Spaghetti On The Wall, Kristan Swan

Kristan Swan, creator of the guided journal Spaghetti on the Wall, discusses how journaling can evolve across life stages—from childhood “emotion dumps” to adult reflection practices—and why a journal can be a safe, nonjudgmental place to say the “scary” or “ugly” things without harming relationships. The hosts share barriers to journaling, including fear someone will read it and the challenge of not knowing what to write, and describe how Kristen’s journal provides simple prompts that make daily journaling tangible and quick (about 12–15 minutes). Kristan explains the journal’s structure: a nonjudgmental observer section to record events, and an “experience evaluator” to identify highs, lows, moments of alignment, and “not so much” experiences—designed to reduce reinforcing negative self-talk that can happen with free-form journaling. She shares personal context (being on her third marriage and earlier choices driven by longing for stability, external answers, and fear of self-knowledge) and how journaling can both document progress and, if filtered through self-criticism, entrench shame. She describes creating the first edition about 10 years ago for business-coaching clients to help awareness “bubble up” when conversations felt like repetitive loops. Post-COVID exhaustion led her to question business coaching, earn a Master’s in Education, realize academia bureaucracy wasn’t a fit, and reflect on “human doing” patterns, over-saying yes, self-worth, self-reliance, and learning to ask for help. The conversation also explores authenticity in professional identity, shedding rigid expectations, and adopting a creative mindset that welcomes not-knowing, curiosity, and possibility. Kristan emphasizes that getting still and reflecting daily helps people trust themselves, make choices that do less harm to self and others, and reconnect with what genuinely matters. Follow Skirts Up on social media!Visit Samantha’s new mental health business, Sweet Soul WellnessGet your beginner friendly, spaghetti on the wall journal, by visiting Kristan Swan online.