July is over and for the first time, I managed One Book for the whole month! I maintained everything within my Classic Happy Planner and I really enjoyed the process. The best thing about this, was falling back in love with the Bullet Journal.
Quick recap: For this year, I intended to do one book, one project for the month. The project was me and the book was the happy planner wellness planner. Then there was the announcement that the team would be focusing on the Bullet Journal method. With it sitting on my shelf, I decided to read it over the month as well.
So how did it go? To put it simply, pretty well!
First of all, the wellness planner is a huge success for me. Having a whole week view of those health and wellness aspects of each day, has really helped me to see patterns and make adjustments. Its all key to managing my mental health and at the moment this is crucial. I’m still getting there with filling it out everyday but thats ok. Its all part of the process which on the whole, is going well.
The big this has definitely been around the bullet journal and finally accepting that what I have been doing is totally OK. I have been all over the place with my bullet journal as its where I started planning. I got so out of place with it and how I was feeling that I stepped away from having one at the start of the year. (In hindsight, a terrible idea after 2 1/2 years where it was clearly working for me!)
I’d got fed up with feeling like I was doing things wrong if I didn’t have a monthly theme or decided to use stickers in my bullet journal. I shared how quickly I went through notebooks to complete horror at the thought of writing everything down. I got some fairly negative comments about all of this to the point where I felt stupid and incompetent event though I’ve been in a bullet journal since June 2016.
I’d tried bullet journaling again in May/June and re-reading the Bullet Journal Method (in 6 days!) has definitely helped me to finally accept that the way I bullet Journal is fine because it works for me and that all that matters. The information I include is important for me and who cares how much of a notebook I take up, or what even goes into it! Apart from re-reading the book, the big thing that has helped me to accept this has been the videos by Rhomany.
I am now at peace with the way I bullet Journal. For me, I do like a weekly log that has a very similar set up to the monthly log. It just helps me gather my thoughts in a more coherent way. My dailies are now even more detailed as I’m adding more journaling. Its a habit that is meant to be really good for mental health and something I have been wanting to try doing again – well I am and its great!
This month has really been positive in terms of my planning, not only in finding acceptance in what I’m doing, but also in the fact that its become more purposeful. Moving forward, the only real change is that my Passion Planner is back. (You can see my August planner line up here.)
Even though I do share my planners, just remember your planner or planning system is for you and not anyone else. As long as it works for you, that’s what is important!
My full #onebookjuly2019 playlist can be found here on my channel.
My Life Planned Out 