I had been thinking about starting a bullet journal earlier this year but was forever looking at other people’s beautiful creative pages that I was put off. I’ve always been a list maker but I wanted something to keep me more on track and my usual diary wasn’t cutting it.
So I stopped looking at other ideas for bullet journaling and started my own simplistic way. It’s now jazzed up with washi tapes and I’m learning how to draw different banners. I’m going to start improving on my cursive, my handwriting is terrible these days! I “write” loads but 95% of it is online.
One of the other reasons I had looked at bullet journals was for the trackers. Simple tick off trackers to monitor when you’re achieving goals. The most important of these being self-care.
We’re all busy. Everyone is busy. We’re forever told that we are doing too much, too reliant on our phones and never stopping to look at the world for a second and pause. The truth is that if you’re busy and you don’t take time out, sooner or later you will hit the deep mental fog and simply have to pause. We’re strong but we’re not that strong.
As someone who struggles with anxiety, I know all this too well. Then I became overwhelmed by everything people were tracking; water intake, reading, gym visits etc. I found myself (again) feeling like I was too busy to do any of these.
STOP THINKING. JUST STOP!
Easier said than done.
So I wrote down what I really wanted to track which was 8 things and then I made the last 2 things something that I hoped I’d have time for but wasn’t sure (reading every day and learning Spanish). Sure I’ve not managed to cross off every day but I’ve done more than I expected to. I’ve even managed to do a 5 minute meditation each morning before the dog and kids wake me up.
Where did I find the time from?
There is always time, we surround ourselves with negativity about what we can or can’t achieve. Sure, we can’t excel at everything but I’m determined to give it a f****** good try!
I definitely feel more in control of myself again. Self care is definitely something that people seem to be talking about more. Tracking these things feels rewarding but you don’t need to do that. Self care is about you, taking care of you!
Did you notice the image at the top of this post or get straight to the writing?
How many times do we skim past images that could make us stop and think about something else. Why is there just one tree? That cloud. I love clouds. It’s all so green. When did I last look up at the sky? I’d like to sit under that tree with a book. See?
The best thing is that you’ve already taken time out to read this. Thank you. The next thing is that your next self care can come from something you all probably do once a day…
Lighting a candle. Every time you take the time to pick your scent for the day, you’re not thinking about anything else. You might have planned different scents for each room or a particular scent for your mood. You’ve taken time out for yourself to enjoy the scent in your home. It’s something so small that you might have even forgotten that it’s something for a little part of your day, you become mindful. Thinking about what to light, actually lighting it, how it smells. Even the wooden wick candles can make you mindful, just listening to their crackle.
Yes, we have busy lives but taking care of YOU is something worth taking time for. You’re awesome, you know that right!?
Now, go light that candle!
