Since as long as I remember, I have always had some sort of journal or diary. And... since as long as I can remember, I have never been able to finish said diary or journal. I have countless half empty books with days skipped. I have tried everything from freehand writing, to the Hobonichi but nothing has stuck. Journaling is great for the mind and the soul to get your thoughts out onto paper. Knowing the benefits, I wanted to find some way to incorporate it into my everyday life. I found I simply needed to find something that was simple, customizable and kept me motivated to continue.

So I started a bullet journal...

This year, I made a mission to get myself together in 2018. One of my main goals this year was to invest in myself, the best way I can do that is to the time to gather my thoughts and clear out my mind.  It has taken me sometime to get accustomed to the way the journal works and how I would like to use it but I think I'm on the right track. For the past 2 months, I have been sticking to the bullet journaling method. Here are three things I love about bullet journaling. 

Find out 10 Ways to Get Your Life Together in 2018

HELPS YOU FOCUS ON THE MAIN GOAL

Some of the main goals I want to accomplish with this journal is to write a sentence or two everyday. I have it made up in my mind that I simply cannot jump into free-form writing overnight. As a routine that I have failed so many times in the past, in order to stay motivated I have to start small. I have been able to keep up with the small notes everyday.  Sometimes they are thoughts of the day, daily reflections, an overview of the day or simply a quote. I still keep up with my one-a-day grateful jar; writing one thing that happened each day that I really enjoyed and I find the two very good ways to remember the good that happened in the year not just the bad. Not having that pressure of feeling as though I need to write a whole daunting page has helped me keep up with this ritual. 

Find out more about my One A Day Greateful Jar 365

KEEPS EVERYTHING TOGETHER

An aspect that really drew me to keeping a bullet journal is that everything is all together. I keep my notes, my to do lists, my creative planning for the month (for both YouTube, and blogging) and just about everything else to do with organization, in this journal. By keeping everything together, I have countless reasons to open the book every single day. Simply opening the book mentally triggers me to write something down. It keeps me coming back, I think "since I'm opening the book anyway, might as well write something down." My journal is set up in a way that allows me to make use of every page. I put what I want into it and am able to de-clutter the mess that is my mind. 

Find out 10 Ways to Declutter Your Life

GET THOSE CREATIVE JUICES FLOWING

One of the most freeing aspects of the bullet journal is that it is an empty book. It's a book with pages filled with dots. It is open to interpretation. I am a creative person by nature and I love to draw. I don't do it as much as adulting has pretty much taken over, but I'd like to get back to creating art. Turning to a new blank page allows me plan out my journal the way I want it and make it look beautiful. Something that is beautiful to look at will make me want to look at it over and over again. Plus, it keeps me motivated to design the next month's layout. 

Until you really get the hand of bullet journaling, I suggest following a journal blog. I follow AmandaRachLee's Plan With Me videos. She's really good at explaining, has a calming voice and she edits her videos beautifully in a way that is easy follow along. If you'e considering starting a bullet journal, I suggest checking out her journaling videos. 

xoxo