Journaling is not always about writing. Sometimes you may be pondering a situation, and it may seem like too much effort to write. Instead, you might want to draw (if you are fortunate enough to have that talent), or simply doodle. Doodling, a mindless form of art that keeps your hands busy while your attention is elsewhere, can be liberating. You can be good at doodling or bad—who cares, it’s just a doodle. The beauty of doodling is that the creative part of your mind is occupied while the logical side is working through a situation.

You can use this form of art to decorate the page corners in your journal. You can doodle on opposing sides of a page, even in the middle. You can doodle on random pages throughout your journal, and it becomes a delightful surprise to see a past creation on full display. You can doodle some more on the same doodle–or not. Nevertheless, the doodle is a source of unscripted creativity to embellish your journal.

Sometimes, when you open your journal and look at a blank page, you may feel overwhelmed. How do you even begin journaling? Putting that first thought or question down on paper can seem intimidating. So instead of searching for words to write on that blank field, try something different. Add some color to the page. A simple yet effective technique is to add a bit of watercolor to the page. You can use an inexpensive child’s watercolor set of primary colors as a starting palette.

As you begin painting, refrain from saturating your brush, as some journal pages are not designed to hold water. Just barely wet the brush. Then, with light strokes of color create an interesting blend. Try different color combinations on different pages. You will be amazed at the result. The paper will warp and harden a bit. But the texture of the paper makes writing your journal entry more interesting. The satisfaction you feel from seeing beautiful color and feeling awesome texture is enough to take your mind off of a troublesome thought as you get lost in the process. The solution to your problem may have worked itself out and you didn’t even realize it!

Another way to add interest to your blank journal pages is to add washi tape. Washi tape has a lower tack than, let’s say, masking or packing tape. Most can be easily be pulled off the page and repositioned, but I digress. Washi tape is versatile. You can use washi tape for lines, borders, and to create decorative page edges. Some washi tape contain stickers, and others boast a variety of colors, themes, and designs. Washi comes in varying widths as well.

Having a small pair of scissors on hand is convenience for cutting out pictures, memorabilia and other bits of interest that you may come across and want to keep in your journal. Along with a glue stick and a little time, you can adhere your findings to your journal and write about the reason you decided to keep these items.

There are other ways to journal without writing. Doodles are artistic expression. Laying down watercolor in combinations that resonate with you is a visual stimulant, just like focal points gathered from the day’s activities. A dedicated kit containing a few items like watercolor, scissors, glue and washi tape will help keep the journaling process interesting.

Now Go and Grow,

Cris