Introducing a New Series: Bujo Bitch Basics

Raise your hand if you are a Lazy Type A. You like to make lists and plans, but actually committing to these plans is where you falter. So you just keep making those lists, thinking that one time it will stick. Every year, you buy a new planner in excitement for all that you will accomplish in the year to come. Your heart is full of aspirations that you just can't make yourself commit to for 365 days a year.

Well, you are not alone. I am also a Lazy Type A. I live for the moments when I get to buy a new planner or stationary. I love to think up goals and to fill notebooks with lists. Up until two and a half years ago I also was not very productive with my time. I was not where I wanted to be in my career, my apartment was a mess, and I just felt like I was not going anywhere with my life. I also didn't know how to get myself out of this hole. Then I discovered bullet journaling.

What is a bullet journal? The glory of the bullet journal is that it can be whatever you want it to be. It is a day planner, a journal, a habit tracker, a meditative practice, etc. Your bullet journal is 100% customizable to what your needs are. My bullet journal keeps track of my important dates, my tasks, my goals, my habits, my addresses, my events and so much more. Recently, I have even started using it as a journal in an effort to improve my mental health. Since I have started bullet journaling, I feel a lot more organized and in control of my life. I have been able to manifest some really big career goals, get my finances back on track, and grow as a person.

While I have used notebooks my whole life, filled to the brim with list upon list, I was quite nervous to start a bullet journal. My only experiences with bullet journaling was watching YouTube videos and scrolling through the Instagram feeds of established bullet journal influencers. These influencers made such beautiful spreads and were such accomplish artists. I can barely draw stick figures and so the thoughts of making whole spreads where daunting.

My change in thinking was due to my husband. At the time I was using a Bando Planner, which was lovely but I had to keep a second notebook on hand to track everything I wanted to track as the Bando Planner just didn't have the layouts I was growing to need. He pointed out that my second notebook looked like a lot of the bullet journal Instagram posts that he was seeing and I was a little shook. I had never thought of my notebook as a bullet journal because it was lined and not dotted, it didn't fit the perception of what a bullet journal was in my mind. However, I came to realize that by thinking that I didn't truly understand the point of the bullet journal. Your bullet journal is supposed to work for YOU. You can make it look like however you want it to, its spreads are made by you to function for you. That is just what I had made this notebook out to be.

So, later that week we went to a local stationary shop where I picked out my first bullet journal: this lovely glittery gold journal. I fell in love. I found that I didn't need any artistic talent to make my bullet journal beautiful, I had plenty of stationary for that. My spreads gave me a renewed focus on life, they allowed me to set the steps to work towards what I wanted instead of always dreaming of what I might accomplish. This is why I have decided to share a more in-depth look at the basics of bullet journaling, to help all those who want to start but may also feel lost. I promise you, you can do it and you will love it. I will help you every step of the way! Welcome to Bujo Bitch Basics!