Journal page by Sara M. Gant
Visual journals are similar to portable blood pressure cuffs, heart monitors or any other medical monitoring device- except these monitors can keep tabs on our mental health and well-being.
I think it's important to do a vital signs check up (check in?) in your art journal every now and then! There are two main reasons why I think this is an important practice and habit to add to your journaling tool-box.
First, "checking in" with yourself gives you a chance to do a creative "spot check." What am I doing right now? How am I doing? What am I feeling? What is going on? It's like an interview with yourself! If you find that your responses are drastically different to those from a month ago, this lends itself to some very healthy introspection and perhaps some action. It's important to understand what we are feeling in our bodies and minds.
Secondly, the check up/check in/spot check, whichever you choose to call it, serves as a record of your emotional or physical state as you document a precise snapshot of this moment in time. These check-ins are always fun, helpful, or informative to look back on.
Two months, or two years or twenty years from now, you may not remember specific details about this day that you choose to spotlight. You may look back at what you said you were wearing and think "Oh, I loved that pink sweater!" Or you may look back and read about a tough day you were having and feel pride that you got over it. You may notice your progress. Or that you survived. You may read your responses or look at your drawing or doodles and remember the sunny day as you sat and created your page. Or you may have written that you were looking forward to a certain event, or eating a certain food, or that you were grateful for a certain thing..... the possibilities are endless.
The very fact that you can perform this record of your vital signs simply means that... you're alive!
I have typically started my journal pages with a heading that reads "Today I am....."
.... and then I add the beginnings of my sentences:
(You can use as few or as many vital signs as you want, and they can be as short or as long as you need them to be! It's your journal, right?!)
Today I Am:
Happy...
Eating...
Feeling...
Singing...
Wearing...
Creating..
Reading...
Grateful...
Watching...
Thinking...
Proud that...
Listening to....
Getting ready for...
Counting the days until...
You may want to add others that are important to you, such as a weight, or an important number of days, or anything else that is important to you at this time.
Enjoy your meaning-making vital signs life check in!
I think it's important to do a vital signs check up (check in?) in your art journal every now and then! There are two main reasons why I think this is an important practice and habit to add to your journaling tool-box.
First, "checking in" with yourself gives you a chance to do a creative "spot check." What am I doing right now? How am I doing? What am I feeling? What is going on? It's like an interview with yourself! If you find that your responses are drastically different to those from a month ago, this lends itself to some very healthy introspection and perhaps some action. It's important to understand what we are feeling in our bodies and minds.
Secondly, the check up/check in/spot check, whichever you choose to call it, serves as a record of your emotional or physical state as you document a precise snapshot of this moment in time. These check-ins are always fun, helpful, or informative to look back on.
Two months, or two years or twenty years from now, you may not remember specific details about this day that you choose to spotlight. You may look back at what you said you were wearing and think "Oh, I loved that pink sweater!" Or you may look back and read about a tough day you were having and feel pride that you got over it. You may notice your progress. Or that you survived. You may read your responses or look at your drawing or doodles and remember the sunny day as you sat and created your page. Or you may have written that you were looking forward to a certain event, or eating a certain food, or that you were grateful for a certain thing..... the possibilities are endless.
The very fact that you can perform this record of your vital signs simply means that... you're alive!
I have typically started my journal pages with a heading that reads "Today I am....."
.... and then I add the beginnings of my sentences:
(You can use as few or as many vital signs as you want, and they can be as short or as long as you need them to be! It's your journal, right?!)
Today I Am:
Happy...
Eating...
Feeling...
Singing...
Wearing...
Creating..
Reading...
Grateful...
Watching...
Thinking...
Proud that...
Listening to....
Getting ready for...
Counting the days until...
You may want to add others that are important to you, such as a weight, or an important number of days, or anything else that is important to you at this time.
Enjoy your meaning-making vital signs life check in!
