Sometimes our journals hold a lot of tension. Whether it’s a harsh rant you “don’t really mean” or entry about grief, there are heavy words in there! There is no rule that says you have to hold on to that weight forever. This blog is a big believer in destroying your journal through expressive art. Now, it’s time to show another way you can recycle an old journal.
Full Disclosure
This is a really important time for me and my journal journey. Last week marked the one-year anniversary of a season of grief for me. I lost 2 family members and my beloved dog Tangerine all within 3 months. My journal pages from that time are painful, confused, and so very angry. I simply can’t hold on to that anymore.
And you know what? I don’t have to.
Neither do you. Whatever sticky feelings are trapped inside your journal are free to leave whenever you are ready to let them go. This project is just one of the many ways you can do that.
Why It’s Good to Let Go
Not every journal needs to be destroyed. There are beautiful reasons to keep a journal from now till forever – we learn a lot of history through journals. That said, not every journal needs to be carried around with you for years and years.
Sure, writing those feelings out of your body is one form of release. That’s the whole reason you keep a wellness journal in the first place! Writing takes the pain out of your body and into something physical. If you want to release even further, you have to let that “something physical” go.
The question you need to ask yourself is “does it serve me to honor this memory anymore?” In my case, the memory of my loved ones IS something worth honoring. The painful memory of my grief? Not so much. Your answer will be as unique as your story.
Your Little Rituals Matter
You might be asking, “why all the extra steps?” A paper shredder could help you recycle an old journal in a fraction of the time it takes to make an essential oil sachet. This may be true, but you could miss out on a ton of good if you skip the process.
Art is healing. There is something powerful about *literally* crafting your painful memory into something beautiful and new. Our brains love a bit of symbolism. Anything you can do to make the moment meaningful is a win.
Don’t like essential oils? Okay. There are so many ways you can turn your past journals into art. Just don’t ignore the power of a little ritual.
How to Recycle an Old Journal
This week, we’re making aromatherapy sachets out of old journal entries. There are so many reasons to love this journaling craft.
First, when you recycle an old journal, you flex that eco-friendly muscle. Second, shredded paper holds the scent of essential oils really well. Third, it quite literally turns something painful into something soothing.
Gather Your Materials
Another bonus to this project is the cost. You can make it from things you likely already have lying around the house! Remember, this project is supposed to “recycle an old journal”, not make you buy an entire shopping cart of art supplies.
All you will need is:
1. An old journal
2. Scissors
3. A mesh/ organza gift bag
4. Some sort of essential oil or oil-based perfume
Choose A Few Pages
Since this is a smaller project, you’re only going to need a few pages from your journal. Try your best to choose pages that are the most meaningful to you. There are at least two ways to go about this.
You can choose pages that show the “story arc” of one particular problem. For example, maybe you struggled for several months with a personal conflict and are finally ready to put the past behind you. Whatever the topic, these aromatherapy bags are a nice way to wrap-up the drama.
Another way you can approach this is by time period. In this case, pick a time where you were really Going Through It. These pages might cover a million different topics that happened all at once. Think of this as your way of saying that phase of your life is over.
Shred It Up
Once you have your pages, it’s time to shred. However, I suggest you skip the paper shredder. This process is about you letting go of your journal. The more work you do directly, the better.
Take the scissors and cut the journal page into strips. As you cut, think about all the weight you want to “cut” out of your life. Be as intentional as you like. You might even prefer to shred by hand – go crazy! As long as the paper scraps are large enough to hold the scent, you’ll be fine.
*Note: While this project does recycle an old journal into something new, these paper scraps are not always recyclable. Check to see if your area’s recycling service accepts shredded paper before disposing of this bag later on*
Pick a Signature Scent
Aromatherapy is just that. An “aroma” that brings some sort of healing “therapy”. Basically, the scent you pick for this aromatherapy bag matters.
Depending on what you are releasing, different smells work best. It’s totally up to you what makes the most sense. However, here are some ideas:
· Bad Dreams/ Anxieties: Lavender essential oil
· Grudges/ Resentment: Pine essential oil
· Identity Crisis: Your favorite perfume
· Depression/ Sadness: Rose or citrus essential oils
· Anger/ Frustration: Cedar wood essential Oil
· Grief: Your loved one’s favorite fragrance
There is no right or wrong way to pick the scent. Sometimes it’s as simple as “this smells nice” or “this is what was in the house”. What matters is that you are somewhat intentional when picking the smell for this bag.
Find the Perfect Spot
Now, all that’s left to do is find the perfect spot for your new aromatherapy bag. You’ll be surprised at how potent these can be. It is a powerful air freshener!
Pro tip: put it somewhere where you often catch yourself overthinking. That way, when you start to spiral a bit down memory lane, you can look at your bag and remember that you have the power to transform old memories into something useful. Take that deep breath and remember exactly where you have control in life.
Say Goodbye When It’s Time
While the scent of these aromatherapy bags will last a long time, they won’t last forever. You will notice the smell disappear eventually. Don’t worry. When that happens, it’s time for one more layer of release.
Now is when you’ll throw out those paper shreds. You can even spend some time reflecting on what it means to let go further and further. It’s a beautiful end to this little ritual.
And then, when you are ready, you can recycle an old journal again. All you need to do is gently wash the gift bag and it’ll be ready for more pages.
