How Art Journaling helped me Heal

There was a time when words felt heavy. I didn’t know how to explain what was going inside me—only that there was noise in. My chest and stillness in my mind. Talking felt too loud. Writing felt too direct. That’s when i started doodling in an old notebook, just to pass the time. I didn’t realize i was beginning a healing journey.

Art journaling found me when I didn’t know I needed it. And it became my safe space.

A Gentle Outlet for Emotions

A, it was just a scribbles and shapes. No rules. No pressure. But even those random marks held a kind of energy—my energy. I started adding words here and there. Sometimes a single quote, other times an entire page of thoughts i couldn’t say out loud.

Through this process I realized something powerful: you don’t need to be “good” at art to let it hold your feelings.

Art journaling let me:

• Release emotions I was too tired to talk about
• Feel seen by myself, even in silence
• Give a home to my pain and my hope, both at once

A Practice of Mindfulness

Journaling through art taught me to slow down. It wasn’t about productivity or aesthetics. It was about being present—with my pen, with my breath, and with my truth. Some days it was abstract shapes, other days a quick sketch with a single word: “breathe,” “enough,” “begin.”

Each page became a pause in my day—a moment to reconnect with how i was really doing.

A Visual proof Healing

Looking back on old pages now, I can see a map of my healing. The colors got softer. The words kinder. The lines more open. And it wasn’t linear—but it was real.

If You’re Curious to Begin…

You don’t need fancy tools. A pen and any notebook is enough.

Start small. Ask yourself:

• What color matches my mood today?
• What shape would my stress take?
• What quote do i need to hear right now?

There is no wrong way to. This is your space. A quiet to feel, create, and heal.

I hope Artsofica becomes a space that helps you, just as my journal helped me.

You’re not alone. You’ already healing—page by page.

—Jessica Malobago / Artsofica