10 Journal Prompts to Build Your Personal Curriculum (and Create Your Dream Life)
If you’ve been on TikTok lately, you’ve probably seen personal curriculum content popping up everywhere — and for good reason. A personal curriculum is basically a self-designed syllabus for life. Instead of waiting for school or a program to tell you what to learn, you get to decide the skills, routines, and lessons that actually support your dream life.
When I first came across the idea, it clicked instantly. I don’t need anyone’s permission to learn the things I care about. No grades, no deadlines — just intentional growth. Instead of carrying a backpack full of textbooks, I grabbed a notebook and started asking myself better questions.
If you’re ready to stop doomscrolling and start building a life that feels like you, here are 10 journal prompts to design your personal curriculum. Use them all at once for a reset, or take one a day for a slower self reflection practice.
1. Describe your dream life in present tense.
Write as if it’s already real: “I am financially free.” “I am confident in my skills.” “I live a healthy, balanced life.”
2. What stresses you out most right now?
Your stress points reveal where you might need courses like energy management, money mindset, or organization.
3. What comes easily to dream-you that feels hard right now?
That gap tells you which skills belong in your syllabus.
4. Who do you admire, and what habits or skills do they have?
Role models can be your unofficial professors - what would you “study” from them?
5. What are three subjects you wish school had taught you?
Think: managing money, relationships, creativity, or time.
6. If you could feel one thing more often, what would it be?
Peaceful? Energized? Creative? Your answer shows which practices should be part of your curriculum.
7. What book, podcast, or class have you always wanted to try?
That’s your “required reading.”
8. When do you feel most like yourself?
Capture those moments and ask: how can I learn more of that?
9. What’s one area of life you’ve been avoiding?
Sometimes the subject we resist is the one we most need.
10. If dream-you graduated tomorrow, what would she be most proud of learning?
This vision becomes the capstone of your personal curriculum.
Putting It Together
When you look back at your answers, you’ll see patterns. Maybe it’s money, health, creativity, or routines. Those themes can become your courses. You might add a finance book to your syllabus, practice daily journaling, or treat your TikTok account like a “digital marketing class.”
The point isn’t perfection — it’s progress. Your personal curriculum is yours. No grades. No pressure. Just consistent self growth, one small lesson at a time.
Next Step
Grab your notebook and start with prompt #1. If you want to take it further, try organizing your answers into “semesters.” Add a mix of reading, small projects, and daily rituals that bring you closer to your dream life.
Need some extra guidance? Shoot me an email - madiirachael@gmail.com or DM me on TikTok @MadiiRachael