Visual Journaling is a good way to reflect on your thoughts, emotions, and experiences.
Visual journaling, is a method of journaling that combines written reflections with creative expression through drawing, painting, collage, or any other visual medium that will fit in a book. It can provide a creative outlet to explore thoughts and feelings, and develop artistic skills. Unlike regular journaling where you record your reflections in words only.
Use Visual Journaling to Help with:
- Artistic Outlet: Visual journaling provides an outlet for self-expression that might be difficult to achieve with words alone. By combining words with visual elements, individuals can communicate their emotions, thoughts, and ideas.
- Reducing stress: Creating art can be therapeutic. It allows you to relax, release tension, and process emotions. A Visual journal is a good place to go to meditate and a safe space to express difficult thoughts and feelings.
- Boosting creativity: Visual journaling can help you tap into your creativity and come up with new ideas. It encourages experimentation and playfulness, which can be useful for inviting inspiration to your work. There are no limits to the kinds of art supplies and combinations you can use in your journal and this alone can help you make discoveries.
- Improving mindfulness: While you’re focused on making something, it can be a good way to meditate. The flow state that you are in when you are completely focused, helps you to stay in the present moment and feel calm.
Record Your Feelings in Private
Another benefit of visual journaling is that it can document your struggle and at the same time share it with everyone because the meaning is secret. Even if you keep it private, there is no danger of it being discovered and read. Everything you have expressed is cryptic in images and drawings and collages and cannot be deciphered. Unless you explain the page, no-one can guess the meaning.
I like to write an entry with a light colored pen, then draw on top of it. If I make enough drawings on top, even I will soon forget what I wrote. It is true that it helps to get it out. At the same time having a record can encourage you to memorize bad experiences. It is better to learn the lesson and move on. There are too many good things to keep in our memories.
The drawing below of african violets is an example of putting a private journal entry in my sketchbook. The words were written in light blue ink and after I put this ink and watercolor drawing on top, it is impossible to read.
Advantages to Setting a Space Limit
If you restrict yourself to 2 sentences a day, the patterns will be easier to see. Try limiting yourself with one paragraph a day or less. The less words you use, the better. Add text in a bigger bolder pen. Or maybe include a famous quote or better yet scripture that applies to your situation and no more. Use your journal to express yourself in any style with paint or ink or colored pencil (insert any medium here) and/or use collage and stick in significant ephemera to the page.
Have you ever found that using less words benefitted you? Please share how in the comments.
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