15 Journal Prompts For New Bloggers Who Feel Stuck

Any blogger or content creator will tell you that there was a time they felt totally stuck and didn’t know what to do next. When you first get started there is so much to learn. As you get going and after some growth happens, you might feel your current content or path is not right. The problem is, you don’t know what to do or how to fix it. You just feel stuck! If that is you, here are some journal prompts to help you explore what it is you are looking for and to become unstuck on your blogging journey! 

Struggles of being a new blogger

If you’re a new blogger or even just an aspiring blogger, you have probably seen the 10 million blog posts on the right and wrong things to do as a blogger. The posts are full of information about how to get more viewers, choosing a niche, and everything else you “need” to know about blogging. 

With all that information it can be difficult to know where to start. I’ve been there!

Something I struggled with as a new blogger with no experience with websites, social media, or building a community was the mega-successful bloggers giving very superficial advice. 

It felt so defeating and confusing. Some people say you need a specific niche, some say you don’t. Others are promoting courses that will help you gain followers on Instagram, others say social media shouldn’t be your main focus. 

With all this advice it’s hard to know what YOU really think and feel. 

The reality is, there is no right or wrong way to blog. There are people who have found success in so many different ways. 

Being a new blogger means having to be creative and unique AND passionate about your own ideas. I’m assuming you started blogging because you had some passion or idea right? You wanted to start a food blog or a lifestyle blog or had a really cool idea for a DIY blog. 

Keeping your original ideas and passions while also sorting through the noise and also being real with yourself when your ideas and passions grow or change can be very difficult and confusing. Unfortunately, this confusion leads to many new bloggers giving up or feeling so stuck that they don’t know what to do next.

Reasons you feel stuck as a new blogger

There are so many reasons you might feel stuck and not sure what to do next. The good news is that if you can figure out what’s keeping you stuck, you can fix it! So, let’s chat about some reasons you are struggling right now!

You are lacking clarity on what you want

What you want your blog to be or what you want from your blog needs to be clear! When it’s not clear you may find yourself posting many different things, not sure what your overall vibe is, or not even know what success would look like for your blog.

Getting a clear idea of what you want to post, who you want to talk to, and what your ideal outcome is will be super helpful when it comes to moving forward at a steady pace.

Unclear goals 

Have you set blogging goals? They could range from a number of page views, making a set amount of money, posting a certain number of posts, or learning more about a topic… The list goes on!

The important part about your goals is being specific! What is the outcome?! 

If your goal is money, what’s the value? If your goal is growth, what’s the number of page views or sessions? 

Your goals don’t need to be about followers or money though. Just know what you want from your blog and then set specific, clear goals so you know what needs to be done next!

You don’t feel aligned with what you’re doing 

Sometimes you start something with the best intentions but then you get going and realize it’s not for you. That’s okay! 

I had this exact thing happen. I felt SO passionate about life coaching. I felt like I could really help people and had a great offer. The problem was I didn’t really align with the business tactics that online coaches seem to use.

I felt very stuck because on the surface I loved the ideas and wanted to help people. Underneath… There were some issues. 

At the time I didn’t understand that though. I just felt stuck and like nothing I tried was working. But as I started questioning myself and my values I realized that wasn’t the path for me.

You’re self-sabotaging 

Are you scared of failing? Or maybe you’re scared that your high school friends will make fun of you? 

A reason you might be feeling stuck and unsure could be YOU. You might be stalling your own progress because of fear.

Self-sabotaging is actually super common! You could be standing in your own way. 

Do you struggle to follow through with ideas? Are you always changing your mind or second-guessing yourself? If so, think more about this one!

Lacking consistency 

Even with the best ideas, the most intriguing blog posts, and the prettiest photos, without consistency, you will struggle.

Before you throw in the towel ask yourself if you’ve been truly consistent. Have your topics been consistent? Are you posting regularly?

Not clear on your message 

Again, lacking clarity can be a big issue for new bloggers. 

You probably have tons of ideas and things you want to do and try. Make sure that whatever you are doing, your message is clear.

What is your overall message? Maybe you’re a food blogger who promotes easy to cook meals. Or maybe you’re a lifestyle blogger promoting budget-friendly lifestyle trends. Whatever it is, stick to it! Let it be your guide.

If you don’t know your message, start there.

