Wander + Wonder Episode TWO: 5 end-of-the-month journal questions for creatives
Image description: pink graphic with a photo of Krista wearing an orange shirt that says “wandering + wondering episode two - 5 end-of-the-month reflection questions”
Let's take a trip, and wander back through April in reverse.
Welcome to another episode of wandering and wondering - prompts and questions to feed your imagination, your creative work, and your curiosity.
Something I talk a LOT about and am low-key obsessed with (in a good way) is creating an end-of-the-month routine and ritual. This kind of ritual helps us press the oh-so-important PAUSE button, so we can reflect and move forward with more intention, clarity and inspiration.
The pause, in particular, helps us do a few essential things….
#1 Pausing helps us appreciate our progress, what we've created and what we've contributed.
#2 This pause also allows us to be present with what we need to tend to within ourselves and with our creativity and what shifts we need to make moving forward to allow that to happen.
#3 This pause helps us practice CELEBRATING! Celebrating what we've created, discovered and the progress we've made - especially the progress that we might need a microscope to see.
Once we’ve paused and completed the reflection, this routine gives us the space and clarity to cast a vision of what we want to focus on and create next.
In the spirit of inviting you to pause + reflect today’s wandering and wondering is focused on 5 key questions to ask yourself at the end of each month, questions that will support and fuel your creative work and life!
Image description: pink graphic with Revel in the Mess logo and text that says “An end-of-the-month routine helps us press the oh-so-important PAUSE button, so we can reflect and move forward with more intention, clarity and inspiration.”
Question #1 - What are you curious about?
Maybe it’s jellyfish, or how robin’s build their nests or how to decorate cakes. Our curiosities are often eclectic, seemingly random and deeply fascinating. Sometimes our curiosity takes us down a random internet rabbit hole and maybe it gives us a laugh or something to smirk at. And sometimes it leads us to really interesting places, places where we learn more about ourselves, places where we discover our next creation or we find inspiration that contributes to our work.
Make a list, write what you’re curious about down and then you can decide what (if anything you’ll do about it). I like to think about my list of what I’m curious about when I’m checking out library books, I’ll search the topic, see what books are available and sign a few out.
Question #2 - What did you learn about yourself this past month? And which of those lessons are you carrying forward with you?
Oftentimes these more subtle learnings about ourselves can get lost in the pile, especially in the context of bolder or more celebrated learnings - such as learning a new skill or learning something new about your business and having a breakthrough there.
Get curious and wonder about what you learned about yourself this month - maybe you learned a way of starting your morning that really feels supportive to you, or maybe you learned a new way of resting or maybe you learned a new way that you like to think.
And then consider how you plan to integrate and carry this lesson forward into the new month.
You’ll need confetti for the NEXT QUESTION…..
Question #3 - What progress did you make this month? What do you want to celebrate?
Please resist all attempts to rush over or skip past this question! This is one that’s worth sitting with. You can pull out your calendar, look back at the photos on your phone or scan your office for clues. Retrace your steps because it’s easy to forget what happened at the beginning of the month and it’s also easy for our brains to skip right to “WHAT’S NEXT?!”.
Be present with the progress you made and with what you created and then consider how you want to celebrate and REALLY truly appreciate that. Maybe you give yourself a hug, write yourself a love or thank you letter. Maybe you dance, throw confetti or tell someone you care about what you’re celebrating.
Question #4 - What are your craving creatively? Or another way of saying it… What creative cravings or urges do you have?
These are likely the things you say “I’ve always wanted to try that” or “I wonder what it would be like to make that”. Explore what you’re craving and then make a list.
You can take that list and experiment with your cravings, try those activities out, see how it feels to create in that way.
Question #5 - What do you need to nurture your creativity and self-expression?
It’s so important we give ourselves the permission and space to explore our creative and self-expression needs and what we need to feel supported and replenished. Maybe you uncover that you need more quiet time to hear your intuition or maybe you need to switch up your morning walk to a new trail for a new perspective. Maybe you need more just for fun and pressure-free projects. Maybe we need to get back to creating in the kitchen.
You might not be able to immediately remedy or give yourself, everything off your list, but chances are, there'll be something on there that you can simply give yourself or integrate into your schedule/days.
Image description: pink graphic with Revel in the Mess logo and text that lists the reflection questions:
What are you curious about?
What did you learn about yourself this past month? And which of those lessons are you carrying forward with you?
What progress did you make this month? What do you want to celebrate?
What creative cravings or urges do you have?
What do you need to nurture your creativity and self-expression?
Happy wondering + wandering! I hope however you choose to wind down the month you find some space to pause, reflect and celebrate all that you’ve created and all the amazingness that you are!