A bullet journal is a journal, a to-do list, a calendar and a piece of art all in one. It is a place to dump everything that is running around in your head. The bullet journal allows you to deal with your mental minutia in an organized and creative way.
I have always written lists and used an organizer, so I am familiar with the idea of the brain dump. I figured out a long time ago, that the only way I was capable of getting anything done was to write it down. I am also a fan of crossing things off my to-do list. The difference between what I do and the bullet journal is that it allows for creativity. It also helps you get in touch with things within yourself that have more meaning than appointments and a list of things to do for the week.
“Leading an intentional life is about keeping your actions aligned with your beliefs. It’s about penning a story you believe in and that you can be proud of. Writing things down is a way of externalizing our thoughts. A way to declutter our minds. We can’t be true to ourselves if we don’t know what we want and more importantly, why we want it.”
-Ryder Carrol, Author
Ways a bullet journal makes You more self aware:
- It helps you look at things more clearly.
- A place to track actions and decisions.
- Seeing your decisions and actions in black and white makes it easier to learn from your experiences.
- You can track how you feel on a daily basis.
- A place to write down your dreams.
- A page where you can write down your bucket list and then happily check items off one by one.
- You can write down all the places you want to travel and make those travel dreams reality.
- Pages filled with quotes and pictures will inspire and motivate you
- Each day you have a living autobiography unfolding in front of you. If you don’t like the narrative you can change it.
- You can fill the pages up with whatever will help you live your life with more intentionality (which according to Ryder Carroll is “the power of the mind to direct itself toward that which it finds meaningful and take action toward that end.”)
Materials needed for bullet journaling:
Blank Journal with dot grid paper or regular lined (to help with layout and design). You may like this one – Paperage Dotted Journal Bullet Notebook |
Markers/Colored Pens: Check these out – iBayam Journal Planner Pens Colored Pens Fine Point Markers 18 Colors |
Colored pencils: A great option – Crayola Colored Pencils, Adult Coloring, 50 Count, Multicolor |
Washi Tape: You may like this – 40 Rolls Washi Tape Set – Colored Masking Tape for DIY Supplies, Bullet Journals, Planners |
Micropen: These are great – Set of 10 Black Micro-Pen Fineliner Ink Pens, Anti-Bleed & Waterproof |
Stickers/photographs: You may like these – Planner Stickers – 28 Sheets, 1378 Stunning Design Accessories for Journals |
Ruler |
some bullet journal page ideas
These ideas come from YouTuber Natalie’s Outlet. These are pictures of her pages from her video titled How to Bullet Journal for Beginners. I looked at a lot of different videos and a lot of pictures of other people’s bullet journals and I really liked what Nathalie does. She is creative, but you don’t have to be an artist to replicate her pages. You can watch her video at the end of this post!
- YEAR AT A GLANCE AND KEY – This page gives you a yearly calendar and also a key for your scheduling pages.
2. MONTHLY AND DAILY CALENDAR PAGES AND A QUOTE PAGE
3. BOOKS READ PAGE – Having a books read page is a great way to keep track of the books you’ve read.
4. IDEAL MORNING ROUTINE PAGE – This is a great page to help you get the most out of every morning!
5. NEW YEAR’S GOAL PAGE – Instead of forgetting them after January, this page will allow you to look at them all year long!
6. PLACES TO TRAVEL PAGE
These are some great ideas to incorporate into your bullet journal, but there are many more online, or you can create ones that work for you. Bullet journaling is a great tool to use to get more in touch with ourselves and to become more self aware. It gives us a place to organize all the wonderful ideas and thoughts going through our minds. If there is no place to catch our inspiration, many times the best intentions and ideas just disappear into the ethers. I hope that you give bullet journaling a try and that it helps you on your self discovery journey! Also, I would love to hear from you, please comment on this post (comment tab is at the top of the blog under the title) and let me know what you think of bullet journaling!
How to bullet journal for beginners – nathalie’s outlet
(Note: If you buy something through my links, I may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. I only recommend products I genuinely like. Thank you so much. )
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