15 journal prompts if you feel stuck as a new blogger 

So, you determined that you’re feeling stuck. Your blogging journey is taking a turn and you don’t know what to do next. We’ve all been there! Try one (or all) of these journal prompts to find clarity and understanding of what you need to do next in order to get out of that blogging rut!

1- What is the overall goal of your blog for your readers?

Think about what you hope your readers get from your blog posts. How do you want them to feel? What information do you want to pass on? What kind of vibe do you want to put out into the world?

2- How will you know your blog is successful?

Think about milestones that you would celebrate or what big end goals you want to achieve. This is up to YOU! Don’t let other people’s views of success sway you.

3- What are your values? 

What do you value most in life? Do those values align with your blog? Is there a way to incorporate more of your values into your blogging biz?

These could be things like authenticity- are you showing your true self and opinions? Or maybe you value community- are you creating a space for connection?

4- What fears do you hold about blogging and putting yourself out there?

As we chatted about before, are you scared of failing or what people will think? What other fears do you hold and why?

5- Have there been times you’ve made your blog more complicated than it needed to be?

When you first started you had a vision. What types of planning has gone into your blog? Do you have a super complicated content calendar? Are you adding more steps into your blogging routine than needed? Take a moment to think about what you do on a daily basis for your blog. Is there anything making it harder than it needs to be?

6- Describe your blog in 10 words 

You could do a quick comparison of where you are NOW and what your goal is. Write 10 words describing your blog currently and then do 10 words describing where you picture your blog (or what the goal is).

7- Why did you start your blog?

Sometimes when you feel stuck and unsure of what to do its helpful to go back to your roots. Why did you start? What made you excited in the first place? Return to what was your original goal was.

8- What is currently working for your blog? Can you do more of that? 

Is there anything you are currently doing that is working? Is there a topic that your readers seem to enjoy? What type of blog post people seem to share more? What can you do more of that is already working?

9- Are you blogging consistently? Why or why not?

Be honest with yourself! How often are posts going live? How often are you sitting down to write?

Looking for something to help you plan better and be more consistent? Try this planner! I love this one.

10- What type of content makes you most excited?

Think about the topics that light you up. Write a big long list of all the things you enjoy writing about.

11- What is your main message?

What do you want your readers to know you for? What’s your vibe? Think about the overall message that you want to have across all posts and all topics. 

For example, I try to focus on personal development and bettering yourself to create a life you love. That can be done in many ways (like helping new bloggers get clarity on their goals or sharing tips for creating a life admin day). The overall message can still be the same even if the topic is different.

12- Where is your main focus and where do you want it to be?

Do you want to be active on social media and blog? Are you wanting to focus more time on just your blog? Maybe you want more focus on your Instagram? Decide where your time is currently going and where you want it to go. 

13- Make a list of 5 bloggers/content creators that you love and write down a few things you love about their content. Is there anything you could make your own?

Finding inspiration from others can be a helpful way to find your own path just don’t copy them!

14- What 3 topics do you focus on?

Do whatever feels right for you but I found that having 3 main topics helped me get started. 

If you look at the menu on my website you will see 3 main categories (actually there are 4 now because I have loved sharing tips for bloggers). But when I started it was just lifestyle, personal development, and wellness. 

15- What is the biggest thing keeping you stuck?

You may not know the answer to this but brainstorm some ideas. Do you feel like you are lacking direction? Or you aren’t sure how to do something like create a website? What is currently making you feel like you can’t go forward? 

Once you have a couple of things here, try to write one thing you could do to fix that. Sometimes breaking the problem down into smaller pieces can make it more clear. 

Related posts:

• How To Stay Crazy Organized As A New Blogger
• Life By Deanna Is ONE – Here’s What I’ve Learned
• Why You Should Plan Your Content And How To Do It
• The Blogger Comparison Trap + How To Stop Comparing Yourself

When you are new at anything its easy to get stuck! There is so much to learn and when you get new information it can change everything you’ve wanted to do up until that p0oint. Your mind is constantly coming up with new ideas that you may think are better than the last. It can definitely lead to a bit of overwhelm!

The first step in solving ay problem is becoming CLEAR. What even is the problem? Gaining clarity on what you want and what your goals are will help you figure out your next steps whether that is a change of topics, a new type of content, or just tweaking one small thing.

Remember that your blog is YOURS. Don’t let all the noise on the internet dictate what you post and how you share your message. Do what feels right to you and most importantly, do what lights you up inside ❤

Until next time,