Whimsy and fury, both
March journaling ideas
Hello, hello,
Well if it isn’t March!
Felt like a long time coming, hey?! And now we are firmly into, “wear no coat then freeze your ass of season”. Ha.
This image by Katie Aber pretty much sums my journaling habit right now, as well as my sense of life more broadly.
My journal, yes, gets me organised and lets me notice and log, stay in touch with the season and my wishes / dreams. It is also hugely important to keep me creating with no intention other than to create (play matters) and reminds me that magic and dreamy and whimsical can exist during a time in the world which can feel anything but.
AND also, on the other hand, my journal keeps me actively involved and focused on how I contribute (in a positive way) and pay attention to what is happening in the world. It stops me doom scrolling before bed (then not sleeping, been there). Or feeling so overwhelmed by the news that I can’t act. Not in a way that means I have to switch off altogether or look away (we can’t, can we).
Anyway, here are a few ideas for how to do both these things.
And a reminder that we are moving towards our Spring Equinox live journaling session - a chance to pause, reflect, check back in with our goals (wishes, dreams) and start to put some focus on what we are hoping to grow in the season ahead. If you’re feeling like you’ve lost a bit of direction or momentum recently coming out of Winter (and, you know, with all that is happening). Fear not. We’ll be getting back on it. Joining details and link are at the bottom:
Spring Equinox - Sunday 22nd March - Journaling Session, 7.30-8.30am
MAGIC AND WHIMSICAL
Make a list of all the whimsical and dreamy things you’d like to do in March:
Have your toes feel the grass again
Buy daffodils for your friends
Have a coffee date sat outside people watching
Plant something or tidy up one small patch of the garden
Create a Spring clean list for your living space. Less whimsical but does feel good. Maybe doodle some toadstools or fairies around your list, ha.
Create a journal page inspired by:
The colours of Spring
Flower doodles, images, buds, nature at this time of year
Words that remind you of March and the start of Spring and/or where you are at currently - pick one word that fills a whole page or you could do a full page of writing around this.
Junk journal using vintage greens - botanicals, maps, book pages, interesting textures inspired by Spring.
A page of creative writing about what you are seeing outside your window or on a walk at this point of the year - could decorate with leaf rubbings etc.
A page that represents the returning of light, in whatever form you like. It could be writing about ‘things I find hopeful,’ for example, or by collaging using all natural colours and softer edges.
POLITICAL OUTRAGE AND FURY
Then on the other hand, you could use your journal to channel the change you want to see in the world and/or express some of what you are feeling right now.
Write using the prompts:
What is my ‘medicine for the village’? What can I offer my community right now?
What am I already doing that I want to recognise? e.g I 100% believe that raising children is one of the major ways a parent contributes to society - despite how much this role is underestimated and ignored.
What specific cause or issue feels closest to me currently? It is easy to feel overwhelmed by how many issues there are. There’s a lovely image I read about which describes us all doing our little bit to contribute to and strengthen the ‘circle of care’ (which we’ll achieve soon enough with matriarchy, right?!)
I wrote a list of things that I want to do in Spring that channels my political activism / fury / the change I want to see. This felt proactive and powerful - I leafletted for The Green Party for a local election and plan to do more of this in the coming months. It is a solid way to move out of hopelessness and they don’t have to be huge things if you’ve got kids / work / the rest of life going on. Just the act of doing SOMETHING felt like it shifted the dial. One of mine was to find five online petitions to sign that were for campaigns that resonated.
Allocate a journal page to represent creatively how you are experiencing the world right now.
I don’t do this very often, I find it hard to get ‘out of my head’ and logical brain with creating sometimes. Not with poetry and words. But with making more traditional ‘art’ in my journal. Which means I need to do it more, ha.
I didn’t actually think about what my emotion or theme or idea was before starting. I sat with some pens and random scrap papers / glue / scissors (you could do this with ANYTHING). From just a biro through to a full paint set. I had a play.
Turns out I am in the market for burning something down. No shit.
(I almost didn’t share this image because I don’t see it as ‘good’ - and then I remembered and gave myself a talking to. Make shit art my friends, let what you are feeling land somewhere).
Ok, that’s probably enough to keep us going.
I’m going to end on a positive (which is how I tend to leave my journaling as well, the positive I mean, not necessarily the poem).
Here’s one from my next book of poetry (which is sooooo close, I am about to make a mood board for my front cover, eeeek).
Loads of love, as always,
Nelly x
