The Thread: Stories Woven Through Feminist Art
This isn’t just a blog — it’s a space for reflection, rebellion, and reclaiming. Inside The Thread, you’ll find stories behind the brushstrokes, insights from the studio, and conversations that honour womanhood, healing, and art as activism.
Whether you’re here to deepen your connection to the feminist art movement, spark your next creative chapter, or find yourself in a story — welcome. You’re exactly where you need to be.
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How Journaling Helped Me Reconnect With Myself
Struggling with burnout or emotional overwhelm? Artist Monica Brinkman shares how writing therapy became her quiet ritual of healing and self-connection.
I never planned to call it “writing therapy.”
At first, it was just a few messy pages in a notebook. Thoughts I was too afraid to say out loud. Scribbles that didn’t make much sense—at least not to anyone else. It was less of a practice and more of a release. But looking back, that’s where healing began.
I didn’t know I was burning out. I just thought I needed to try harder.
That was a few years ago—when I was juggling a job, my art, and the emotional weight of feeling like I was never doing enough. On the outside, things looked fine. I was productive. I was functional. But inside? I was tired in a way that sleep couldn’t fix. I felt disconnected from my own body, my creativity, even my joy.
One morning, after a particularly emotional night, I opened a notebook and started writing. Not for anyone. Not to be wise or poetic. Just to get the noise out of my head. That’s where this accidental ritual began.
The Quiet Power of Journaling
There’s something radically tender about seeing your truth on paper.
It’s not about being a “writer.” It’s about being honest. When I started journaling regularly—even just 10 minutes a day—I noticed a shift. My chest felt a little lighter. My mind stopped spiraling as much. I stopped performing “okay-ness” and started actually feeling my feelings.
Some days the words came in a rush. Other days, they felt dry and forced. Both were healing.
What surprised me most was how connected writing and painting became. When I gave myself space to feel on the page, I noticed my art shifting, too. Softer colors. Bolder figures. More breath in the brushstrokes.
Writing therapy didn’t just help me process hard emotions—it reconnected me to myself as a woman, not just an artist or a doer.
What I Write (and What I Don’t)
People often ask what they should journal about. Honestly? Anything. Everything. Whatever is sitting heavy in your chest or stirring in your gut. But in case it helps, here’s what my journaling often touches:
What I’m afraid to admit out loud
What I need (but don’t feel I deserve)
What’s feeling out of alignment
Where I feel proud, even if no one saw it
What my body is trying to say
Where I’m craving softness, slowness, or space
I don’t use my journal to fix myself. I don’t write to be good or inspiring. I write to witness—my own feelings, without judgment.
Sometimes, it turns into poetry. Sometimes, it’s just a rant. Either way, it’s mine.
Writing as Emotional Self-Care
Writing became one of the only things that didn’t ask anything of me.
No likes. No deadlines. No aesthetic. Just me, the page, and the truth.
In that way, journaling was the most feminist act I could offer myself—making space for my inner life to matter just as much as my output. That feels radical in a world that praises productivity over presence.
Some days, writing is the only self-care I have energy for. And that’s enough.
How It’s Changed My Art Practice
As I mentioned earlier, something beautiful started happening once I built this writing ritual into my weeks: my painting began to speak louder.
The themes in my work—feminine strength, grief, embodiment, renewal—deepened. I realized my canvas was holding what I couldn’t say yet. And writing helped me catch up emotionally.
In my piece Wildly Resilient, for example, the idea of “returning to oneself again and again” came directly from a journal entry. I had written:
“Resilience isn’t about staying upright—it’s about coming home to yourself, again and again.”
That line ended up shaping both the artist statement and the visual language of the painting.
Now, journaling is a step in my creative process. Not every time. But often enough that I see it as a partner to the paintbrush.
You Don’t Need a Perfect Morning Routine to Start
I know the pressure we put on ourselves—especially as women—to have the “right” rituals. Journaling doesn’t need a fancy setup. Here’s how I keep it simple:
I write first thing or right before bed (when my mind is most raw).
I use pen and paper—because the physicality grounds me.
I never reread entries unless I feel pulled to reflect.
I let it be imperfect. Some days are two sentences. Some are six pages.
You don’t need the perfect conditions. You just need a willingness to be real with yourself.
If You’re Feeling Numb, Stuck, or Overwhelmed…
Try writing. Not for clarity. Not for wisdom. Just for release.
Say the thing you’re not supposed to say. Cry while you write. Don’t worry about grammar or format or what it means. Let it be your private rebellion against everything that tells you to stay quiet, keep pushing, or stay small.
Writing therapy isn’t a cure. But it’s a place to begin again. Gently. Honestly. On your own terms.
A Final Word (and an Invitation)
This blog isn’t expert advice. It’s just my truth. One artist’s tender ritual. But if something here stirred something in you, maybe that’s the nudge you needed.
