Unlocking Creativity, Clarity and Focus in my Pet Portrait Art: The Benefits of Daily Journals and Planners
- lyndajruggart
- Apr 14
- 4 min read
If you’ve ever felt like your mind is constantly “on”—looping thoughts, overthinking conversations, juggling ideas at 2 am—then you’ll understand why journaling quietly became one of the most grounding habits in my life.
For me, it didn’t start as anything fancy or structured. It started with a traveller size fun notebook… and a need to get everything out of my head.
Where It All Began
My very first journal was a green leather traveller notebook—simple,
compact, and something I could carry everywhere....travellers size I believe they call it. It quickly became a little treasure chest of my thoughts and creative life. It has now developed into somewhere to throw around ideas for my pet portrait business. Where new designs and wall art offerings are considered and developed.
Initially though, inside my first journal, I kept:
treasured photos
little sparks of ideas
notes about my artwork
records of my Facebook, Instagram, and even Etsy shop followers and likes
Looking back, it wasn’t just a journal—it was a snapshot of a moment in my creative journey. It was before I even thought about leaving my full time job and being self employed. A place where everything lived together: ideas, progress, hopes, and tiny wins. Trying to achieve Creativity, Clarity and Focus in my Pet Portrait Art
Moving Into Daily Journalling
Things shifted after I read The Artist’s Way. That book really nudged me into a more consistent, daily journaling practice.
I swapped to hardback notebooks and started writing every day.
At first, it felt like a bit of a discipline—but very quickly it became something I needed. But I wasn't keen on the 'write down everything, no matter what! Even if you have nothing to say just write' I don't know what to write'. But it did create a daily habit, not in a heavy way, but in that quiet, grounding way where you realize, Yes!… this is helping.”
Each morning (or whenever I needed and could grab a moment). I'd choose a fountain pen with a colour ink that I felt matched my mood that day, and I’d pour everything onto the page:
worries
ideas
things I didn’t even realise I was holding onto
And something interesting happened…
How Journalling Helps With Overthinking; clarity and Creativity in my pet portrait art
When thoughts stay in your head, they tend to grow louder, messier, and more tangled, especially in the middle of the night. But when you write them down, they seem to soften, even dissipate...
Journaling helps to ;
untangle overthinking – thoughts look far less overwhelming on paper
declutter my mind – like opening windows in a stuffy room
create space for new ideas – once the noise is out, creativity flows more easily
notice patterns – what I worry about, what excites me, what keeps coming back
It’s not about writing perfectly. It’s about being honest.
Some days it’s messy. Some days it’s repetitive. Some days it’s just a list.
But every time, it clears a little space.
Finding My Rhythm (my coloured ink and my notebooks!)
Over time, my journalling has evolved—just like everything else in life.
I treated myself to a botanical embossed leather A4 cover, which currently holds my daily journal. Writing on a larger page feels expansive—like giving my thoughts room to breathe. I like to use good quality, 'fountain pen friendly' paper so that I can choose the colour of my writing for any day so that when I flick through the pages, it's like a rainbow!
But, this A4 journal is now becoming my ‘work’ journal, where it will stay on my desk and I will keep:
a monthly planner
a daily planner
habit and task tracking
It feels like a gentle blend of creativity and structure—somewhere to keep track of my daily life and to make the discipline of 'doing' an easier task.
My daily writing will move into my new leather journal.
A custom-made A5 Paper Republic trifold, which will become my go-to for:
daily writing
sketching and painting
fresh ideas as they come
It is a complete one-off....a design of my own.....inspired by my holidays to the Greek islands. The main colour outside is blue. Inside the bottom pockets are green for trees, forests, and nature, the next pocket is yellow to signify sand and beaches, and the top is blue...for the sea and sky.
It’s smaller, being A5 it is more portable (so I can easily take it on holidays or just out and about), and perfect for those moments when inspiration strikes, unexpectedly, out of nowhere (as it sometimes does!). This journal has the ability to hold many inserts....as many as you need. Ruled. Dotted. Graph. Plain..Or whatever you want. Within reason of course! To see their range
Why I’ll Always Come Back to Journalling
To me journaling isn’t about having a perfect routine or decorating those notebook pages (I tried all the colourful designs and stickers, but I felt it detracted from the whole point of a journal). It’s about creating a space where your mind can rest.
For me, it’s like sitting down with a good friend over coffee and saying:
“Right… here’s everything that’s been swirling around in my head.”
And by the time I’ve finished writing, things feel clearer. Lighter. More manageable. And I feel that if it's written down, I can stop using valuable space in my head remembering it!
If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, full of ideas, or stuck in overthinking loops, maybe all you need is a notebook and a few quiet minutes.....it really does not have to be a fancy leather 'one off'!
No rules. No pressure.
Just you, your thoughts… and a page waiting patiently.
Do you journal, or have you been thinking about starting? I’d love to hear what works for you—there’s something so comforting about knowing we’re all figuring this out together.
If you'd like to see videos about this, please visit my
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