In this blog, we have written before about the ways in which keeping a journal can support your recovery—and we have offered some advice for getting started.
In this post, for example, we considered four different kinds of journals that might be useful to you in recovery. They included processing journals, gratitude journals, creativity journals, and daily recap journals.
In another post, we wrote about alternatives to more traditional written journals, including collages, camera rolls, and memory collections, each of which can serve as journals of a sort and support your recovery.
And because we know staring down a blank page can be intimidating to many people, we also provided some ideas to get you going in this post. We encouraged you to think about goals, ways to relax, your relationships, and your recovery itself as jumping-off points for journaling.
In the entry you are reading right now, we want to consider a kind of journal mashup that might be an excellent tool as your recovery rolls on.
What’s a Mashup?
Generally, when you hear someone talking about a mashup, they are referring to someone mixing two or more songs together to make a new piece of music. The mashup artist Daniel Kim is so good at this that versions of his “Pop Danthology” appear in both the first and last spots on this top 10 list of mashups.
For our purposes here, we are using “mashup” to describe a journal that might include aspects of a daily recap journal, a processing journal, a gratitude journal, and perhaps even more. Your mashup journal won’t be as catchy as a good musical matchup, but it just might be what you need to keep the beat of your recovery journey going strong.
Bringing the Blend to Your Recovery Journal
Here is our suggested recipe for a mashup journal:
- Start with a daily recap: What happened today that sticks in your mind? You don’t need to create a minute-by-minute account of the day. Instead, pick a few highlights that felt important—for positive or negative reasons.
- Add some processing notes: How did you feel about what happened today? Exploring how you felt during the incidents you have described can help you understand yourself better—and possibly help you react more positively or effectively in the future.
- Jot down three things you are grateful for: Your recap and processing might lead naturally to a quick gratitude list (or you might have to look beyond the particular day in question). An intentional focus on gratitude can help you reset—especially if it has been a difficult day filled with challenging emotions or thoughts.
- Include a bit of play, if you would like: Do you hear a good joke or read an inspiring quote today that you can add to your entry? Can you sum up part of your day with a quick doodle or sketch? Did you have a stray thought you want to be able to remember later? Any and all of those things (and more besides) are fair game for your mashup journal.
- Consider setting a goal or two for tomorrow—or note how you are doing on some longer-term goals: Keeping your eyes on positive goals is an important part of recovery. Your journal is a great place to note your aspirations and what you are doing to bring them to fruition.
Seem Overwhelming? Here are Some Options.
Even if you only focus on a couple of the topics or ideas above, it might still seem like a lot to try to do on a daily basis. We get it, and we want the journaling process to be ongoingly helpful to your recovery efforts—not a chore that you dread.
Here are some variations that might work better for you.
- Set your own pace: Write in your journal every other day or weekly rather than daily—or make a point to spend a little time reflecting on the month just past on the first day of the new month.
- Focus on different things on different days: While a quick daily (weekly or monthly or what have you) recap is probably central to any mashup journal, you don’t have to force yourself to do all the processing and gratitude practice and the like each day.
- Just choose one kind of journal: We noted at the top of this blog that we have written before about types of journals that simply focus on one kind of content. That is still a great way to support your recovery if a smaller scope would serve you better.
Make a Note: We Are Here to Help
At French Creek Recovery Center, located in Meadville, Pennsylvania, we help individuals overcome substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health disorders. Because we understand that each person we serve has a unique story and specific needs, we personalize each treatment program while relying on evidence-based practices, our expertise and experience, and our commitment to a spirit of empathy. We provide medically supervised detoxification, a rehabilitation program built around group and individual therapy, and aftercare to help you start your recovery journey with confidence.
If you are struggling with drugs or alcohol, we are here to help.