Bullet Journaling for Self-Care
Reflection—what some may assume is the basic concept taught in a physics classroom—is also a principle that all humans must apply to their lives to understand themselves and their surroundings better. Although it might sound childish to keep track of one’s own thoughts (mostly due to the negative preconceived notions surrounding journaling in diaries), individuals must keep track of their thoughts to organize their daily lives.
I first began bullet journaling by learning how to write in calligraphy during the 5th grade. Later, the following year, I bought my own blank bullet journal, which allowed me to curate designs myself. Fast forward six years, and I’m still consistently bullet journaling to structure my days and keep track of my goals.
Oftentimes, we set our “New Year’s resolutions” in the Notes application of our phones, and ignore them for the rest of the year. But keeping a bullet journal for the past six years has taught me the importance of journaling for consistency and self-improvement. Additionally, having my previous goals and habit trackers documented has allowed me to reflect on my growth as the years passed.
So what exactly is in a bullet journal?
Firstly, at the beginning of a new year, I like to divide my goals into three categories: personal, health-related, and academic. Secondly, I begin to structure my journal into monthly sections. Then, I decide on a theme to carry out through each of the bullet journal spreads of a month. After determining a theme and crafting the title page for the month, I design a calendar spread, a habit tracker, a blank page for my thoughts, and sometimes a mood tracker. Later, as each week passes by, I craft a unique weekly spread aligning with the theme of that month.
So, have you been convinced to start your own bullet journal yet?
Besides organizing thoughts, goals, and routines, bullet journaling helps me become more creative, bringing out my artistic side. As I brainstorm ideas on how I could structure the designs of each page, I become excited about how my ideas are going to come out.
Furthermore, filling out the blank pages of my journal with color and different designs has become therapeutic by helping me escape distress from daily life. Planning out my days makes me feel more comfortable and reassures me about the future.
Even for those who don’t consider themselves artistic, bullet journaling can be a powerful tool for self-care. It encourages reflection and organization, helping individuals work toward their goals while taking better care of themselves in different sectors of their lives.
By Doga Ozecik