How to nature journal when feeling uninspired.

How To Nature Journal When You Feel Uninspired

Are you feeling uninspired for nature journaling? Does the thought of picking up your nature journal and heading out for a walk make you tired? Does it seem easier to just collapse on the sofa and binge-scroll Instagram?

But consider this. You will never regret creating a nature journal entry. You will definitely regret yet another evening spent with nothing to show for those hours but a frazzled mind and a stiff body.

So how to inspire yourself for your nature journaling hobby when you feel anything but? Here are some of my top tips for opening the door to your inspiration.

Try starting with a prompt

Nature journal prompts can help you inspire you to nature journal faster than almost anything else.

Prompts are short cues that provide a starting point for your nature journaling. Prompts usually take the form of questions, quotes, or partial statements related to the natural world that invite you to think deeply about the topic.

Using prompts focuses your attention, which in turn lets your mind generate inspired ideas. Often, the pressure to come up with an idea to write about in our nature journals prevents us from starting. It feels too daunting, or like too much work.

Starting with a prompt lessens the pressure on your mind. Your mind no longer needs to manufacture both an idea and the motivation to act on that idea at the same time. By leveraging a prompt borrowed from an external source, you free your mind to generate ideas about the prompt.

Our minds are idea machines. We excel at making connections and nothing suits our minds more than generating ideas and opinions about what we observe. When you use a prompt, you leap-frog over the hard, intimidating, high pressure question “what should I write about” straight to the part of journaling that your mind just loves, which is building out your impressions.

Amaze yourself at how quickly inspiration strikes when you use nature journaling prompts.

Free-write

Long a favored warm-up for unmotivated novelists everywhere, “free-writing” is a technique that nature journalers can leverage to get inspired to get started.

Free-writing involves writing continuously about anything that pops into your head for a set period of time. The goal is to get your mind on to the “journaling” track and off the “oh boy, this is going to be so hard, I’m so uninspired” track.

This technique works best when you commit to two different things:

  • Time-based continuous writing
  • Writing without judgment

Time-based continuous writing

First, commit to writing continuously for a set period of time. You can choose any length of time you prefer but I recommend between 10 and 20 minutes. Anything shorter than 10 minutes isn’t enough to warm up your mind for writing and a stretch longer than 20 minutes drains energy you could devote to your nature journaling.

Writing without judgment

Second, commit to writing without judgment. This is absolutely key to using this technique successfully. Avoid worrying about your grammar, spelling, proper word order, or whether your writing makes any sense whatsoever.

Free writing’s goal is not a finished essay or poem. It is to loosen your mind up and help you connect to your creativity. So set your timer and just keep that pen moving. Don’t judge your thoughts. You succeed with this technique as you long as write from start to finish.

Some people have a hard time with free-writing at first. Often, the technique feels wasteful, or too touchy-feely, or too simple to be worthwhile. But trust this process. Many, many writers benefit from free-writing.

If you’re really stumped, start your free-write with all the reasons why you’re not already inspired to start. Just write something and see where you end up.

Hardcover spiral nature journal with golden retriever puppies on cover and two pens.
Photograph taken by the author Copyright Now I Wonder

Make a gratitude bridge

A “gratitude bridge” is a technique that grounds your nature journaling in meaning and can inspire you even on the grayest days. A gratitude bridge requires two things:

  • a topic from the natural world
  • something meaningful in your life.

You build a gratitude bridge when you connect these two topics through your nature journaling. Here’s how to do it.

Pick a subject from the natural world

To build a gratitude bridge, first picture something from the natural world in your mind’s eye.

It can be anything you like. Most of the time, your mind will supply something that pleases you in some way, like a bird with beautiful plumage or a majestic oak tree in a farm field. For the purposes of this example, let’s say you choose the image of an oak tree.

Consider what the subject means to you

Next, think for a bit on what your chosen image represents to you.

Perhaps the oak tree represents steadfastness and perseverance. Perhaps you ponder how many violent storms the tree had to weather over its life or how amazing it is that such a massive tree started life as a tiny acorn no larger than a marble. Perhaps the oak represents dignity in old age to you, or shelter for other creatures.

Connect the two to something you’re grateful for

Now, connect those thoughts to something you’re grateful for in your own life.

Perhaps you are grateful that you stood fast in the face of a stressful situation with your family. Or perhaps you’re grateful that your family can lean against you when they struggle, like you can lean against a strong oak tree.

Connecting natural objects to your own personal experience through a gratitude bridge can inspire amazing nature journal entries unique and meaningful to you.