Here’s your invitation:
🌿 Take ten minutes today.
Write without rules. Without audience.
See what your heart is holding.
And if you’re looking for visuals that hold that same emotional truth—paintings that reflect your own process of returning to self—you’re welcome to explore my latest original works. Each one is created as a companion in your own healing journey.
With softness + strength,
Monica
Mastering Manifestation: Your Journaling Guide
Manifestation journaling isn’t about control—it’s about communion. With your intuition. With your future. With the quiet voice inside that always knows.
Manifestation Journaling: How to Write Your Future Into Reality
Have you ever felt a deep inner nudge that your next chapter is waiting, but you’re unsure how to call it in? That’s where stress-free manifestation journaling comes in.
This practice isn’t about perfect spelling or aesthetic pages. It’s about intention, clarity, and writing your desires into the physical world—where the Universe can meet you halfway.
Let’s break it down, and I’ll also share the journaling ritual that inspired one of my favorite art pieces to date: Grow to Flow.
🌿 What Is Manifestation Journaling?
Manifestation journaling is writing down your desires, goals, or visions as if they are already true. You’re not “wishing” for a future—you’re scripting it.
Acrylic painting by Monica Brinkman titled: GROW TO FLOW
Putting pen to paper activates clarity, embodiment, and focus. It’s less about magic spells and more about aligning your nervous system to the version of you who already has what she wants.
✍️ How to Start a Manifestation Journaling Practice
Whether you’re calling in creative freedom, love, or a season of rest—this ritual meets you where you are.
1. Create a Sacred Space
Light a candle. Put on music that moves your soul. Set the tone.
This is your space to channel what’s real and possible.
2. Write in the Present or Past Tense
Instead of “I want to feel more confident,” try:
“I wake up feeling grounded, clear, and powerful in my skin.”
3. Let It Flow, No Filters
Write for 5–10 minutes without editing. Let your subconscious take the wheel.
Often, the words you didn’t plan hold the most truth.
4. Include Sensory Details
What does your new life look like? Smell like? Who’s there with you?
The more you embody it, the more real it becomes.
✨ My Personal Ritual That Inspired “Grow to Flow”
One morning, I sat down at my journal with zero plans—just a soft playlist and my tea. What came out was a free-flowing letter to myself from the future. She reminded me that growth doesn’t rush. That trust is the soil. That flow is the bloom.
Later that day, I painted what I felt. Layers of soft blue and green emerged, fluid and grounding. That artwork became Grow to Flow—a visual mantra for trusting the process.
🎨 Bring the Energy of Flow Into Your Space
If this post resonated with you, I created something you can hang on your wall as a daily reminder.
Grow to Flow – Framed Print (12x16") →
Let this piece infuse your space with the energy of calm, trust, and personal growth. It’s part of my limited first-edition print series and includes a handwritten note from me to you.
💭 Final Thoughts
Manifestation journaling isn’t about control—it’s about communion. With your intuition. With your future. With the quiet voice inside that always knows.
So pour a cup of tea. Open your notebook. And write the life that’s already calling you home.
With love, brushstrokes, and belief in your becoming,
Monica
Founder & Artist, feministart.ca
🌿 Creating art for the soul, the shift, and the revolution.
The Art of Journaling — Tips, Types, Prompts and More
Journaling is more than writing — it’s a space for creativity, reflection, and self-expression. Explore easy journaling tips, inspiring prompts, and why adding stickers to your pages makes your journal uniquely yours.
Why Journaling is a Powerful Practice
Journaling isn’t just for writers — it’s for anyone craving a moment of pause, reflection, or creativity in their day. Whether you're setting goals, processing emotions, or capturing life’s little joys, journaling gives your thoughts a home on paper.
Different Types of Journaling (Find Your Style)
Everyone journals differently — here are a few ideas to inspire:
Reflective Journaling — Great for processing feelings, lessons learned, and moments of growth.
Gratitude Journaling — A daily list of what you’re thankful for.
Creative Journaling — Think doodles, poems, or mixed media art.
Bullet Journaling — Organize your goals, habits, and life with structure.
Sticker Journaling — (My personal fave!) A space to collect visual mementos like tickets, photos, and yes, stickers that inspire you.
Pro Tip: Collect stickers that remind you of your resilience, creativity, and boldness. Our new "Resilient Sticker Set" was designed to be the perfect addition to your journal pages — art that sticks with you wherever you go.
Journal Prompts to Get You Started
Not sure what to write about? Try these:
What does resilience mean to me right now?
List 5 things that made you smile today.
Write a letter to your future self.
Describe a moment you felt unstoppable.
Create a vision board in your journal — using words, doodles, and stickers.
Your journal is yours — messy, beautiful, imperfect, and full of life, just like you. Keep writing. Keep creating. Keep collecting little reminders of your resilience along the way.
Stick with what inspires you.
With love & art,
Monica
Founder of FeministArt.ca
