Tag: journaling

Creative Ways to Reduce Your Stress and Improve Your Mindset [Guest Post]

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By Sharon Wagner

Reducing stress sounds like a monumental task, but thinking outside the box is often key. What you need is space—a pause long enough to let your thoughts and feelings take shape. Between DIY projects, journaling, painting, or just rearranging a room, there’s an invitation to process, reflect, and affirm who you are becoming. This article isn’t about mastering technique; it’s about giving form to your inner landscape. Let’s explore practical, soul-nourishing ways to do that.


Craft to Build Resilience


Creating something tangible with your hands trains your brain to stay curious and adaptive. Whether you’re knitting, building a wreath, or trying hand lettering, the process wires patience into your nervous system. Over time, these small acts of creation reinforce a growth mindset through arts and crafts—teaching you to pivot when mistakes happen, and to finish what you start. It’s not about perfection; it’s about endurance. That kind of psychological muscle pays off in every part of life. A hot glue gun might not seem like self-care, but don’t underestimate it.

Journaling for Insight


When thoughts spin too fast to write clearly, sketching them out can reveal things words can’t reach. If you haven’t tried it, visual journaling merges word and image to build a record of what you’re thinking, feeling, and shifting through. Some days, it’s watercolor and a date. Other days, it’s angry lines and a glued-down receipt. Each page becomes proof that your internal life deserves attention. You don’t need a narrative—just presence. The goal is not clarity, but contact.


Externalize with Digital Tools


Sometimes, your ideas and emotions are vivid but hard to express through traditional mediums. That’s where tech can help—not to replace your creativity, but to expand it. Using a free AI art generator online, you can turn phrases, moods, or even questions into visual pieces without picking up a brush. It’s not about “cheating” the creative process—it’s about meeting it from a new direction. When you see your thoughts rendered as shape and color, something clicks. It becomes real, and sharable if you choose.


Focus on Sensory Input


We often think of mindfulness as sitting still, eyes closed—but what if it looked like finger painting in silence, or hand-building a planter from clay? Practicing mindful creativity through presence practice helps redirect your attention from outcome to sensation. The feel of the brush, the sound of scissors, the quiet of choosing a palette—these are meditations in motion. You’re not multitasking or producing. You’re noticing. And that noticing is where ideas bloom from the inside out.


Use Creativity for Growth


Art is more than a hobby—it’s a compass when your identity feels in flux. Divorce, retirement, empty nesting, career changes—these are chapters without clear outlines. And that’s where creativity shines. You get to shape your narrative without needing to explain it. One powerful way to reset is to explore creativity as a tool for personal growth, giving your emotions form even when your plans are fuzzy. Think of it as planting a flag in the present moment. It marks the ground where you’re becoming.


Take a Moment to Reset


Looking for a speedy fix? Here’s a quick-hit list of simple 5–10 minute activities that relieve stress—no prep, no guilt, just a reset:


● Go for a brisk walk — even just around the block or indoors.
● Do a 5-minute meditation — focus on breath, sound, or a simple mantra.
● Jot down 3 thoughts in a journal — don’t filter, just write what’s in your head.
● Make a cup of tea mindfully — notice the warmth, aroma, and pace.
● Listen to one favorite song — no distractions, just pure listening.

● Water or repot a plant — engage with something living and low-stakes.
● Wash your hands slowly — tune into scent, temperature, and feel.
● Doodle or color freely — no goal, just motion and visual flow.
● Try a 5-senses scan — name one thing you can see, hear, smell, touch, and taste.
● Write a short thank-you note — to someone who comes to mind, no perfection
needed.

When stress is overwhelming, it can be challenging to find a way forward. What you need is space—to make, to explore, to affirm. Being creative is a great way to regain your voice and your composure. And every project, every messy attempt, every scribbled page is a message: I’m still here. I still get to choose how I show up in the world.


Courtesy links:
One free AI art generator online: https://www.adobe.com/products/firefly/features/ai-art-generator.html
A free online list of ten more creative activities to reduce stress:
https://smartschoolsusa.org/blog/10-ways-to-use-creativity-for-healing-and-personal-growth

References:
● https://azenera.com/en-us/blogs/inspiration/arts-and-crafts-how-creativity-enhances-your-life-and-wellbeing
● https://psychcentral.com/health/mindful-moment-creative-self-expression
● https://www.rmcad.edu/blog/expressive-journeys-understanding-art-journaling
● https://smartschoolsusa.org/blog/10-ways-to-use-creativity-for-healing-and-personal-growth

Bio: Sharon Wagner pens her thoughts from her personal retreat in Wisconsin. She finds it deeply satisfying to share about a wide range of topics to people across the US and Canada.

