Anxiety Relief: Two Creative Practices to Calm Your Foggy Mind
Ever have those mornings where you wake up with a foggy mind, filled with overwhelming thoughts? You try to brush it off—make your coffee, go about your day—but the noise in your head lingers like hungry customers waiting for their meal.
You’re not alone. Many of us deal with this feeling, often simply called anxiety.
Together during dark times - 19.09.2024 - Finland
I’m not a healthcare professional, but I’ve had my own journey with anxiety, due to my experiences with PTSD and ADHD. Over the years, I’ve tried everything—meditation, breathwork, journaling, yoga, reiki, tai-chi, you name it. Through trial and error, I’ve found many practices that help calm one’s mind down when things get foggy and overwhelming.
If meditation or traditional methods don’t resonate with you, here are two creative alternatives that have worked very well for for me when nothing else did:
Focus on the big picture - 19.09.2024 - Finland
1. Creative Mind Unfolding (Journaling Exercise)
You’ll need:
Paper & pen
A quiet space
Optional: calming music
Here’s how it works:
Set a timer (start small, 30 seconds, then gradually increase).
Close your eyes and let your thoughts flow. Don’t try to not have them— instead, wait for them to come and listen carefully.
Once the timer’s up, write down all the anxious thoughts you remember.
Now, take a moment to flip the script. This is the surprise part. Now, you can turn each negative thought into a positive one. How ? I know it may sound hard but here’s how I do it and it works beautifully: Imagine comforting a child or a very good friend who’s upset, and show them the bright side of things, show them the positive side, show them understanding and love.
This practice helps me gain perspective and ease the fog when things get very tense. What helps me the most is when I come back to my list the next day and find that my thoughts have naturally softened. And yes, if you do not feel like turning negative thoughts into positive ones on the spot, it is also ok to take some time between. Simply accepting your negative thoughts is already a big step into healing.
Befriending - 19.09.2024 - Finland
2. Photo Voice for Feelings (Photo-Walk)
Feeling sad, nostalgic, low on energy? Take a minimum 30-minute photo walk. In nature would be the best, but if you do not have nature where you live, any calming park or busy city streets could work! As you wander around, your mind’s task is to look for symbols in your surroundings that reflect how you feel. Maybe it’s a wilting flower that mirrors your inner critic or a broken window that feels as shattered as your heart.
By turning your emotions into visual stories, you can begin to accept and even transform them. I would highly encourage you to take it a step further: choose 1-3 photos from your walk and write down reflections for each.
-Why did you choose to take that photograph?
-What the photograph speaks to you now?
-What feelings you wanted to represent in this photograph?
The best part about this photo-journaling of your emotions is that over time, you’ll begin to see the patterns. And this is how you uncover the deeper roots of your thoughts and feelings.
Autumn Sad Tears - 19.09.2024 - Finland
In conclusion, I have 3 important messages for you: Reflect, reflect, reflect. Anxiety is a state of mind that has many things to teach you. Instead of putting a label on it and call it a day, I encourage you to use art to befriend with your anxiety and understand yourself on a deeper level. Have a good day!
If you'd like to hear more about my journey with anxiety and the lessons I’ve learned along the way, check out my latest YouTube video here. Enjoy!
Autumn Happy Tears - 20.09.2024 - Finland
