Having negative thoughts is normal and isn’t something we should worry about, but sometimes, we can get a bit stuck in our thoughts. This activity is a simple but powerful exercise we shared in our recent Community MeetUp, helping transform negative thoughts into something new and exciting.
This activity is more than just an art project too. It’s a way of connecting with our inner selves, acknowledging what is holding us back and finding our own path. Exercises like this are one of the ways Common Exception fuses mindfulness and strategy, creating a more joyful and mindful approach to work. Let’s cut up the negativity and make something new together!
Paper
Pen/Markers
Scissors
A glue stick
Coloured paper, magazines or images
Step 1: Acknowledge Your Feelings
Take a blank piece of paper and write down all the negative thoughts, comments and limiting beliefs you’re struggling with at the moment. This can be challenging, but it’s a crucial part of the process. It’s about recognising and confronting these feelings. To prepare yourself, imagine these thoughts as balloons — gently touching them and bouncing them away as you write them down — rather than letting them settle.
Step 2: Cut It Up
Once you’ve written down all these thoughts, take your scissors and cut them or rip them up. Take your time and really listen to the sounds of your scissors on paper or tearing. This is one of the pure joys of collaging! Destruction! There’s also a lot of symbolism here as you’re letting go of these limiting beliefs. A gentle reminder though: remember it’s not about erasing these thoughts, or feeling bad about having them as it’s normal, but transforming them into something new.
Step 3: Make It New
Now, take a piece of paper: it could be coloured, white, black, found or torn out from a magazine or book. Anything will do as long as you can stick paper to it. Start glueing down your cut or torn-up pieces of paper to create your collage. With this activity, I don’t like to think too much about this process and simply enjoy the sticking process, but you can arrange the pieces first if you like. You can also add new words and images, your own or from a magazine. The layout and how it looks is entirely up to you!
Step 4: Reflect
Take a moment to look at your artwork. It’s a tangible representation of your feelings transformed. This collage is a reminder that even from negativity, something beautiful and positive can emerge.
Creativity: It sparks your creativity, proven to reduce stress and boost your mood.
Mindfulness: The act of acknowledging, writing, cutting, and rearranging encourages you to stay present and mindful.
Join our free community and find your people, or check out our resources and interviews for advice and inspiration.
