MORE THAN A TREND
Maybe you’ve heard of bullet journaling but just think its a trendy bandwagon that people are jumping on? Think again! Bullet Journaling is here to stay and can be a powerful tool, not just for organization, but for creativity, accountability, growth and posterity!
I became interested in bullet journaling after watching a friend from-a-distance on the gram. She was a mother and entrepreneur who went after personal growth goals with drive, compassion and creativity. She was consistent in her pursuit, and I was witnessing the results of her efforts. Bullet journaling was a major part of her process. Every month she would document the creation of her journal and the plan for the days ahead. Her journal wasn’t a “Pinterest-worthy” snapshot with perfect calligraphy and design. It was messy, colorful, full of glued-in pictures and rumpled pages. But her life was a testimony to slow, steady growth. I wanted some for myself.
I started my first bullet journal in August of 2018 and I haven’t looked back. My friends know that I rarely leave the house without it. It is permanently attached to my left hand, constantly being opened to hold ideas, track thoughts, and document habits. I’m a bullet journal convert and I believe it can be a powerful tool for anyone who wants to boost productivity, foster creativity, and most importantly build a solid foundation for the dreams of your life to be established upon. Below are my top 5 reasons why you should start bullet journaling today.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases with no additional cost to you. I only promote products I use that have added value to my life. I hope they can do the same for you.
FLUIDITY
You are not locked into a format. How many of us have bought a perfectly curated planner with a white marble design on the front and inspirational quotes lining each page at the start of a new year? We use it for a few months at best, and then we are back to the iPhone or sticky note systems that weren’t working for us in the first place. The beauty of a bullet journal is that it is not a one-size-fits-all structure for you to cram your unique life into. It is a blank page, a living, breathing structure that can evolve as you and your priorities change.
When my first child arrived my bullet journal dramatically changed. Where I’d once been filling it with meeting notes, running goals and the planning of a curriculum project, my journal became a story of feedings (right boob, left boob, repeat), sleep schedules, and a list of thank you notes to write for the friends who delivered meals. As the focus of my life changed, so did the content and necessity of my journaling practice.
TELL A STORY
Whereas most planners are designed to better organize my schedule and remind me of priorities, the bullet journal serves the far grander, abstract purpose of reflection. Its a place where life happens, where it is recorded, where I can see myself clearly. We all have idealized versions of ourselves, but often these imaginings are far from reality.
Before I started my journaling practice I considered myself to be “healthy”. And then I started tracking my habits. I quickly realized that I wasn’t drinking enough water, I was only working out 3-4 times a month, my sleep schedule was all over the place and my eating habits were far from ideal. In short, the reality of what I put in my body and how I spent my time was telling a different story than the “healthy” person I believed myself to be. My bullet journal became a mirror that showed me the women I was, a crystal ball forecasting the woman I was becoming.
Two and a half years later, healthy water intake, consistent exercise, and sleep habits have become part of my daily life. I’ve moved on to improving other habits like phone usage, creativity, and immune support. My bullet journal is a monthly snap-shot where I can see what is important to me and evaluate the women I’m becoming. It’s a hodge-podge of dreams, ponderings, habit tracking, and crayon scribbles from my toddler who loves to jump up in my lap and contribute to my musings. Viewed as a whole, it’s an accounting of the minutes and hours that make up a life. Do you know where you are spending your minutes….?
CREATIVE OUTLET
While some (hello, enneagram 1’s) might balk at the idea of a blank page needing to be filled, the truth is that the freedom and flexibility of a bullet journal leaves limitless room for you to be creative and express yourself. While not everyone is an artist, there is room for color, design, and creative inspiration to fill the page. It might not always look “pinterest-worthy”, but it’s an expression of new things flowing out of me, something uniquely beautiful. Some months my calendar is gorgeous and I boldly venture into drawing and design. Other months its utilitarian, black and white, serve-a-purpose-only design. The beauty of the bullet journal is that if it doesn’t work for me, I can always change it up and start somewhere new, tomorrow or next month!
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
Bullet Journaling has something for everyone because it can be molded into exactly what you need in this current phase of your life. Do you have financial goals and are trying to get out of debt? Are you saving for a down payment on your first house? Maybe you are working on putting your phone down, or staging a return to the reading of ole-fashioned books. Perhaps you want to develop a gratitude habit or practice daily sketching. The bullet journal is a blank slate to document the process of you becoming the person you dream of being. Whoever that person is, you won’t get there by passively sitting back and taking life as it comes. It will take work and daily choices over an extended period of time.
Pickup your first bullet journal today and get started on that journey. Take all the ideas that are swirling around in your head, the regrets that keep you up at night, the ideas you “should” be trying, the minutes you lose to mindless scrolling and write them down. Sort through them. Build a structure and a plan to turn those ideas into reality.
RHYTHMS AND RITUALS
In his book To Hell With The Hustle, Jefferson Bethke describes three types of repeated behaviors: routines, habits and rituals. Routines are the most mundane, akin to tying your shoe or brushing your teeth. Habits go much deeper to what you desire and love, what drives you. But even deeper are rituals, habits of meaning that draw us into a sacred moment. When you look at your life, you are a collection of habits and those habits unequivocally reveal what you love.
At its most fundamental level, my bullet journal tells a story of what I love, who I love, and how I love. As I document habits, schedule meetings, complete projects , and set goals I am creating a ritual. I am charting a course for my own formation, defining the woman I want to become. This recording of my days in my bullet journal has become sacred. Although it is simply putting pen to paper in imperfect scratches of lines and letters, the meaning of those ink marks and the structure they bring remind me of who I am and who I aspire to become.
Thinking about taking the plunge and jumping off the ledge into the fabulous world of bullet journals? I hope my words have convinced you to do it now and never look back!
Not sure where to get started?
The Leuchtturm 1917 is hands-down the best quality journal on the market and is a great price. I’ll never use anythings else! You can also check out The Bullet Journal Method: Track The Past, Order The Present, Design The Future by the creator of the bullet journal, Ryder Carroll.
