Tag: journaling

Creativity

Overcoming my creative wall: Peek inside my new journal

Jen Morris

I’ll be honest – I haven’t been feeling all that creative lately. I’ve been in a bit of a creativity rut.

As the school year wraps up and I’m slowing down, the tiredness from three and a half full terms has hit.

I’m still journaling most days, but creatively, I’ve hit a bit of a wall.

But you see, I want to create. I keep browsing instagram and looking at all these amazing art journals (I’m always inspired when looking at work by Samie Harding, Lisa Sonora, Mary Wangerin and Nichole Rae, to name a few) but I can’t bring myself to pick up my paintbrush.

The solution? Create a new journal (this seems to be a pattern with me…)

space for creativityBut this journal is all about using magazine images with words I find, and words I add, to create my own images. A kind of visioning/collage process. It takes away my inertia because there are ready-made images to work with.

I love looking through magazines to find images that inspire me. I’m careful about what I read, and I tend to be drawn to the same sorts of images time and again:

  • Landscapes, trees, gardens, nature – green
  • Water, sky – blue
  • Beds and pillows
  • Cups or tea or coffee, teapots
  • Books, handwriting, journals
  • Deskscapes
  • Bright colours
  • Crafty things like knitting, sewing, painting
  • Images of families
  • Simple, rustic houses – wood, stone, exposed beams, cosy fireplaces etc

At first I felt like this didn’t count as ‘creativity’ – but then I had a wee chuckle. Creativity is anything really. And besides, I’m taking images and arranging them in unique ways, with my own words and ideas. The images are really just a building block.

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I want to get back into painting and I will when I’m rested and open to it. For now, playing with these words and images is soothing my creative urges.

How do you break out of a creativity rut?

What Inspires Me

Weekly inspiration

Jen Morris

Well I must say, I’ve enjoyed having a bit of the pressure off with the 100 Days Project over.

While I do miss blogging like I was before, I think that blogging every day is a bit much. In all honesty, I don’t have something worthwhile to say every day!

But the 100 Days Project helped me to overcome perfectionism by forcing me to post every day without fail. I didn’t have time to sit around rereading my writing, questioning myself and doubting what I had written. I had to just write it and get it out!

It taught me that I can stick with something and see it through (I had some serious doubts about this before). And it taught me that challenging myself by committing to something just outside my comfort zone can really push me to do things I may have thought I couldn’t do.

I would definitely do the 100 Days Project again, but not with blogging. I toyed with the idea of doing Nanowrimo, but it’s not good timing for me. I’m definitely on the lookout for my next creative project, though!

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Here’s your weekly inspiration:

Some very wise words on making time and space for your writing

We all have those mornings that make us want to crawl back into bed… find something to keep you going

As a journaler and stationery addict, I like to do all my planning and writing on paper. Unfortunately it’s unavoidable that sometimes, we just have to use digital tools. I’ve been thinking about switching from Microsoft Word to Scrivener for my writing, so this review has me pretty much sold!

This awesome interview with Jill Winski about her journaling practice

We could all learn to write more handwritten notes

Creativity

Journal prompt: Song lyrics

Jen Morris

I love music. I can’t drive anywhere without my music in the car, I can’t clean the house without music, and I don’t feel like myself if I go for 24 hours without listening to some kind of music.

I’m very careful about the music I choose to listen to – I only listen to that which uplifts or inspires me. I avoid songs that have unpleasant themes or are related to sad memories. I avoid music that I find too loud, offensive, or just plain devoid of meaning.

I’m not a snob, I’m just a sensitive and emotional person who likes to listen to music with meaning.

Lyrics are of great importance to me. I guess as an English teacher I tend to read into language and meanings more than most.

So often I will be listening to a song and a particular song lyric will stand out to me and get me thinking. I thought this could make a great journal prompt.

india-arie-lyrics

>>> Prompt:

Either choose a song you love, or choose lyrics you especially love, or just keep an ear out next time you are listening to music.

Take the line or verse that most stands out to you. Write it in your journal.

Then, write whatever comes to mind. Use the lyrics to spark your imagination, or inspiration, or to dig deeper with your own feelings and thoughts. There is no right or wrong answer. Write as long as you feel like it.

If it’s from a song you really love, consider what it is that really speaks to you about the lyric. Or if it’s something you’ve just picked up today, think about why it has caught your attention at this time.

The great thing about music is that there is so much you will never run out of inspiration!

Some of my favourite lyrics and musicians that have inspired me:

  • ‘Sometimes I hear my voice and it’s been here, silent all these years’ – Silent all These Years – Tori Amos
  • ‘You must pick a side. Will you choose fear, will you choose love?’ – Flavor – Tori Amos
  • ‘Because you never know where life is gonna take you and you can’t change where you’ve been, but today I have the opportunity to choose’ – I Choose – India Arie
  • ‘I heard a voice that told me I’m essential, that all my fears are limiting my potential’ – Just Do You – India Arie (so many of her songs have great lyrics for this!)
  • ‘People find where they belong, or keep on’ – The Wolves and The Ravens – Rogue Valley
  • ‘Finding out wherever there is comfort there is pain’ – Four Seasons in One Day – Crowded House
Creativity

Journal prompt: Theme word

Jen Morris

I want to share a journal prompt that I think is really neat. It’s easy and can be completed in as little as 5 minutes, but it spans a week (or longer, if you like).

