Journal Prompts for Seeking a Romantic Relationship

If you are one of the many who is actively engaging in the search for a romantic partner, sometimes it can be helpful to think about and envision what you would like that relationship to look like and the qualities that you would like your future partner to have, as well as the qualities that do not fit for you. Reflecting on these elements can help you explore your expectations, hopes, and boundaries around the relationship you would like to have, as well as help you better get to know and understand yourself in the process. Below are some questions you can use to journal and think about what you want in a partner and relationship, as well as what you may bring to a potential partner.

-What is your goal in looking for a partner?

-What do you believe you bring to a future relationship?

-What are the qualities you want in a partner?

-What qualities in a potential partner are deal breakers?

-What have been your examples of healthy and unhealthy romantic relationships, both in childhood and adulthood? How have these examples influenced your choice in partners to this point?

-What aspects of past romantic relationships did you like and not like?

-In what ways have you grown since past romantic relationships?

-What helps you feel emotionally safe in a relationship?

-What boundaries would you want to have in place, both for yourself individually and for the future relationship as a whole?

-How do you manage conflict? How do you envision handling conflict in your next relationship?

-How do you need your emotional needs to be met? How comfortable do you feel expressing this to other people, such as a romantic partner? What would need to be in place in the relationship to feel comfortable in having this conversation?

-What are your top 3 values in life? What values do you hope your future partner has? Are there any values your future partner must have?

If you find that you would like some guidance and support as you are thinking about the above questions, therapy can be a safe place to do this. A therapist can help you explore your thoughts about future relationships, as well as how past relationships may have impacted you. They can also ask follow-up questions to help tailor the prompts to your specific needs and experiences, so that you can get the most out of the process.