My very busy brain

I've been taking steps to try to keep my endless thoughts and flow of ideas through my brain under control. Before Christmas as soon as my head hit the pillow the seemingly endless list of things I'd forgotten to do during the day would flow as if someone had switched a tap on.

As part of my art gap year project I'm looking at things that will help me to stem the flow of these thoughts and make them feel more contained. After reading a book by Roland Allen about notebooks over the holidays, I realised that a 'waste' book might offer a solution. This book was also fascinating and reassuring to me that people in the past also had busy brains full of thoughts, particularly creatives!

A waste book was used to make any notes and thoughts, but wasn't under pressure to look good. My sketchbook work is now my actual work, and so I don't use it for working through ideas, it's a place for illustrations and final pieces. But the waste book, that I now take with me everything is a little blue book that I just jot things down when they come to me. I may never refer to them again, but themere fact I've taken them from my brain and put them down on paper is cathartic, and helps me feel more in control, organised and less flooded by thoughts.

#braintamed #artandanxiety #mentalhealthjourney #artjournaling #sketchbooktherapy