For Your Journal: Writing Prompt

Do you keep a journal – or wish you could get one started? Literary Mama wants to help.

Three times a month, I’ll post a writing prompt that I hope will encourage you to open a notebook and write for 10 minutes. Don’t worry about grammar or punctuation – just write. Then let the writing simmer and your mind wander for awhile.

And who knows? Maybe you’ll discover a character for your next short story or a theme for a narrative essay. Or maybe you’ll use the idea to create a special holiday card or photo album for someone in your family. However you decide to use your journal entry, I know you’ll enjoy re-reading it months–and years–down the road.

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Consider these startling statistics from the Confidence Coalition, an alliance of 38 national organizations committed to promoting self-confidence in girls and women so that they may feel empowered to overcome social barriers and be inspired to reach their greatest potential:

• 90% of all women want to change at least one aspect of their physical appearance
• 81% of 10-year-old girls are afraid of being fat
• Only 2% of women think they are beautiful.
• A girl is bullied every 7 minutes in the school yard, playground, stairwell, classroom or bathroom.
• A woman is battered every 15 seconds.

From the coalition’s fact sheet:

“Lack of confidence can affect so many areas of our lives. Girls start out with big dreams, ideas of changing the world, making their mark. Then over time, their confidence is undermined by the media, the advertising world, parents, friends, adversaries and their own inner voices. They succumb to peer pressure to fit in. They bully others and allow themselves to be bullied. They participate in gossip and intimidation. They become victims of spousal and dating abuse. They participate in risky behaviors like excessive drinking and sexual promiscuity. They stand back and let others take the lead in organizations, in the workplace and in the country. They let others define their self-worth.”

Journal Entry: What does a confident child look like? Describe how the child walks, talks, and interacts with others. Is there a specific skill or talent that contributes to the child’s confidence? Do the parents contribute to the child’s confidence? How? Now, write about a time you saw these attributes in your child.