If you’re anything like me, you’re an active overthinker. Every interaction is a new experience to analyze and obsess over. Because we over-thinkers have so much on our minds, we have much to say. Though life would be simpler if we could express everything as we think it, it’s nearly impossible and draining.
To show love to myself, I choose sanity over obsession. And what might this sanity be? Journaling!
I’ve tried staying consistent with a journal many more times than I can count. It’s the same every time – I open a new notebook, rummage around Pinterest using key words like “bullet journal” or “aesthetic journal ideas” and then I write. My consistency lasts about a solid three days before that notebook joins the stack of the many failed attempts before it.
With the start of the new year, I was determined to actually make this journal last. As of now, I’ve been consistent and this is all because of the changes I’ve made in my journaling methods. I had the habit of wanting to make everything I created perfect and pristine. If I couldn’t plan everything to the last minute detail, the page would stay empty. Now, I challenge myself to create without planning at all. My previous classic journaling is now swapped out for the new and improved creative journaling!
What even is creative journaling? There are many definitions out there and to be completely candid, I’m not entirely sure what it really is. Because of how personal creative journaling is, it’s definition is subjective. To me, creative journaling is the process of creating with no limits, rules, and with multiple mediums. It’s almost like a brainstorm — dumping everything in my head onto paper through drawings, trinkets, and writing.
The easiest way to break out of the confining journal mold is to realize that your journal is so much more than a place to write. It can be a scrapbook, a photo album, a tracker, and so much more! Though I use my journal as a place to rant and write down to-do lists, I make sure to incorporate more creative usage of the pages. I tape down all kinds of scraps: magazine cut outs, receipts, doodles, and crumpled up notes and wrappers. Sometimes when I have no inspiration, I choose one sticker from my insanely large sticker collection and build around from there. Eventually, the page comes to life with the insane amount of color and texture, leaving my notebook a tad bit lumpier and thicker than before.
Don’t know what supplies to use? Revert to the nostalgic childhood days! I love doodling and messily coloring with crayons, markers, and watercolor paints. Random stickers I get from campus clubs and silly polaroids of my friends all become part of my journal. It’s difficult to start with a blank page sometimes so incorporating current trends into the pages can inspire a more artistic and care-free spread. Recently, I’ve been into adding bows and photo booth pictures to take up more space and add some detail.
The most important step of the creative journaling process I’ve learned is fueling and maintaining the passion of creativity you foster. The biggest sources that keep my mind full of ideas are Santa Barbara scenery, incredibly themed Korean cafes, autobiographical fiction, and talented creatives online! On TikTok, I have much adoration for the creators Martina Calvi and Layla le Bleu. Both these artists find uniqueness in the mundane, which really encourages me to do the same. Where you find your inspiration is all up to you, but the important part is how you use what you’ve processed and taken.
Still need a place to start? Try these creative journaling ideas:
- Take polaroids of your friends and create a yearbook spread! Include doodles and give each friend a unique nickname that perfectly matches your inside jokes together.
- Print photos or cut out objects from magazines that are currently on your wishlist.
- Create a real life Pinterest board of your dream life, dream summer, or dream anything!
- Have a page dedicated to all your current favorites: favorite movies, favorite snacks, favorite skincare products.
I hope these tips help you on your own creative journaling journey!