How do you face the blank page of your notebook? Do you tackle it with ease and start writing right away? Or does your inner critic kick in making you worry about perfection and fill you with self-doubt? Maybe that loud pesky voice urges you to create a master piece, so you don’t start at all, in fear that others may not like it. Or you have too many art supplies that you can’t decide which one to choose and you get overwhelmed? I am guilty of that one, that’s for sure! I’m kind of an art supply junky! 🙂
Each time I sit down to journal I approach the page differently depending on my mood. Sometimes, I look through my magazine clippings first. Select a few images I like and put them aside until I am ready to glue them down and journal. If I’m in the creative spirit and have a little extra time, I’ll do it right then and there. Or I paste a few images ahead of time randomly throughout my notebook if I don’t feel like writing at the moment.
Most of the time, I don’t add any images and just get my thoughts down on paper. I let the writing flow without making judgments about myself. I don’t worry about my messy handwriting or scratchy marks. I let my intuition guide me through the process. Then, weeks or months after the fact, I skim through my notebook to paste images down to old entries–that is, if space allows it–and add some additional color with markers and Washi tape.
I like all of these journaling methods. It adds great variety and spontaneity to my journal. It helps quiet my inner critic. Some pages I love and find beautiful. Others are bland and ugly and I don’t care. My more thought out pages (like below) are usually prettier than the pages where I’ve written first and later pasted images down. But with the combination of each of these styles it gives me freedom to express myself and makes no demands when I haven’t the time for it. And that’s what I love. What are some of your favorite journal methods and techniques?
Through all of this, one thing is certain, my inner critic is like a revolving door that keeps going and going if it isn’t silenced. It surfaces when I try to make the page a piece of art I’d like the world to see. Or if I edit as I go, in hopes, to achieve grammatically sound sentences to win some outlandish, non-existent Nobel prize. Can you relate? Well, let’s try out one of my favorite methods and conquer the blank page together!
Grab your favorite drink, journal supplies and let’s begin!
Step 1: Start with the date. Write the date different than you normally would. Maybe write it vertical instead of horizontal. Play with different font styles and sizes.
Step 2: Browse through some magazines and rip out any pictures that catch your eye. I had an old Anthropologie catalog sitting on my desk and ripped out images I liked the day before. Select a few images you like and play around with different layouts. Once you like how the images look on the page then glue them down with a glue stick.
Step 3: Start journaling! Let your intuition guide you during the writing process. Write whatever is on your mind. Have fun discovering more about yourself. You might be surprised with what you find. Or use a journal prompt. I have a great list of prompts ready for you to use from my monthly prompt series.
Step 4: Add a splash of color with markers, crayons, or color pencils. I colored the date with the same color scheme as the images to finish the page.
Aww…journaling is so much fun! Bam! You just punched your inner critic in the face! That should quiet her down for a while. At least, let’s hope!
I hope you enjoyed this mini tutorial! I’d love to hear how you quiet your inner critic. Please, share your ideas and journals with me!
