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The Secret to Bullet Journaling

WILL SHOCK YOU! CLICK HERE N–okay, okay I feel gross and highly amused that I typed that. Sorry. But now that class is in session, let us talk a moment about a Thing and that Thing shall be: Bullet Journals.

Here’s some stuff I hear about Bullet Journals all the time:

  • It looks complicated.
  • I wouldn’t know where to start?
  • I can’t afford good pens.
  • I’m not artistic.
  • My hand writing isn’t good enough.
  • I don’t have an instagram.
  • My camera’s not good enough to take fancy pics
  • I don’t have a bullet journal
  • I can’t afford a bullet journal
  • I am neurodivergent and wouldn’t be able to keep up with the stress of too many tasks or not meeting goals
  • I have a chronic illness that keeps me sedentary so what would be the point?

And I have a super secret to tell you. That secret is this. There is no secret, no rules, and no definitive guideline on how to bullet journal, what you put in your bullet journal, how pretty or plain it is, or whether or not you can write in it with the talent of a medieval monk and you DO NOT need a 50 dollar pen for it with a book made from the tears of the world’s rarest paper tree.

*DONKDONK* The truth about Bullet Journals and How To Start One

Do you know what you REALLY need to Bullet Journal?

A writing implement, paper, and a willingness to simply try. As my absolutely favorite website of all time, UFYH says in one of their wonderful articles:

15%, while not 100%, is still better than doing 0%. Doing something is better than nothing.

A Few Words on Perfectionism – UFYH

A bullet journal should be something that helps you and if it starts to make you feel dread or stress then it is not helping you. You don’t need to Instagram, Facebook, VSCO, social-blade or YouTube what you do or do not put in your personal bullet journal, either. This isn’t supposed to be more stressful, this is supposed to help manage that.

So here’s the secret. The real secret.

An October bullet journal monthly cover page featuring the month's name: October in yellow, orange and black calligraphy writing. Below, several pumpkins drawn and colored with black, with the carved faces shaded to look as if they are lit from within. A pack of Crayola silly scents lays on the opposite page.
Why did I go all out when I am preaching simple here? Because it was what I was comfortable with doing and what I wanted to do. Remember: your bullet journal is for you and not what someone else expects of you.


The secret to keeping a bullet journal is this: Start small, start plain, start cheap, but just start. Just make a list under each day of the week. Write down when you woke up. If you made it out of bed. Whether or not you went to work. That’s it. Just do that for a week or two and see how it feels.

No pressure. No perfect shots. No stickers or pens or anything. That’s the secret to starting one. YOU CAN DO THIS! I AM A HOT MESS THAT BELIEVES IN YOU!

Published inPhat Life

One Comment

  1. BinaryDigit BinaryDigit

    Exactly right! I’ve modified my “bullet journal” so many times that I just call it a journal or sketchbook now. I just like writing things down, not so much planning things. So be it, that’s what it is. I’ll color if i feel like it, or do some washi tape if i feel like it. It can change like the wind daily 😀

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