10 Best Guided Journals in 2022 (Michelle Obama, Sharon Jones, and More)

Although this is based on Michelle Obama’s memoir of the same name, it’s not necessary to have read that first to work through this journal. This journal has 150 quotes and prompts that are stylishly laid out in a calming blue color scheme. 

Reviewers agree that this journal is best for deeper introspection. They liked the extra space given for answers and found it best to work through one prompt per day. Reviewers also praised the balance of prompts between positive and negative ones and found it very inspirational.

The quality and look of the journal received lots of praise from purchasers. They said it was classy and stylish. There is plenty of room to write your answers to the prompts as this journal is aimed at longer, more in-depth answers.

This guided journal is focused on challenging the reader to be honest with themselves. There are a variety of prompts in different formats, such as lists and word association, but the majority require in-depth answers. It may not be suitable for younger teens due to some profanity in the prompts.

This journal is meant to be a private reflection in a world that is becoming increasingly public and online, and readers are encouraged to literally burn the journal after it is completed. Several reviewers were under the impression from the pictures that the journal comes with a matchbook, but this isn’t the case!

Some reviewers said that the prompts were a little repetitive. However, most felt that the prompts successfully forced them to think about themselves and their answers. They said that the prompts are deep but also relaxing to complete. It forced the readers to confront their past and present and consider their future.

The colorful title of this book is a good indicator of the journal’s tone! It has paragraphs of context and background information before introducing a prompt, and these paragraphs are written in a friendly and modern way. 

Popular quotes are scattered throughout the book and these are also presented in the same humorous and sarcastic tone. Not every reviewer appreciated the humor and profanity of this book, so before you purchase this, check some of the example pages to make sure it is for you.

Most reviewers loved the humor and focus of the book and say the prompts are fun and positive. There are also some coloring pages in the journal, which were also praised by reviewers. By presenting prompts and ideas in an irreverent and down to earth manner, it is relatable in a way that many guided journals aren’t.

This journal aims to improve your life by starting with your mornings. Over the course of 66 days, it will help you improve your habits by getting you to plan your day and hold yourself accountable. Each day has new content based on behavioral research to give further advice in the form of text, illustrations, and quotes.

As the aim of the book is to improve your life by improving your mornings, the daily prompts are the same. Reviewers who expected different prompts each day were not impressed by the structure of the journal, saying the main advice is to wake up early.

Reviewers who liked this journal say that you need to commit to the process in order to get the most out of it. You’ll only benefit from the journal if you use it as intended to plan your mornings and then review your progress. Reviewers also liked the tips in the journal as they felt it explained the theory behind the journal effectively.

The aim of this journal is to guide the reader to achieve their goals over a 52-week period. It will help you identify and set goals, track your progress, and assess your results. It does this through a variety of prompts and mental exercises that are designed to make you think and celebrate any positive progress.

Although this is a goal planner, it is also firmly aimed at self-reflection and self-discovery. If you want a journal that is purely for achieving a business goal, then this is not the journal for you.

For those who used this book for more personal goals, they found it very helpful. They said that it is beautifully laid out and presented and that the prompts are thought-provoking. Reviewers liked that it forces them to confront themselves and keeps them accountable throughout the year with regular check-ins.

This journal aims to help readers slow down and consider what is important to them. It’s beautifully designed with illustrations and cute layouts on the prompt pages, and full-page quotes for inspiration. There are a variety of prompts, some that require deep thought and others that can be completed in a few seconds.

For some reviewers, it is more style than substance as it doesn’t dig as deeply into self-reflection as they would have liked. Most reviewers enjoy the pretty layouts and quotes and find them inspirational.

Reviewers like that it is easy to dip in and out of the journal, and users that have used other guided journals say that the prompts are unique and different from what other journals have to offer. This is a good guided journal for people looking for light introspection who appreciate beautiful layouts.

This journal is designed to be completed over a 52-week period. It focuses specifically on gratitude and aims to teach the reader to recognize the things in their life that they should be thankful for, no matter how large or small. The journal itself is very simple as it asks you to write three things that you are thankful for each day.

For some reviewers, this was too simple. They said that they didn’t like the repetitiveness of the journal since it's literally the same thing every day. If you’re looking for a journal that will challenge you in different ways each day, then this will not be the journal for you.

For other reviewers that were looking to concentrate on gratitude, the same prompt every day was not an issue. It has motivational quotes throughout and they found that starting their day by thinking about things to be grateful for was very positive for them. They also state that reading over past entries can also improve their mood.

Unlike other journals on this list, this journal focuses less on writing prompts and more on illustrated prompts. Each page has a different activity to complete, from stargazing to adding a favorite scent to a page. The aim of the book is to help you stay present and concentrate on the here and now.

The style of the prompts doesn't work for everyone, and this is reflected in the reviews. Reviewers who expected more theory and written prompts were disappointed by this journal, but reviewers who liked the different style of prompts praised this book highly.

They say that the prompts were fun and helped them learn about mindfulness. They liked the meditation tips and that there was space in the journal to make notes about their meditations. The journal is made from high-quality paper, allowing reviewers to use colored pens without any ink bleeding through to other pages.

The art style and hand lettering of this journal’s cover is a good reflection of the design style inside. It is stunningly illustrated in a style that makes it look unique and hand-made. The prompts take many forms, from questions inspiring paragraphs to a world map that asks you to color in countries you want to go to. 

Some reviewers found that this journal was too simplistic and that there wasn't enough space to answer some of the prompts as fully as they would have liked. This journal is best for people that like the art style and want to use it more as a guide than as a journal.

Other reviewers loved the whimsical art style and found it that it inspired them to continue with the journal. There are watercolor illustrations and motivational quotes scattered throughout. They state that it helped them refocus on their own happiness instead of purely focusing on others.

As the title of this journal suggests, it is geared towards dealing with anxiety. The journal is a mix of theory, quotes to motivate you, and writing prompts. There are also meditation exercises, and the journal gives you space to record your progress as you work through it.

For some reviewers, this journal was too light on actual prompts and guided writing. They said that they would’ve preferred fewer illustrations and quotes and more spaces for writing.

Most reviewers found the information included in the journal to be very helpful. They said that the journal discusses many different aspects of anxiety and that it helped them learn things about themselves. They liked the illustrations and quotes and have continued to use the anxiety prompts in other journals.