Journal Recipe: Calm Curry
A Flavorful Journaling Exercise to Reduce Anxiety
Hello! I’m very excited to be launching my new project Promptly Heal. I’m Maggie. I’ve been writing on Substack for a few years now (Finding the Flotsam) & in my journal for even longer. Through fun prompts, quirky techniques, and a touch of humor, I want Promptly Heal to make journaling and creativity accessible and enjoyable.
I hope you enjoy today’s Journaling Recipe: Calm Curry.
Let me know how you like it & if there’s any recipes you’d like to see in the future.
I recently came across a video on TikTok where the creator shared their frustration with a common suggestion they received: "Well, have you tried journaling?"
As someone who has long been an avid journaler (and, admittedly, a bit of a creep who loves reading comments), I immediately scrolled to the comment section to see if others shared this sentiment.
Here’s some of what I found:
Um, that’s clearly because you didn’t buy the RIGHT journal this time. Try again. 73rd time’s the charm! I think!
Journaling stresses me out—what if I don’t get everything down? What if I miss a day?
This is why I can’t journal. What are the rules?
THANK GOD SOMEONE ELSE UNDERSTANDS WHY I STRUGGLE WITH JOURNALING!!! I CANNOT DO IT!!! HOW DO I START? WHO AM I TALKING TO??
THANK YOU BC HOW DO PEOPLE EVEN JOURNAL?!?! I just stare at the blank page and give up.
It was obvious from the comments that many people struggle with the same frustration: journaling seems like a magic solution to the tangled mess of thoughts, yet it often leaves them feeling more overwhelmed and unsure than before. The expectations behind the suggestion are vague at best, and for many, it simply doesn't live up to its reputation.
Later that morning, as I stared at a spreadsheet, I had The Great British Bake Off on for background noise. Watching Paul Hollywood critique the contestants on their failures in the technical challenge, it suddenly struck me: suggesting journaling to someone without proper support is a lot like throwing them into one of these challenges. For anyone unfamiliar with the show, a technical challenge is when contestants are given a recipe and asked to execute it without detailed instructions. They must figure out how to make the dish based on minimal guidance and often under intense time pressure.
The truth is, many people don’t need another glossy, perfectly-bound journal to make journaling work. What they need is guidance. Real support. And yet, even guided journals often fall short of providing the kind of specific, actionable steps that would help people navigate their inner world.
So, what if we could do better? What if, instead of simply telling people to journal, we provided them with something more practical—something akin to a recipe for journaling? A set of instructions that are clear, easy to follow, yet offer room for creativity. I mean, if people can have a recipe for a perfect soufflé, why shouldn’t they have one for journaling?
And so I present, my first journaling recipe.
CALM CURRY
(you can find a printable version at the bottom of this post)
Yield: A fresh, grounded perspective on what matters today
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
1 piece of paper (lined or unlined)
1 writing utensil of your choosing (bonus points for something that feels good in your hand!)
Directions:
Start the simmer: Set a timer for 10 minutes and let the brain dump begin! Write whatever’s swirling in your head—no filters, no rules. Let it all spill out in bullet points or full sentences.
Example:
“I can’t seem to focus on anything. My brain feels like a blender set to high speed. I keep thinking about things I can’t control, and it’s making my stomach churn.”
Circle of Control: Now, take a breath and go back through your writing. Circle the things you can control.
Example:
“My desk is so messy, and it’s making it hard to focus” (circle this—I can organize my desk), “I’m thinking about how much work I need to do today” (circle this—I can plan my tasks for the day), “I keep checking my phone and getting distracted” (circle this—I can put my phone in another room while I work)
Ground: To pull yourself back to the here and now, jot down three things you can see, hear, feel, and smell. It’s like a mini reset button for your brain.
Example:
See: The sunlight streaming through the window, my coffee cup, my notebook staring back at me. Hear: The hum of the fridge, birds outside, the soft click of my pen. Feel: The cool desk under my fingertips, the cozy weight of my sweater, the sturdy pen in my hand. Smell: The faint scent of coffee brewing, the fresh paper, the earthy smell of the outdoors drifting in through the window.
Serving Suggestions:
Quick Calm: In a time crunch? Just free-write for 5 minutes, circle what’s in your control, and finish off with the grounding exercise. Instant calm.
Extra Calm: For a next-level chill, pair this with a few minutes of deep breathing or a quick stretch. Double the relaxation, double the fun.
Chef’s Tip: The Locus of Control
When you circle what’s in your control, you’re engaging with the concept of the locus of control—the idea that we either believe we have control over the events in our lives (internal locus) or we believe things happen to us, outside of our control (external locus). By identifying what’s within your power, you strengthen your internal locus of control, which can reduce stress, increase resilience, and boost your overall sense of well-being. The more you focus on what you can influence, the less you’ll feel overwhelmed by the things that are beyond your reach. Bon appétit to your peace of mind!
Lately, I have been braindump-journaling more regularly and I like it. I think identifying my circle of control will be a great addition to help me move forward. Thank you for this recipe, I'm looking forward to more to come!