Creative journalling

Celebrating YOU

CREATIVE JOURNALING

By Bronwyn Romain

Mind-Body and Creative Wellness Educator

During the perimenopause and menopause years, we experience many emotions and feelings. Hormonal fluctuations combined with life experiences and responsibilities may be met with elation one day and depression the next. Sometimes it feels like the mind just has too many tabs open!

There are many techniques for relieving feelings of mental and emotional stress and in recent years greater attention has been paid to how ‘creativity’ is beneficial to mind-body wellness. Research has shown that when we engage in any kind of creative activity we engage our parasympathetic system, which helps bring the mind-body back to homeostasis– in other words, our calm self returns. Whilst we are on the menopause bridge of transition, it is a time to be kind and forgiving to ourselves. Using a creative journal provides a way of exploring, expressing and enjoying ourselves, and can act as a conduit for healing and absolution.

Types of Journals

A journal is something tangible that you hold and work with physically. It can be a simple notebook or a fancy art book. You might like to Google ways to hand make a journal so that it is something extra special to you. Having several journals on the go at the same time may be a way of downloading, storing, and closing those ‘mind tabs’ that are open. One journal may be for ideas, and another used for a dedicated 15 minutes of ‘worry time’. Pens, pencils, paints, glue sticks, and scrap paper are good tools to have on hand when you are journaling. What do you use a creative journal for?

The practice of keeping a creative journal provides a non-verbal way of creating your own private world. It is like doing your own mini brain scan and download! It does not have to be a work of art, it just has to be you. Your journal will reflect who you are, what you are feeling, thinking, planning, dreaming, amused by, provoked by, and things you want to remember or are grateful for at any given moment. It may be a place where you reflect on special interests that you have, or just do fun creative projects. There are no rules, no right and wrong, no good or bad creative journals. It is your space where you are totally free to do as you please. The possibilities are endless and best of all there is no finishing deadline, your journal can always be a work in progress! Once you have your journal, set your intention. You may like to use that lovely blank first page to express what this journal means to you, what you will use it for and what do you hope keeping this journal will give you in return. Keep your journal somewhere where you will see it and use it. Give yourself permission to be free of all distractions and give way to being in the present moment expressing your thoughts, your ideas, your feelings and what inspires you.

4 journaling ideas to get you going:

•Free write! Write down everything that comes into your head, no editing, no punctuation, no judgement.

This is a great stress and anxiety-busting exercise! • Draw yourself as a tree – your roots being what grounds you, your trunk being what supports and strengthens you, the leaves being what you want to shed so new growth can come through. This helps with personal identity. • Write three things you are grateful for, for the next 10 days. This helps form a positive mindset. • Doodle and scribble. This is relaxing and freeing.