Managing Anxiety in the Bullet Journal: Part One
Setting Up for July
July 2, 2017
Bullet Journal as a Mental Health Tool with Lili @rainbowbulletjournal
July 16, 2017
This blog is no stranger to the idea of mental health, and it has always been something I care about – it affects so many people and I’ve been glad to see that it’s being talked about more and more. Â My blog hasn’t really been as much about giving people 1908343 ideas for bullet journaling, but rather sharing what I have been doing and what works for me. Â With finding out recently I’ve been living with anxiety for a long time, I will share about how I’m turning to my bullet journal to help manage my mental health and anxiety.
MANAGING ANXIETY IN THE BULLET JOURNAL
First, I had to really come to the realization that what I was feeling was anxiety. Â That for a long time I felt these feelings but called them by different names – and somehow it clicked for me one day that these feelings my friends had been feeling, I also felt. Â So I started by identifying it.
By identifying how it felt in my body, I could communicate it to other people who could also identify it. Â As no surprise to anyone, I felt like suddenly I wasn’t so strange, so crazy, that someone knew about the war that was waging in my head.
For me, this helps personify Anxiety. Â I have friends who feel differently about this – whether to consider the Anxiety absolutely part of you or if it can be separate. Â For me, right now, I’m finding it helpful to acknowledge that anxiety is part of me but is a separate acting force. Â To me, it feels like anxiety is a lens that colors the way I interpret what’s going on, which results in some of the irrational spinning thoughts that aren’t based on facts. Â By having some separation from Anxiety I feel like I can say hello to it, acknowledge it, and then tell it to stop driving.
Supplies used: A5 dot grid Leuchtturm, Smart Craft fine liner brush pens from Michael’s
I’m a very action oriented person – it helps balance out my very deep-thinking and reflective nature. Â This page is dedicated to the things I’ve done in the past to curb my “overthinking” and “meta-analysis” modes. Â A lot of these things have just helped me get out of my head and into my physical body. Â Since I think SO MUCH I have to actively distract and divert my attention away from my plans and memories, and focus on what is happening around me.
I am just starting the journey of figuring out what really works for me in my body – just like how we figure out what works for our bullet journals, I’m going to experience a lot of trial and error to find my go-to strategies. Â If you’ve seen my Bullet Journal Evolution Video, you’ll know this might take me a while!
Quickly, there were things I figured out didn’t work for me but others swear by them – one of them being mantras.  So perhaps they work when I write it out in calm mind – but I have found that often, it actually makes it worse (read: I cried even harder instead of calming down).  My hypothesis is that saying a mantra could have reiterated what I was not rather than what I am.  If I need to say I’m okay, that must mean I’m not.  See? Learning all the time.
Supplies used: Inkjoy Gel Pens
The page I’ve found most helpful is this one. Â Since anxiety is mostly in anticipation of a bad outcome, and we can’t prepare for every bad outcome, the only thing I can really focus on is the belief that I will be OKAY no matter what happens. Â This is something I feel more strongly in my career life (which is why I don’t really invest in 5 year plans), but have a harder time with my personal and relational life.
This page reminds me of all the reasons why I will be okay, and how I have already proven to be resilient. Â The crux of my anxiety is believing that I am inherently worthy of love and belonging – just by being, rather than performing or doing anything to earn that love. Â The balance of being and doing is so challenging in the US, so this is a hard thing to believe. Â So, we practice.
Liking this personal development series? I talk about Embracing the Mess, Forgiveness and Grace, creating a Heart List, as well as the Balance between Blogging and Living
I’ll be clear – I am early in my journey here. Â SO many others have been living with anxiety, named, for a long time and have been managing it in their own ways. Â This journey will evolve and I’m excited to see where we go with it – I hope you’ll join me.
In upcoming parts I hope to create collections around books to read and songs for a playlist that will shake up my anxious thought patterns.
I’d love to hear what you have done that works for you – maybe we can help each other? 🙂 Share below or email me at jessica@prettyprintsandpaper.com
Yours,
Jessica
17 Comments
this is beautiful, thanks
This is 10 kinds of awesome! Thanks for sharing… <3
This is a great post and I look forward to seeing how you use your bujo to help with your anxiety. I also have anxiety and have dealt with it for several years and I began my bujo in January this year and it has helped some with the anxiety I get over tasks and scheduling, etc. I also know that my journey will evolve and I wish you good luck on yours!
Vyki
Thanks for sharing your journey with us 🙂 I’ll share a bit about mine.
I too have anxiety and it feels like I lose control of my thoughts and consequently my ability to be mindful and do whatever I need to do at that moment. Sometimes it comes with physical symptoms.
When I notice that I am out of control I usually do a kind of journaling worry tree. I grab a notebook and start writing about it – usually asking myself what is it that I am anxious about and what can be done about it. Journaling helps me be clear about what I can and what I cannot do. The act of putting my thoughts to paper also makes it feel as a conversation between a mindful me and an anxious me – and embrace both of them (or us?) as part of myself.
love bullet journaling…made myself a few layouts that I love and use them all the time.
Great post!
[…] View more awesome inspiration via Managing Anxiety in the Bullet Journal: Part One — Pretty Prints […]
Jess, thanks for sharing! I’ve been working through the same journey. Activity helps for me too – I’ve started doing ‘Morning Pages’, but I don’t specifically do them in the morning. Whenever I find myself throughout the day getting caught up in my anxiety, I take the time to make some tea and sit down for the pages to write it all out.
I like your list of activities and the reasons you’ll be ok. Something I need to make record of so I have resources on hand.
Great share!
[…] this article? I write more about managing anxiety and self care, and Alec writes about his mental health in his bullet […]
Reblogged this on journeyofhealingc-ptsd and commented:
just discovered bullet journaling… for self discovery, motivation, self care… etc… and her post here is pretty awesome! 🙂
wow, I came across this by accident.Just saw my doctor yesterday for a ‘mental health care plan’ as I realised I am feeling anxious and need some tools with which to deal with it. Thank you for your public sharing of how you are attacking this! I am going to try some of your suggestions and share it with my husband. He has a chronic illness and is facing the fact that his current downturn in mobility is likely to be permanent. Journalling ways he can deal with this may be very helpful! I look forward to continuing with you on this journey and the encouragement of joining with others on an uplifting path! x
LOVE LOVE LOVE this! I use a bullet journal as a huge stress reliever/anxiety reliever and motivator as well, so I felt like this post was made for me while i was reading it haha. Thanks for sharing, and happy to see another bujo blogger here!
– Emma ^_^
https://thecouturechemist.wordpress.com
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