Bullet Journal Vlog/Blog

I had set out to just post this one as a Vlog on YouTube but not being a great videographer or even a good talker, I found out quickly that Blog format partnership was clearly necessary! Basically, this is all that was covered in the long video post... except that my Play didn't make a cameo in this blog version. ;)

I'm a little 'behind the times' when it comes to having discovered the relief of The Bullet Journal... but I can't even begin to tell you how grateful I am that I did! Seriously, what a time-saver! Even for me, a not busy and always on-the-go kind of person, this journaling  technique has saved me much time, has helped me become way more organized and has even showed me that my days really are full'n'busy even when I feel worried that I've accomplished nothing. It's a really great feeling when I am checking off all my chart accomplishments at the end of each day, as wee or as mighty as each task might be!

I've been keeping a Bullet Journal for awhile now but when I first started hearing tell of the technique and started researching just what the deal was all about... well, I gave up before I even began because it seemed impossibly confusing. I watched videos and read how-to's but the people explaining were so clearly artistic beyond my means and I felt almost as though I would be a let down to the sort of artist society deal that bullet journaling appeared. Even going through the explanations given by the creator of the bullet journal, Ryder Carroll, had me feeling dumb and unworthy; I didn't get the 'logs' and 'migration' or even the 'collections'... it was all just TOO much!

But every evening, as I sat and did my regular long-hand journaling, writing out all my tasks and thoughts of the day as I've been doing for over thirty years now... my mind would flicker to how I could make the change from the journal routine I had been following strictly for so long. So, one morning I decided I would just jump on in and 'bite the bullet'!

I love lists, I love charts, I love crafts and to be able to bring them all together in my also love of journaling seemed like it might be a perfect fit even if a new and completely different approach for all.

If you are thinking of starting a bullet journal of your own, don't be afraid to try it in your own way! Because I wasn't sure I was going to be any good at bulleting I just started my first few months in a regular lined journal which worked fine but it looked a lot messier than the dotted notebooks so now I prefer to stick to the dotted pages but don't feel you absolutely NEED a dotted book to make it happen and by all means do it YOUR own way... otherwise, it will likely feel more like a chore your trying to keep up with and who wants that??!

Anyhow, now that I have my bullet journal set up and tracking all my life stuff, not only does it allow me to see and feel that I am somewhat useful but it also gives me great peace in knowing that if anything happens to me my family will know the things I might need help with at home. So, in wanting to share a more simplistic approach to bullet journaling, I thought that I would just share with you all my bullet journal set up for this month. I'm sure the thought of sharing journal entries are GASPworthy for many but I don't have any shameful secrets or embarrassing tales I keep hidden... what would be the point of that when I feel sharing and openness is so important?

Just so you know... I do understand that it looks like a lot of work and I will admit that it did take some time in the beginning figurings to sort out a method that worked for me but once I got my pattern worked out it was easy sailing from there on! The figuring method that worked for me? LISTS!!! I made lists of what is important to me, lists of things I do that I need to do in order to function no matter how minute or how grand. From the simple task of making the bed every day to the IMPORTANT task of making sure my boys both get their medicines daily, from important appointments to moments quiet in hobbies, from remaining grateful of heart to dreaded chores... they all mean something and earn space in the listage/chartage.

I actually forced myself out of my comfort zone to try and do a Vlog about bullet journaling today but because I realized after recording the Vlog (and posting it on YouTube) that my simple page set-ups weren't so simple to actually see on the video, I thought I should post pictures of all my 'important to me' pages and charts to really show my method of easy journaling. So, I suppose the Vlog really turned into a Vlog/Blog but that's okay... it is a learning attempt, after all!

Here are all the journal pages I keep and remember, even though it looks like a lot, it's really only the calendar and charts I remake each month and they only take a few minutes each to create. If you wanted to make charting simpler you could always just create printable charts and print them on sticker paper to just paste onto a page each month... I just like lining in the charts, it helps me have an excuse to just sit still for a few minutes now and then.

I know it looks like a lot of effort but remember, ALL the starred entries will usually get me
through the whole journal so it really isn't a hassle to re-do just the charts for the following months.

I am always making changes, too... For instance, the 'Important to Me' Tracker on this page proved
to be an extra bit of a time-suck when I realized I should just add it to my 'Solo Tracker' instead; which
is what I will do for next month and just instead will use the whole page for my Grateful's.

Thanks again for watching/looking at this bullet journal vlog/blog and please, if you have an easy technique that works for you... share it with us. I'd love to learn new ways to save time and keep track of life without it seeming like too much work!