I found this prompt in Kathleen Adams’ Journal to the Self.

>>> Prompt:

Pick a ‘theme word’ for a week, or longer if you prefer. Susannah Conway chooses a theme word to guide her through each year, which I think is a really cool idea.

For this prompt, you are going to journal each day for 5-15 minutes about how you experienced your theme word that day. If you were to choose a guiding word for the year, you may journal each week, or check in each month.

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My word for this week is happiness, to get me focusing on the little things that bring me joy as I head back into work.

Some other examples of theme words are:

  • Calm
  • Passion
  • Change
  • Loneliness
  • Confusion
  • Love
  • Patience
  • Faith
  • Gratitude
  • Anger
  • Inspiration
  • Acceptance

You can really choose any word you like. My word for last year was perseverance. It served me well. Interestingly, I didn’t consciously choose a guiding word this year, but I have felt drawn to the words faith and courage over and over again.

What word will you choose as a theme word this week/month? Have you ever chosen a guiding word for the year, and has it made a difference?

What Inspires Me

Sunday gratitude

Jen Morris

I am going back to work tomorrow after a two-week break. In truth, I’m a little apprehensive about it.

The past term was tough and there were a few times I felt myself being pulled away from all the wonderful creative practices I have worked so hard to cultivate in my life. This term, I determined to remain focused on the things that matter and to draw clear boundaries between work and home.

I’m lucky, in a sense, to get regular time away from work to recover – although I must say that without it I think most teachers wouldn’t last the year.

The past two weeks have allowed me time to catch my breath, move a little slower and savour more of my time. I’ve spent more time being creative, relaxing, resting, outside walking, journaling, planning my business, dreaming, planning my tiny house, and just generally not feeling so stressed and overwhelmed.

It has been lovely.

Here are a few of the things I am most grateful for, from the past week:

  • Sleeping more (something I don’t get to do enough during the term!)
  • Spending time with family, friends and my partner
  • Taking my pup for more walks
  • Having the time to create my blog planner
  • Making my lunch fresh, at home, every day
  • Reading in bed until late morning
  • Watching some of my favourite TV shows
  • Journaling more often
  • Having time to read blogs and other inspirational material online
  • Just pottering around the house, sometimes aimlessly, and staying in my PJs well past breakfast…

As I head back to work tomorrow, I am mindful focusing on the positive and maintaining my creative practices in my own time.

What are you most grateful for this week?

Creativity

Keeping your creative focus

Jen Morris

 

Sometimes I get so many ideas that I can’t focus on just one. I get really inspired and feel myself being pulled in a hundred different directions.

I start new journals, come up with new blog ideas, buy new art supplies, sign up for new courses… only to find those initial feelings of inspiration giving way to feelings of overwhelm.

When I finally get a moment to myself to spend doing my own thing, I feel paralysed by indecision. Do I finally start writing the novel I’ve been planning? Or do I break out my new stencils? Or maybe I should be planning the e-book for my new blog? Or art journaling in one of my many art journals? Or journaling in my written journal? Or blogging on this blog? Or, or or…

It all becomes a bit much.

As much as I love feeling inspired and creative, I find myself with 15 different projects that are unfinished, abandoned for the next thing. This is no way to make progress!

In her book Renaissance Souls, Margaret Lobenstine explores people like me – what she calls, ‘people who have too many passions to pick just one’. I am so one of these people! I quickly move from one thing to the next, easily bored and distracted by something new that’s caught my eye.

The thing is, I would really like to finish something that I start. I want to finish writing my novel. I want to develop a blog to the point that it’s financially successful (which is not likely to happen if I keep getting distracted by coming up with ideas for new blogs).

In other words, I want to focus my attention and get results on the few things that are really important to me.

Lobenstine suggests picking three or four ‘focal points’ – these are the areas of interest that you choose to focus your attention. I think this is especially helpful advice for someone like me who, without limits, could easily have 10-15 different projects on the go at once. Four sounds good. Four sounds like I will actually have time and energy to focus and achieve something!

So right now I’m working on eliminating distractions and choosing the areas that are most important for my attention.

Journaling is an extremely helpful tool to remind ourselves of what is important, what we most want to focus on. It can also be a good way to remind ourselves by reading back through past entries. I’ve found that while sometimes my priorities have changed, often I’ve just gotten distracted and not followed through on what really mattered to me.

How do you remain focused on the things that are important to you?

Creativity

Journal prompt: Happiness is

Jen Morris

I wanted to write a simple journal entry today following a prompt, but often the journal prompts I use are quite big and require you to dig quite deep.

Then I came across this one, which suited me just fine. A simple list worked for me, but really got me thinking about the lovely things in life.happiness-isI hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

>>> Prompt:

Take a fresh page in your journal. Create the heading ‘Happiness Is…’ at the top of the page.

