I thought I would do a post about why and how I came across art journalling, and show you some of my very first creations.

I accidentally discovered art journalling at the end of 2013. This occurred at a time when I had hit absolute rock bottom emotionally and this was also affecting me physically. I became very much a recluse and could not face the real world at all. It had been a year since my beloved father had died holding my hand… After I had given him permission to leave us, which he did within minutes.

Anyway, after impulsively leaving my job and deciding on a career change (the second in five years!) I needed to begin processing how I was feeling and making decisions. I unfairly blamed my career on everything that was wrong with my life as it was all encompassing and I hadn’t had time to do anything for me during the previous five years. My art materials had been packed away for such a long time while I pursued my career and I didn’t realise how much I needed to just immerse myself in creativity and allow myself to just let go.

As I searched the Internet for inspiration to revive my creativity I stumbled upon art journalling. Years ago I had a friend who had undertaken counselling and she had been recommended to keep a journal to help her work through her feelings. In my career as a midwife we are encouraged to write reflections and this was something I had gotten used to but also didn’t feel entirely comfortable with. I felt very exposed and vulnerable having people I knew and respected reading about my innermost worries and feelings and then grading them. For those who aren’t familiar with this, in healthcare related occupations reflections are graded and assessed during training).

I worried about my friends, family and children reading my thoughts. BUT, I had always had a tendency to draw when stressed, my husband joked that he knew he was in trouble when the pencils and paints came out. So art journalling seemed perfect. No one would really know what I was thinking when I did this and I would still get the benefit of working through things on my mind. So I began art journalling. Amazingly it was the art journalling helping me through my feelings that made me realise I was wrong on the career change and after a much needed 9 month break I went back to midwifery feeling much better and with a renewed enthusiasm. I am now care to allow myself time away from the world and to create, doodle, splash paint and share in a way that doesn’t make me feel uncomfortable like writing a diary would.