How about the emotional hangover nobody warned us about:
The Sunday Scaries.
You know the drill, you’re winding down from the weekend, trying to savor that last bit of peace… but your brain has other plans. Suddenly, it’s full of what-ifs, should-haves, and oh-no-it’s-almost-Mondays.
Whether you’re a 9-to-5 warrior, a side-hustling content creator, or a burnt-out parent juggling laundry and lingering Slack messages, Sunday night anxiety is real. And you’re not alone.
Here’s the good news: You don’t have to dread Sundays anymore. In fact, with a pen, your phone (hello, ChatGPT!), and a few therapist-approved prompts, you can shrink those nerves in just 5 minutes. Yes, seriously.
Below, we’re dropping 7 Sunday Scaries prompts that are straight out of a therapist’s toolkit and they’re exactly what your mind needs to chill, reset, and reclaim your night.
😰 1. “What am I actually afraid of tomorrow, and what part is just a story I’m telling myself?”
Anxiety thrives in vagueness. The less specific the fear, the more power it holds. This prompt slices through that fog.
Maybe you’re nervous about a meeting, or maybe you’re dreading the return of your inbox. But when you write it down, something magical happens: it shrinks. It goes from a monster under the bed to just a pile of clothes.
Take five deep breaths. Then write:
“I’m anxious about ___. I’m telling myself that ___. But the truth is, ___. And I can handle it by ___.”
💭 Therapist tip: This is called cognitive reframing, and it works like Windex for mental smudges.
✍️ 2. “If my anxiety had a voice, what would it be trying to protect me from?”
This one sounds weird at first, but stick with it. Many therapists use a technique called Internal Family Systems (IFS), which treats parts of your brain (like anxiety) as trying to help you even if they’re doing it awkwardly.
Give your Sunday Scaries a voice. Write as if your anxiety was a character:
“Hi, I’m your Sunday Scary. I’m here because I want to protect you from…”
All in all, you might be surprised what surfaces. Often, it’s trying to help you avoid failure, embarrassment, or burnout. Recognizing that turns your fear from a villain into a misguided sidekick.
🧠 It’s not your enemy. It’s just using the wrong script.
☀️ 3. “What went right this weekend, and how did I show up for myself?”
We tend to close the weekend by thinking about everything we didn’t do. But that’s like leaving a party thinking about the one chip you didn’t eat. Celebrate what went well.
Reflect and write, make it about spending 15 minutes on something YOU want to do right now. I found that when I would schedule that 15 minutes in the afternoon to read, write, or just be, my days became less about worry. Try writing about the following:
- What did I enjoy this weekend?
- How did I rest or connect with someone?
- What am I proud of, even if it was small?
This prompt activates positive memory recall, which research shows reduces cortisol and raises your emotional baseline for the coming week.
🌈 You did more than you think. Let Sunday end on gratitude, not guilt.
📅 4. “What is one thing I can control tomorrow and how will I approach it intentionally?”
The Sunday Scaries love spinning out of control. This prompt pulls the emergency brake.
Pick one thing in your Monday that you can own. Maybe it’s your morning playlist. Your breakfast. How you greet your coworkers. Your outfit. Your lunch break boundaries.
Write it down. Be specific. Add intention.
“Tomorrow, I will start the day by ____, because it helps me feel ____.”
This tiny bit of predictable control is like giving your nervous system a weighted blanket.
⚖️ You can’t predict the whole day, but you can anchor it.
💌 5. “If I wrote myself a kind note right now, what would it say?”
Self-compassion isn’t just bubble baths and motivational quotes, it’s learning to be on your own team when you want to disappear.
Write a note like you would to a best friend. Or, better yet, ask ChatGPT to help you:
“Hey ChatGPT, can you write me a compassionate note that helps me feel safe, encouraged, and grounded for tomorrow?”
Boom. It’ll feel weird at first, but then? It’s like an internal hug. A hug that actually lands.
💞 Self-kindness is one of the most underrated antidotes to anxiety. It’s also free.
💡 6. “What can I let go of that doesn’t need to come with me into the new week?”
Picture this: Your brain is a backpack. Every Sunday, you fill it with unnecessary stress rocks. This prompt helps you take them out before Monday begins.
List 3 things you’re choosing to release. They can be:
- A regret
- A “should’ve”
- A conversation you keep replaying
- A task you didn’t finish
Then, physically write:
“I’m letting this go because it doesn’t serve me. I’m choosing peace instead of perfection.”
🎒 Empty the backpack, friend. You don’t need to carry it all.
🛠 7. “What support can I line up tonight that Future Me will thank me for?”
This is your prep + protect prompt. It turns Sunday into a teammate, not a deadline.
Ask yourself:
- Can I meal prep one lunch?
- Can I text someone to hold me accountable tomorrow?
- Can I lay out my clothes or make a playlist?
- Can I schedule a morning stretch?
It doesn’t have to be a major overhaul. Even one 3-minute task creates momentum.
🧩 Small actions tonight = smoother transitions tomorrow.
🔄 Quick Recap: The 5-Minute Journal Flow to Beat the Sunday Scaries
Here’s a sample flow you can use with a notebook or ChatGPT every Sunday night:
- What am I actually anxious about?
- What is my anxiety trying to protect me from?
- What went right this weekend?
- What’s one thing I can control tomorrow?
- What kind note would I write to myself?
- What can I let go of tonight?
- How can I support Future Me?
Set a timer for 5 minutes. Light a candle. Throw on a lo-fi playlist. And just write. Let the noise settle. Let your breath slow. Let your nervous system know: You’re safe.
🧘♀️ Final Thoughts: Peace Isn’t Just Possible, It’s Practiced
You don’t have to be the victim of Sunday night spirals.
With the right questions, you become your own calm in the chaos. You shift from dread to direction. And little by little, you teach your brain that Sunday doesn’t mean scary, it means space.
These therapist-approved prompts aren’t magic spells. But they are mirrors. And with just 5 minutes, you can reflect your fear into something soft, useful, and honest.
So next Sunday, instead of doomscrolling, try something different.
Grab your notebook. Or open ChatGPT. And tell your anxiety:
“Hey, I hear you. But I’ve got this now.”
Peace isn’t just a vibe. It’s a system. Build it, one word at a time.
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