Write whatever comes to mind, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem. If it brings a smile to your face, or a feeling of joy, then add it to the list.

You could write this as a list or do it as a mindmap. You could also do this as a visual prompt and create a collage of images from magazines, or draw pictures.

Here are some of mine:

  • A hot cup of coffee
  • New stationery
  • Sleeping in late
  • Laughing with friends
  • A good book
  • Traveling
  • Playing with art supplies
  • Journaling
  • Being in nature
  • Puppy cuddles
  • Good music
  • Butterflies
  • Afternoon naps

I could easily fill a page with all the little things I love in life. I like this because it makes me think of the tiny things that bring me joy, and whenever I’m feeling low I can look back at this list and do one of the little things to pick me up. Even just reading what I have written makes me smile.

What is happiness for you?

What Inspires Me

Sunday gratitude

Jen Morris

I like to reflect on the things that I am grateful for from the week that has been. I’ve written about gratitude before and I think it can be great to remind ourselves of the little (and not so little!) things that have gone well for us. Not just remind ourselves, but to truly take a moment to appreciate how lucky we are.

This week I am grateful for:

  • Time away from work
  • Going for walks in the evening with my pup
  • Spending time with my partner
  • Working on the tiny house plans
  • A catch up with my parents
  • Coffee with my sister
  • Time away to relax and create with my best friend
  • Getting back into written journaling every morning
  • Catching up on sleep
  • Getting my work out the way so I can enjoy the next week to myself

One thing I didn’t do much of last week was my art journaling. I have a couple of great art journaling courses I’m doing online that I’m behind in, so hope to use the upcoming week to really immerse myself in them. Then I should have more art journaling to share next week.

What are you grateful for from the week that’s been? What do you hope to achieve in the week to come?

What Inspires Me

Weekly inspiration

Jen Morris

Each week I share a few of the pages and posts that have inspired me the most… lame rhyme intended! Feel free to share anything that has inspired you in the comments.

yellow-flower

I came across this really cool course that runs throughout all of 2015 and I think I might do it!

I know I often share posts from Courtney’s page, but that’s because she inspires me so much! I loved this post about how to get up early and make the most of your mornings

This gorgeous poem by Cynthia made me smile and think more about my own big dreams

I love this practice of Jessica’s to write out ten things you accomplish each day in order to remind yourself of what you’ve achieved, no matter how small

As a washi tape addict I really enjoyed the eye candy in this post! Be sure to click on the links inside the post to see more gorgeous pics. Just when I thought my washi tape collection was complete… I think I feel a tape spend coming on!

Creativity

Journal prompt: I don’t want to write about…

Jen Morris

What do you avoid writing about? Why?

Now that I’ve gotten back into the swing of simple written journaling, I’m finding myself gradually peeling back the layers behind my words. I’m also on a break from work, so I have more time to really delve deep.

The other day, on my weekend getaway to the beach, I found myself carefully dancing around a few issues in my journal. Actually, no, I was flat-out avoiding them.

I wanted to write. I picked up my journal and jotted down a few straightforward lines, but I kept hovering at the surface.

Eventually, I wrote: There are some things I am avoiding talking about right now. Then, to maintain momentum, I listed them off quickly, one after the other.

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And just seeing them on the page in front of me was a relief. Why I had I been so scared to write these things down? And besides, what was my journal for if not to explore and resolve problems I’m having?

I decided to be brave and venture further. It was a conscious choice – I decided I wanted to face and explore these things, even though that might feel uncomfortable.

Well, it was a good idea, because it led me to several solutions. And for those issues I didn’t manage to resolve, I certainly felt a sense of relief. There’s something about putting the scary things in our heads down in words that takes away their power.

>>> Prompt:

Take some time out when you won’t be disturbed and make sure you are somewhere you feel safe.

Write at the top of the page: I don’t want to write about/I am avoiding talking about…

Take a deep breath and remind yourself that whatever emotions you feel, you can handle them. Then, let the words flow out of your pen. *

If it feels a bit daunting, you could set a timer and write only for say, 10 minutes. However, I felt the best after letting my issues reach a natural resolution in my journal. This doesn’t mean they were solved, but it means that I felt like I had naturally finished saying what I wanted to at that point. I think if I had set a timer it may have felt unresolved.

If it feels like nothing is coming, or you feel too afraid to face whatever the issue is, that is ok. You could wait for a bit, or simply leave the exercise for another day. Be kind to yourself, go gently.

I suggest you only do this exercise when you feel like you are prepared to deal with whatever comes up. For example, I wrote about my difficult things when I was away somewhere that I always feel safe, a place I go to rest and relax. I also had my best friend in the next room if I felt I needed someone further to talk to.

*Note: obviously a journal, as wonderful as it is, cannot be a replacement for a qualified mental health professional. If you are dealing with some serious trauma then please seek the appropriate professional help. Journaling can be a wonderful tool to use along with therapy but certainly cannot be a replacement for it if your situation calls for it.