Overwhelm Journaling Prompts: 10 Guided Reflections to Regain Control
Feeling overwhelmed? These 10 guided journaling prompts help you calm your mind, break the spiral, and shift from chaos to clarity.
Updated on
July 3, 2025
Overwhelm isn’t always about having too much to do — sometimes, it’s about feeling like you have no control over where to start, or like everything matters too much at once.
These 10 journaling prompts, written by Jon Filitti (Licensed Mental Health Counselor), are designed to help you slow down, sort through the chaos, and find a way forward—step by step.
These prompts are also part of the Stoic app’s Emotion Check-In, where you can explore and write through your emotions in real time.
10 Journaling Prompts for Overwhelm
1. What situation is making you feel this way?
Focus on what’s happening — we’ll reflect on why in the next step.
2. Why do you think it is making you feel this way?
What pressure, fear, or belief is hiding underneath it?
3. What thought or task feels the heaviest right now?
Why this one? What makes it so hard to face?
4. What would a 5-minute break look like right now?
Can you move, walk, or breathe in a way that resets your energy?
5. What pattern do you notice when you feel overwhelmed?
Is there a loop in your thoughts or behavior? Name it.
6. What has helped you reset in the past?
Describe a time you felt like this and got through it.
7. What do you not need to do today?
Overwhelm often shrinks when we give ourselves permission to let go.
8. List your current worries.
Next to each, write one small step you could take — no pressure to do them yet.
9. What part of your body feels the stress?
Breathe into that spot. Describe the sensation. What would ease it?
10. What’s one thing you’ve already handled this week?
Big or small — name it and let yourself feel that win.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is journaling helpful when I’m overwhelmed?
Overwhelm thrives on mental clutter. Journaling helps you empty the noise and sort what matters.
What if I don’t know where to start?
Start with the first question. Just naming what’s happening gives your mind something to hold onto.
What if journaling makes me feel worse?
Sometimes writing brings the emotion to the surface. That’s okay — it’s part of clearing it. Afterward, do something grounding: breathe, walk, or talk to someone.
FAQ updated on Jul 2, 2025
Licensed Mental Health Counselor in private practice in Dubuque, Iowa. He has been providing mental health counseling to individuals and families in the Dubuque area since 1999 and earned his Mental Health Counselor license in 2005. Jon offers outpatient counseling in a private practice setting, primarily working with individuals aged 17 through adulthood.
Overwhelmed? Start Writing Your Way Through It
The Stoic app guides you through emotions like overwhelm with real-time prompts, check-ins, and reflections. One page at a time—you’ll get through this.
