Prompt: What do you have to tell me today? Or “I have to tell you…”

Music: by Alan Frijns

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*mis-titled as “The Moment” in the linked webpage

Prompt: which of this week’s practices worked well? Which were hard? What’s shifted over the week?

Bonus? 3 gratitudes, intentions, affirmations walking into the weekend

Music: by Alan Frijns

Prompt: write a letter to someone (or something)

Music: by original_soundtrack

• Suleika Jaoaud’s Book of Alchemy, specifically Marie McGrory’s “Closed Eye Giraffe”

Prompt(s):

• Study your non-dominant hand for one minute. Close your eyes to draw that hand in as much detail as possible.

• Draw your non-dominant hand with your eyes open, in as much detail as possible.

• Draw your dominant hand with your non-dominant hand. Eyes open, unless you love a challenge!

Music: by Maksym Dudchyk from Pixabay

• Austin Kleon’s Commonplace Diary

• Erin Smith on the joys of junk journaling

Prompt: as you move through today, pay attention. Pick up ephemera that might go into your journal (junk!) and listen for phrases/quotes that might be saved within (commonplace!).

Maybe you literally place those things into your journal, maybe you reflect some on why these things called to you. Maybe both!

Music: by Alan Frijns from Pixabay
Image: a painting I made of a quote from my commonplace diary!

• Lists

• Commonplace

• Junk

• Visual

• Letters

• Reflective

Prompt: 3 lists of 3! Gratitude, intention, and affirmation

Music: by u_qhe3hs3v29 on Pixabay

Prompt: write about a recent delight, perhaps a recent failure framed in delight

Music: by Michael-X_Studio and Alan Frijns from Pixabay

Prompts:

1. If this is heavy, write just 2 (or more) specific, recent gratitudes

2. Or, start with one of these “jump lines:”

   1. “the thing / about [what] I was going to write…”

   2. “we feel it everywhere,”

3. Close with 2 (or more) gratitudes. Not to negate the awful/uncontrollable, but to remember tangible reasons for hope, love, and good.

Music: by Alan Frijns from Pixabay

Prompt: “the next chapter in my book of transformation…”

Music: by Viacheslav Starostin from Pixabay

Today’s music, by sigmamusicart, can be found here.

We begin perfectly imperfectly: not on the first of the year, not even on a Monday (although, I suppose I technically started on a Monday 😅).

Thus you are ushered into The Daily Write, a yearlong project where I live the messy, nonlinear, unedited practice of daily journaling—and invite you along for the ride.

In 2026, each Monday-Friday, I’ll provide prompts borne by poems and stories, philosophy and random sh*t that comes up along the way. After a brief intro, I’ll clear out; gentle music carries you through 10 minutes of writing, daydreaming, or simple stillness.

If you too have been called to journaling—if you seek space for reflection, weirdness, brilliance, discomfort, inspiration—please, come along.

Today’s prompt: a note of greeting. To yourself (hi! you showed up!) or your journal (to whom you might just be getting acquainted). Don’t take it too seriously; just let what comes come.

Go well, go slowly.
xoa