful, light, and free in how we relate to ourselves.
How can journaling help us give self-discovery to ourselves?
Journaling can be a playground where we creatively try on and experiment with different aspects of who we are through our words and stories, away from the judgments and expectations of others.  
Ready to experience it?  Here's a quick journal prompt.
What is one way you have surprised yourself with how you have grown, changed, or evolved over time? What led to this shift in who you are?

What is self-nurture?
"Self-nurture" is the process of noticing, naming, and responding to our physical, emotional, relational and spiritual needs; it is intentionally investing in our own growth and development.
Why do we need it?
Our big hearts often make it easier for us to care for the needs of others than to care for ourselves.  Our active minds can make it harder for us to connect with our bodies and our emotions, leading to less awareness of of cues that can signal to us the importance of what we need.
How can journaling help us give self-nurture to ourselves?
Journaling can help us shift our awareness toward our own needs by providing a space to notice and name what we experience.  Personal writing helps us turn our big hearts towards ourselves and integrate our thinking with what we feel emotionally and physically.  
Ready to experience it?  Here's a quick journal prompt.
What is an area of your life where you would like to be kinder, gentler, or more compassionate toward yourself?  What does your body tell you about your need(s) in that area?  What do your emotions tell you about your need(s) in that area?