Taming Fear with Art Journaling

 The last few weeks have been super duper uber intense as we prepare for ReMe Retreats, May on Ocraoke Island.  I've been going back and forth between the retreat preparations,  working in my outside studio, working at my home studio, working on another big project coming up in May,  and of course keeping things together here at the 'ranch' with my 14 1/2 year old.    Whoosh. Makes my head spin in the best possible way.

To relax and unwind, I've been finding myself diving into my journal and escaping or relax in my own way.   Today I'm showcasing another journal I started not too long ago. This one is also a Dylusions Journal but it's the smaller version.

As much as I love the large Dylusions, once you get it really filled up...it weighs about 20 lb.s haha!! There's so many pages in it!

This one also has a lot of pages but not as many as the larger version, and they are about 1/2 the size which is nice for some quick evening doodling or collage work.

Many times I jump all over the place putting collage here or there,  going back and refining this or that, then moving on to the next spread or page.

 There's hardly ever a theme for my journals as a whole. I can't seem to stick with one theme, rather I just go with whatever the mood moves me for each individual spread. Most of the time it's a bunch of random thoughts!

I guess when I have a lot on my mind, I need a way to get it out without having to worry about the composition as a whole...just play around and communicate with myself through my visual journal.

Sometimes the pages do have accidental threads of similarity. That's often because I have my journal next to me as I paint almost all the time..so left over paint lands on the page or pages. I'll go back to the page in the evening or early morning when  I am ready to relax or begin the day in a quiet way.

If there's not a lot to say,  I'll look for a quote that has a bit of meaning or sparks my interest.   I've noticed that my pages are rather busy lately...that could be attributed to my state of mind. I constantly feel like I'm juggling everything at all times and rarely wind down.  Until I force myself, and that quietness sometimes comes in the form of art journaling.

Before I do a big project....I always, no matter how many times I've done something, get a case of anxiety and nerves.  I recognize this in myself and have learned to tame in my nerves, I need to have a sense of quiet and peacefulness. I can't just roll into an event or project in the middle of chaos or exhaustion.    With less than 6 sleeps left before our big event, ReMe..I have to find that sense of peace quickly...and I have in many ways, thanks to the preparation that we've put into place over the course of the year for ReMe,  thanks to the sanctuary of my journal, and thanks to the place I've come to discover within myself.  I'm learning to listen to what my body needs, I've learned how to quiet my mind and ease my thoughts...but honestly the fear and anxiety never goes away 100 % and that's probably a good thing.

I've found the more you care about something, the more meaning it has for you which naturally causes a bit of  struggle internally.  You want it to be amazing.You want others to enjoy it. You want it to flow smoothly and without any hiccups. 

The truth is, there are always hiccups or bumps in the road. 

There are always unexpected occurrences that change the direction, big things and little things.

The only thing you can control is your reaction and actions I've learned.

You can tame the fear and turn it into wonder and excitement.

You can quiet your mind and ease your worries by doing something you love  and taking care of yourself.

You can be more confidant by preparing yourself ahead of time and not rush into your project or event.

These are just some of the things I've recognized within myself, I hope it helps you to know that you are not the only one with fears. 

We all have them from time to time.

Until next time,

Jodi Ohl

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