How Junk Journaling Changed My Mental Health Routine

I never thought torn paper, vintage lace, and bits of ribbon would become part of my self-care routine—yet here I am, crediting junk journaling for reshaping the way I take care of my mental health.

💭 What Is Junk Journaling?

Before I dive into my story, let me explain for the newcomers: a junk journal is a handmade book filled with scraps, memories, mixed media, ephemera, old pages, and your own personal flair. It can be anything you want—a diary, a sketchbook, a scrapbook, or even a soul-soothing collage space.

And in my case, it became a healing tool.

🌿 From Chaos to Calm: My Mental Health Before

There was a time I felt completely overwhelmed. My mind raced constantly, my emotions felt tangled, and self-care was just another task I never made time for. I tried journaling before, but staring at lined pages and being told to “just write” never really helped me relax.

I needed something more creative… less structured… something that didn’t feel like work.

That’s when I stumbled upon junk journaling.

🎨 The Healing Power of Messy Pages

The first time I sat down with my glue stick, a pile of old envelopes, and scraps of fabric, something shifted. I wasn’t thinking about my to-do list or trying to fix myself—I was simply present. The act of choosing textures, layering paper, and writing small thoughts felt like meditation through art.

Here’s how junk journaling quietly transformed my mental health:

✨ 1. It Slowed Me Down

Life moves fast. My thoughts used to move even faster. But junk journaling made me pause. Ripping paper, choosing colors, and arranging pieces on a page forced me to slow down and focus on one thing at a time. That sense of slowness helped quiet my anxious thoughts.

✨ 2. It Gave Me a Safe Space to Feel

Some days I use my junk journal to write out emotions I can't say aloud. Other days, I just paste colors and images that reflect how I feel inside. There's no pressure to be neat or perfect—and that gave me the freedom to be emotionally honest.

✨ 3. It Boosted My Creativity (and Confidence)

Mental health is deeply connected to creativity. As I created pages I actually loved, I started feeling proud of myself again—even if no one ever saw the journal. It reminded me that I can make beautiful things, and that I’m more than just my bad days.

✨ 4. It Created a Routine I Actually Enjoy

I now look forward to my “me time.” I light a candle, turn on soft music, and bring out my journal. It's become a weekly ritual that grounds me, especially during high-stress moments.

✨ 5. It Helped Me Practice Gratitude

Many of my pages include little notes of gratitude, even if it's just a scribble:
“Today I drank tea in silence and it felt good.”
Those tiny moments of acknowledgment have helped shift my mindset in a powerful way.

🌼 Final Thoughts

Junk journaling isn’t just an art form—it’s a gentle, soulful way to care for yourself.

It doesn’t matter if you're an artist or a beginner. What matters is showing up for yourself in this small, creative way.

If you’ve been struggling to find a mental health routine that feels natural, nurturing, and even fun—give junk journaling a try. It changed my life, and it just might change yours too.

💌 Want a free junk journal starter kit? Download one from my freebies page!

Let me know in the comments—have you tried junk journaling before? How has it helped you?

Technology and Art, Is it For Us or....?

Technology and Art, is it for Us or not?

Hi everyone...what a topic!!! I brought this up because...OMG!!! Technology is the baum...I pity the people who avoid it, are afraid of it or don't believe in it. How can they not? I can understand their slant, in that it does take away the power of personal interactions with all these gadgets, but it is also so powerful and fun.

I say this because I have been trying to use social media to get my artwork out there and be seen. I tried the marketplace sites like Etsy, Shopify, Ebay, Big Cartel etc. etc. but nothing happened. I wondererd if I was doing something wrong so I've been doing a lot of reading and research on the topic. I recently read a few books that were quite good. Check the list at the end.

The end result is that I've hired my younger daughter to manage my social media...instagram and facebook. I deal with twitter and tumblr myself for now. I also recently, like this weekend, registered on zazzle, redbubble and society6. I'm looking to see how these work out and if any sales are made. But my topic today was all about how much fun I had placing my artwork on different items.

I was so into it I spent most of my Sunday (while my husband went golf) to play around with my artwork on different products. SO MUCH FUN!!!! 

It did however force me to go back to the quality of my photos where the pixel quality was too low. I discovered how to increase the quality and thats what I mean. When you are a person who likes technology and is open to playing and experimenting and taking a chance even when you're not sure what you're doing. You figure it out or get help or go on youtube.....lol.....But I prevailed and found a way. It made me also realise that the products we use, with patterns or artwork must have come from somewhere.

So Art is my business not just a hobby. Its not just about creating art but also about making a living. I don't want or plan to be a struggling Artist because there are too many avenues available to help us live off of our art. I don't plan to limit myself to Trinidad alone. I want to be international.

This world is no longer restricted to where you live. We now, through technology live all over the world. So I believe technology is for us and if you use it properly and ethucally you can gain tremendously and have fun while using it.

Thanks guys. Thats all for now, Check you again soon and have a blessed week. My recent abstract:

Acrylic Abstract - Aqua Waves

See how this abstract looks on leggings. The Aqua Waves leggings

https://www.zazzle.com/gafra_designs

 BOOKLIST

1. How to make money online by Samuel Nygard

2. Selling Art Online by Dave Conrey

3. Art Money & Success by Maria Brophy

4. Turn Your Photographs/ Art into Income by Stephanie Laird.