The beauty of creative journalling is . . .
Anything goes. Yep. Very Cole Porter!
What You Do
I know, say “journal” and you probably think: Teen angst. Bemoaning bad days. Mooning over unrequited loves. Dates to remember. Celebrity tell alls. In short, it can all seem a bit navel gazing. Not transformative. Or revelatory. Or worth making time for.
But creative journalling is different. Meaning you can use your journal to:
Reconnect with your sense of self — maybe by exploring who you are now and where you want to go …
Discover your creative style — artists have long used sketchbooks and journals to play with ideas …
Release worries, process emotions and get to the crux of a problem — therapists and coaches use journals for their transformational potential …
Be more present, more often — drawing, doodling, creating are known to calm the mind
Immerse yourself in creative flow — this is the place true answers and ideas are supposed to dwell
Record meaningful memories — exploring your travels or your history …
Have fun — cultivate your sense of childish wonder
How?
How You Do It
So, when it comes to creative journalling, all those pleasures that might well have consumed you as a child can be put to good use.
Think:
Energetic scribbling
Scratching
Tracing and repeating
Mindful doodling
Kaleidoscopic collages
Chaotic messes
Delicate drawing
Punchy printing
Inspired? Overwhelmed? Instantly blocked? Well, prompts are the creative journaller’s best friend.
Creative Prompts
Prompts are a kind of inspirational starting point. An invitation. A place to leap from. They help prevent overthinking. They focus. Set boundaries. Remember: Necessity is the mother of invention.
Prompts come in a few different forms:
Questions — what does blue / spring / being successful / mean to you?
Directives — create a self portrait using symbols
Processes — make a poem using the black out newspaper method
Finding Prompts
You can find much prompt food for thought on Instagram and Pinterest.
Make inspiration boards online and in real life. Keep questions that intrigue you. Store words and phrases in jars and pick them out at random.
Life coach Amanda Grace has a bowl filled with miniature objects — toy animals, bits of rope, stones— which serve as symbolic fire starters.
Blank Page Block
All these things and more can help you overcome overthinking. The fear. Of simply beginning. This is about making your mark. Expressing yourself fully. Explore. Experiment. Play. Discover what works for you.