How to Start a Creative Journal for Emotional Wellness
Creative journaling is a self care practice that blends art-making, creativity and mindful reflection in a safe and supportive space. It is an incredible tool to help increase emotional awareness, to explore your creativity in a safe and non-judgmental way and can help reduce anxiety and stress.
I began my creative journaling process when I was in grad school to become an Art Therapist. More than just a space to reflect on my inner experience and thoughts, like a traditional journal often does, it also became a space for me to explore my creativity - to play and have fun - free of judgments and expectations.
This blog post serves as a starting point for your creative journaling journey and even has a special surprise at the end.
Supplies
Before getting started, you will need to gather some supplies. I always like to recommend, especially when you are just getting started, to keep it simple and use materials you have around the house. The most important thing you’ll need is a blank page notebook or sketchbook. While it may feel scary to look at the blank page, it also is an open space with endless possibilities for personal exploration. From there you can choose to use a simple pen or pencil or you can add in some color through colored pencils, markers, pastels, etc. Again, the idea is to make it both fun and accessible!
Setting up the space
A safe space is crucial when beginning something new that can feel scary or overwhelming. I suggest choosing a designated space and time for your practice especially for when you are just getting started. Some suggestions:
in your bed, first thing in the morning: you can have your journal and art supplies in your nightstand so you can do it at the start of your day as a way to check in with yourself.
at night, in your ritual space: maybe you already have a designated safe space in your home for your other self care rituals. Using the end of the day for your creative journaling can serve as a beautiful way to reflect on your day.
your mid-day lunch break: if you are busy in the mornings and in the evenings, making some time and space in the middle of the day when you have your lunch can be a great way to get your journaling practice in!
If you’re finding yourself ready to take the leap and start your creative journaling journey, I created a FREE guide to help you get started that you can download here. The guide includes a comprehensive list of supplies you may need, some introductory journal prompts and explains how to set an intention for your creative journaling practice. If you want to deepen your practice further, I have also launched the FULL guide for your Creative Journaling practice - this guide is more comprehensive and has about 15 journal prompts for you to explore. Available for only $22 and you can purchase it here .