How to Journal and the Benefits of Journaling

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Journaling is a practice that has been around for centuries and has been used by many individuals as a way to reflect, plan, and process their thoughts and emotions. Writing down your thoughts and experiences in a journal can be a therapeutic and enlightening experience that can lead to a number of benefits. I have been journaling for as long as I can remember. It all started with my tiny daily diaries when I was about 10 years old. I often recommend journaling to my clients as a way to help them process and move forward with issues they are struggling with. In this article, we will explore how to journal and the many benefits that can come from incorporating this practice into your daily routine.

How to Journal

The beauty of journaling is that there is no right or wrong way to do it. Journaling can take many different forms, and it’s up to you to decide what works best for you. Some people prefer to write in a physical notebook or journal, while others prefer to use a digital platform. Our mobile phones have a “Notes” feature that many of us use to record our thoughts, feelings, and other ideas as they come to us. There are also different types of journaling, including daily journaling, gratitude journaling, and goal-setting journaling.

To get started with journaling, simply set aside some time each day to reflect and write down your thoughts. Some people find it helpful to write in the morning as a way to start their day, while others prefer to journal at night as a way to wind down and reflect on the day’s events. You can also choose to write in your journal as often as you like, whether that’s daily, weekly, or on an as-needed basis.

When you sit down to journal, it’s important to be open and honest with yourself. Write down whatever comes to mind, without judgment or criticism. Remember that your journal is a safe space where you can express yourself freely and without fear of judgment. Don’t worry about grammar or spelling. Just let the ideas flow from your head and heart to paper or keyboard. If your writing contains sensitive and private information ensure you can maintain privacy and keep your writing safely stored away from the eyes of others.

The Benefits of Journaling

1.Reduces Stress and Anxiety

One of the biggest benefits of journaling is that it can help to reduce stress and anxiety. By writing down your thoughts and emotions, you can process and release them in a healthy way. This can help to reduce the physical and emotional symptoms of stress and anxiety, such as headaches, fatigue, and mood swings. You may discover something you never realized you were concerned about before providing insight into how you can reduce your feelings of stress and worry. Expressing yourself on paper (or via a digital platform) may help you discover hidden or buried feelings. This gives you an opportunity to release whatever it is that you are holding on to.

2. Improves Mental Health

Journaling has been shown to be an effective tool in improving mental health. Studies have found that journaling can help to improve mood, reduce symptoms of depression, and increase self-awareness. By writing down your thoughts and feelings, you can gain a better understanding of yourself and your emotions. You can get to know yourself in a way you never did before by letting your thoughts flow freely without judgement. Negative self-talk may be expressed outwardly and this gives you an opportunity to challenge these negative thoughts and turn it around.

3. Increases Creativity

Journaling can also be a great way to boost creativity. By giving yourself the space to write freely, without judgment or criticism, you can tap into your inner creativity and come up with new ideas and solutions.

4. Enhances Memory and Learning

Writing down your thoughts and experiences in a journal can also help to enhance your memory and learning. By reflecting on your experiences and writing down what you’ve learned, you can better internalize and remember the information.

5. Helps with Goal-Setting

Journaling can be a helpful tool in goal-setting. By writing down your goals and tracking your progress, you can hold yourself accountable and stay motivated to achieve your goals.

6. Helps Shift a Negative Pessimistic Outlook

Writing down things you are grateful for can help shift a negative thinking pattern. I often recommend a Joy Journal or Gratitude Journal to my clients. Whenever we are feeling trapped in a negative-thinking cycle, it is often helpful to focus on the things we are grateful for. Write down at least three things that bring you joy or things you are grateful for on a daily basis. It could be in the beginning of the day or at the end of the day. The simple things count too! For example, “I am grateful for my pillow.” Or, “I appreciate my partner for all they do.” Within a few days this habit will help improve your negative attitude.

In conclusion, journaling is a powerful tool that can help to improve your mental and emotional well-being. By taking the time to reflect and write down your thoughts and experiences, you can reduce stress and anxiety, improve your mood, boost creativity, enhance memory and learning, and achieve your goals. So why not give journaling a try and see how it can benefit you?

Angela G. Gentile, MSW, RSW

Written with the help of ChatGPT

More information on How to Start a Journaling Practice from Psychology Today.