If there’s one thing I know, it’s that while scrapbooking can lift your spirits when you’re down, being down can seriously affect your scrapbooking mojo.  I’ve been there and done that- both ways.  I think many of you probably have to.  The years since I began scrapbooking have been filled with ups and downs- unfortunately, many down periods for me as my husband and I traveled down a path that apparently wasn’t meant to be for over 8 years.  So, I almost feel like I’m an expert on this. . . though I know I’m no emotional expert as those years taught me that over and over again and still do today.

When it comes to scrapbooking when you are down, I think there are several approaches.  I believe each situation and person is different- only you can decide where you are at.

1) Scrapbook (or even Journal) about what has you down.  Put it on paper- even if it’s for your eyes only.  We scrapbook for ourselves so why can’t we have some really personal our eyes only pages. . . perhaps even that we destroy or burn later.  Personally, I’ve done this at times and being digi, I haven’t printed them. . . they’re just there on my hard drive but honestly, I don’t think I’d cry if they were lost.  It was more about telling the story of the moment and getting it out at the time that it was about capturing the story forever.  As I write this, I kind of like the idea of printing them and then burning them (safely of course). . . of saying these times are behind me.  (But at the same time, I think those time are a part of me. . .)

2) Scrapbook something else that’s really positive.  Perhaps something you love about DH.  Perhaps something you love yourself or about yourself.  Perhaps on a totally unrelated matter.  These types of pages can help us remember that there are still positive things in our lives even when we feel life is just one big downer after another.  Scrapbooking about life can really help us to appreciate life.

3) Switch gears- focus on another part of the hobby.  During my tough times over the past few years, I rarely scrapbooked because it just brought up too many emotions.  Instead though, I found that I could totally forget everything behind a camera lens.  And I delved much deeper into the world of photography during a real 2 year scrapbook layout drought.  It’s done wonders for my pages now   But this could be organizing, printing, creating embellishments, wherever you might be interested.  When you get ready to scrapbook again, and I’ll bet it happens for you, you’ll have this time away from creating pages to thank for helping you out.  I’ve found that the time I spent delving solely into photography is a gift that keeps on giving- both in the fact that I still have pictures of our life from those two years and that the pictures I take today have improved.

4) Do something else creative that’s not scrapbooking related at all.  Make Jewelry, soap, cook, etc.  It’s ok to wander from this hobby and find something else you enjoy.  It might not totally even fall under traditional creative categories- it might be geocaching or genealogy or even cleaning.  The one place I can always count on feeling at home is creating something in the kitchen.  When I’m down, it’s sometimes hard to get myself motivated to just get in there and cook.  But, once I start, I’m always glad I did.

4) Don’t Scrapbook and Don’t worry about being creative- Where is the rule that says we have to do this all the time?  Honestly, what I learned in my drought is that there are just times when scrapbooking doesn’t fit- and times when other creative pursuits just don’t fit in our life.  I don’t really feel like you can force it (or should force it where you don’t get something authentic and true)  There are times in our lives where perhaps we have to just focus on survival and other stuff.  And that’s entirely ok.  If we find our way back, great.  If not, that’s ok too.