Make a list

List making is a technique similar to free-writing in that it helps you get started and inspired, but is performed differently.

List writing is short, sweet, and often relies on objective observations. Rather than writing about your inner thoughts as in free-writing, you list what you see and hear in the natural world.

For a minimalist list of information I recommend that you include in every nature journal entry, check out this other Now I Wonder post “Top Facts To Record In Your Nature Journal From The Start“.

For example, let’s imagine you’re standing at a bus stop.

First, look around you. Look down at the ground, gaze into the sky, and peer into the bushes. What do you see? Maybe you see ants scurrying towards their ant hill or small flies visiting the dandelions.

Next, listen to the sounds which surround you. What do you hear? Maybe you hear the peeping of invisible sparrows hidden in the shadowy bushes and the hum of passing traffic.

Next, what do you feel? Maybe you feel heat radiating off the concrete sidewalk, and a warm breeze riffling your hair.

Pull out your nature journal and jot down each of these sensory impressions. Don’t worry about formatting or whether you’re writing things down in order. Just list out as many physical impressions as you can as quickly as you can. Push yourself to stick to list making for several minutes.

After your list feels complete, you have two, equally acceptable choices.

First, you may opt to accept your list as your nature journal entry for the day.

Second, you may choose to pick one or two observations off your list that resonate with you at that moment and use them to inspire a more focused nature journal entry.

Both options result in a deeper connection to the natural world and inspire your nature journaling habit.

Try mind-mapping

Many nature journalers and writers swear by the technique of mind-mapping. Mind-mapping generates ideas. Nature journalers can use this technique to get started on days they might not feel very inspired.

When you mind-map, you create a visual diagram of your thoughts, and the associations your mind makes with a central idea. Here is a quick overview of how to create a mind map. Read on for additional details.

Overview of mind-mapping technique:

  • Decide where to document your mind map
  • Pick a starting idea and write it down
  • Start brainstorming
  • Connect related ideas
  • Select the ideas that interest you the most
  • Journal about that topic in your nature journal

Decide where to document your mind map

First, decide where you are going to create your mind map.

In general, nature journalers have two choices, both of which can work very well. On the one hand, you may choose to mind map in your primary nature journal, since the whole reason you are mind mapping is to get inspired for nature journaling.

On the other hand, mind mapping requires free association. The diagrams you create can get big and messy, especially when your ideas start to flow. So, you may find you enjoy mind mapping more when you use large pieces of paper.

I personally use large, 18 by 24 inch pads of newsprint paper and non-toxic markers for my mind-maps.

I’ve found over the years that I feel constrained and stifled by smaller sheets of paper when I brainstorm using this technique. I find I worry too much about running out of space and how messy my maps become when I use paper smaller than 18 x 24″.

Large sheets of paper encourage me to brainstorm freely and be as messy in capturing my ideas as needed. And newsprint paper pads are much more affordable than other grades of paper in this size.

Large newsprint paper pad and assorted non-toxic markers.
The paper pad I use for mind mapping when I feel uninspired to nature journal Photograph taken by the author Copyright Now I Wonder

Pick a starting idea

Next, pick a starting idea and write it in the middle of your page.

This idea can be anything that pops into your mind, but here are some tips that I’ve found work well for inspiration if you’re feeling uncertain at the start of your mind-map.

  • Use a nature journal prompt.
    • Prompts help you get started; the inspiration to nature journal will come from the mind-map you develop.
  • Pick a small topic.
    • Most of us nature journalers tend to think big when we think about nature. But topics like “pollution”, or “birds”, or even “songbirds” are way too big and intimidating.
    • Make no mistake, you absolutely can mind-map about any large topic. But in my experience, you will feel less over-whelmed and inspire yourself much faster if you start small from the beginning.

Let your mind roam free and write each thought down

Next, start writing down every thought that pops into your head about your starting idea.

Position each thought around the central idea and connect the two with arrows or lines. Your mind will quickly present additional thoughts about every connection you come up with. Add these to your mind map as branches off the main idea.

Keep making associations and branching off your ideas until you run out of space or the pace of your ideas slows.

Select and journal about one set of associations

Finally, pick one fragment or association that sparks your interest and journal about it.

You will be amazed at the sheer volume of ideas and connections your mind makes when you give it free rein through mind mapping. One or more connection will “speak” to you in the moment and you’ll be amazed at how inspired you feel to journal about it.

