Hi everyone! I’m Nina (@diarybynina) from the Archer & Olive Ambassador Team (@archerandolive), and today I want to talk to you about something that can be a little hard to understand if you’ve never experienced it. So if your mind never fully shuts off, if you tend to overthink, or if you jump ahead to scenarios that don’t even exist yet (yes… been there), then this space is for you. You’re very welcome here.
Supplies
Remember you can use my code: NINIS10 to get 10% off!
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Notebook
You can use any size of journal. In my case, I used an A5 notebook. -
Stamps, pens, stickers, etc.
Feel free to use any decorative elements that help you express the best version of your journal.
1. Don’t judge yourself
Living with an anxious mind doesn’t always look dramatic from the outside, but on the inside it can be exhausting. And a lot of the time, when we hear the word journaling, we immediately think of order, clarity, or deep reflection… which is exactly what anxiety usually doesn’t allow.
That’s why this isn’t journaling to make things look pretty or perfect. This is journaling to support you when your mind feels full and your body feels tired.
For an anxious mind, writing doesn’t have to solve anything. You don’t need to come to the page with answers or even clear emotions. Sometimes writing is just emptying things out, taking thoughts out of your head and putting them somewhere they can’t chase you. Paper becomes a container. Something that holds what you can’t carry on your own anymore.
A lot of the time, we don’t understand how we feel until we see it written down. And other times, writing doesn’t bring clarity at all, it just lowers the volume. And honestly? That’s enough. Not every page needs a breakthrough. Some pages just need to help you breathe a little better.
2. Types of journaling
You might already know this, or maybe you don’t, but there are many different types of journaling, and you don’t have to commit to just one. You can start one, abandon it, start another, leave it unfinished, go back to the first one… and keep doing that for as long as you want.
Journals, just like us, evolve. They adapt to our needs, not the other way around. So here are a few options you can try if you feel like it:
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Emotional journaling: One of the most freeing ones. You write exactly what you feel with absolutely no censorship, like you’re talking to yourself. It helps release emotions, understand them, and let things out.
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Gratitude journaling: Here you write things you’re grateful for. They can be simple, your routines, your pets, small thoughts, or quotes. The goal is to gently shift your focus toward the positive.
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Prompt-based journaling: You use guiding questions to reflect. This is one of the most popular methods. On places like Pinterest, you can find prompts like “What do I need to let go of today?” or “How have I been talking to myself this week?” It’s perfect if you don’t know where to start or if the blank page feels intimidating.
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Or my favorite…
3. Creative journaling
Creative journaling is my favorite because, obviously, it includes drawings, colors, quotes, collages… all the fun stuff. It’s an artistic way to express yourself, and I genuinely think it works especially well for anxious minds.
The creative process helps your brain focus on something specific, which limits those endless mental spirals we love so much (sarcasm). Choosing colors, textures, images, composing a page, or even just imagining what you’re going to create gives your brain the break it desperately needs from overthinking.
A lot of people believe creativity is a gift only a few are born with, but here’s a little secret: creativity is born in minds that need a break from the world. When everything moves too fast, creativity shows up like a tiny plant growing in dry soil. Everyone can be creative, most people just don’t give themselves permission to be.
4. How do I turn it into something that helps?
When anxiety shows up, we don’t always need to write long paragraphs. Sometimes we need something simple, physical, almost automatic. Your journal can become a release space, not just a reflection space.
You can start by writing everything that crosses your mind, no order, no logic. Don’t reread it. Don’t correct it. Just get it out.
You can also make messy lists: things that worry you, overwhelm you, scare you. Not to fix them, just to take them out of your head.
Another option is writing about how your body feels instead of what you think. Tension, exhaustion, pressure, knots. Putting words to physical sensations can be more calming than analyzing thoughts.
And if writing feels like too much, you can draw lines, circles, scribbles, repeat a word, add stickers, use soft colors, or simply move your pen across the page. Not everything has to be text. Movement also regulates.
5. Pages that help me
There are a few pages I always come back to when my mind won’t let me move forward. Keep in mind that anxiety, and mental health in general, is a long and very personal journey. These pages help me, and maybe they’ll help you too. And if they don’t, that’s okay. We all cope differently.
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What’s in my control?
I draw a big circle in the middle of the page. Inside it, I write everything I can control (my thoughts, my schedule, my pace, the content I consume). Outside the circle, I write what I can’t control (other people’s actions, the weather, social media, the past). Seeing it on paper really helps ground my mind. -
“I feel like I’m not enough” page:
I divide the page into three sections.
In the first, I write three things that made me happy.
In the second, three things I’m proud of myself for.
In the third, three things that feel heavy right now.
This simple page reminds me that even though I have fears, which are valid and deserve compassion, I also have small joys and proof that I can keep going. -
Song page:
When I don’t want to think at all, I print images, draw, and write the lyrics of the song that’s on repeat in my head. Add a good playlist, comfy pajamas, and airplane mode on my phone… that’s the real solo date we all deserve.
6. Final reminder
Journaling won’t eliminate anxiety, and it doesn’t have to. It’s not a tool to fix you, because you’re not broken. It’s a place where your thoughts can rest, where your emotions are allowed to exist without judgment.
Sometimes writing won’t make you feel better right away, but it can stop everything from staying trapped inside you. And if today you feel anxious and don’t know what to do with it, maybe you don’t need answers. Maybe you just need a safe place to put what feels heavy.
A notebook. A page. A blank sheet. Something that listens without interrupting.
And if today you can’t write, that’s okay too. Your journal isn’t going anywhere. It’ll be there when you’re ready.
When life feels loud, your journal can be a quiet room. When everything feels messy, it can be your soft landing place. Aaaaand when you get lost, come back to this blog, I’ll help you return to yourself, okaaay? Or check out this video:
If you decide to use the printable, I would love to see your cozy pages.
Tag @archerandolive and @diarybynina, it makes my heart so happy to see your rituals come to life.
#AOshare #archerandolive
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