Set reaching a “minimum viable product” as your goal

In business, a minimum viable product is a product used to validate customer interest and needs before developing a more refined product. It’s basically a practice product that gives the business information about how to invest future time and resources.

Nature journalers can use this principle to build inspiration when it is otherwise in short supply. When you focus on a minimum viable product for your nature journaling, you give yourself permission to complete the smallest, shortest, easiest journal entry possible.

A “minimum viable product” in nature journaling means that you commit to something small, like writing one sentence, taking one photograph, or drawing one sketch. Avoid putting pressure on yourself or settting expectations about the minimum you complete.

The goal is completion of a visible, tangible entry in your nature journal and nothing more. Think of these MVP entries as a starting point that gives you information about what you might want to do next, or what naturally interests you.

Done is better than perfect and giving yourself permission to complete a minimally viable nature journal entry will inspire you to keep up with your hobby.

Set a timer

Smart phone timer counting down.
Photograph taken by the author Copyright Now I Wonder

Use of a timer is another technique that helps you get started nature journaling whenever you feel uninspired.

How to use a timer

First, find a timer. Some people swear by the old fashioned kitchen timers with the physical dial that ticks audibly until time is up, while others prefer to use the timers on their phones. Any timer option will work; the time limitation itself matters most for this technique.

Next, set the timer for a specific period of time. I recommend between 10 and 15 minutes. Ten minutes is long enough to give motivation a fair shake at developing and fifteen minutes is short enough to feel doable.

Now comes the key to the entire technique.

The key to successfully using a timer for nature journaling

You may use this time for nature journaling and nothing else.

You don’t have to nature journal during this time if you don’t want to, but you can do nothing else until the timer buzzes. You choose whether to start writing but if you don’t, you sit quietly for the full time. Put no pressure on yourself to journal but discipline yourself to refrain from any other activity during this time.

No scrolling social media, no checking emails, no chatting with friends.

Most of the nature journalers I’ve connected with find this technique extraordinarily motivating. There’s something about giving ourselves permission to do nothing that makes us want to do the exact opposite. Plus, sitting still doing nothing can be profoundly boring.

Don’t be surprised if you feel inspired to write within a few minutes of starting your timer. The minutes of quiet contemplation, free from pressure to achieve, allows space for thoughts about nature to percolate. Actually starting a nature journal entry relieves the pressure of the ticking clock and boredom of sitting there doing nothing.

The time you spend using this timer technique will always be well-spent.

Either you will have been inspired to start a nature journal entry or you will have enjoyed many minutes of relaxed, quiet contemplation. Never underestimate the value of both outcomes.

Don’t think about white pigs

Two white ceramic pigs.
Photograph taken by the author Copyright Now I Wonder

This technique uses reverse psychology to our benefit and works extremely well in combination with the timer tip.

The moment most of us are told not to do something, we become bound and determined to do that very thing. It’s just human nature. For example, it is impossible not to obey an order to not think of “white pigs”. The mind must hold the meaning of “white pig” in conscious thought for the order to make any sense, which then makes the order impossible to follow.

You can harness this natural tendency for good and use it to inspire your nature journaling on days when inspiration is in short supply.

Here’s how it works.

First, pick a prompt or idea for a nature journal entry you could write if you wanted to.

Second, ban yourself from thinking about this prompt for a specific period of time (I recommend a minimum of fifteen minutes).

No matter what the prompt, you are not allowed to concentrate on it. You may not picture dragonflies zooming across a pond, butterflies fluttering between bright pink wildflowers, or fields of grass bending in the breeze in your mind’s eye. You absolutely, positively are not allowed to remember your last walk on the beach, or the way the moon shone on the lake during your last fishing trip when you hooked that big mouth bass.

Until your time is up, you will not think about any of the natural wonders that surround and entrance you.

Before you know it, your mind will immerse you in sensory memories and daydreams about the prompt. You’ll find yourself motivated to start writing. Soon, your nature journal entry will fill up with inspiring thoughts about the topic you weren’t allowed to think about.

Conclusion

Remember, nature journaling is supposed to be fun! You don’t have to create something profound or perfect every time. The only requirement is that you enjoy yourself and the experience. So if you’re feeling uninspired, pick one of these techniques and just get started. You win just by writing something, anything, in your nature journal.

Happy nature journaling!

author avatar
Christine
Christine is the creator and author of NowIWonder.com, a website dedicated to the animals and plants that share our world, and the science that helps us understand them. Inspired by lifelong exploration and learning, Christine loves to share her knowledge with others who want to connect with wild faces and wild spaces.

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