Anxiety

Bullet Journal:

I don’t know who needs to hear this right now , but here goes:

~ It doesn’t REALLY matter what notebook you use; what matters is that you get stuff out of your head.

~ It doesn’t REALLY matter what pen you use; what matters is that you get stuff out of your head.

~ It doesn’t REALLY matter where you use your journal; what matters is that you get stuff out of your head.

~ It doesn’t REALLY matter whether the page bleeds or tears or ghosts; what matters is that you get stuff out of your head.

~ It doesn’t REALLY matter if it makes sense, is legible, or has neat lines; what matters is that you get stuff out of your head.

~ It doesn’t REALLY matter whether you missed a few days, weeks, or even months; what matters is that you get stuff out of your head.

~ It doesn’t REALLY matter if your life doesn’t perfectly fit within a spread; what matters is that you get stuff out of your head.

~ It doesn’t REALLY matter if you start a journal mid-way through the year; what matters is that you get stuff out of your head.

~ It doesn’t REALLY matter if you make a mistake; what matters is that you get stuff out of your head.

The moment journaling shifted from a ‘hobby’ to a powerful, transformative, life-changing practice was when I started paying attention to what REALLY mattered (and not what perfectionism was telling me mattered).

Of course, what matters to each of us is subjective. Maybe it DOES matter to you what pen you use, or that you never miss a day.

I think, though, that it’s so easy to get pulled into perfectionism and comparison when it comes to bullet journaling. We can so easily lose sight of what really matters, and why we’re being pulled to do this in the first place.

The above are just some examples of the ways perfectionism has held me back over the years from cultivating a practice that truly does positively impact my life (and what people often tell me they’re struggling with on Instagram).

If you’re getting stuck with your bullet journal, try going right back to basics. What REALLY matters? If you’re anything like me, you’ll find that the answer can always be traced back to getting something out of your head (whether that’s information, a creative urge, or something else entirely). Once you know what really matters, you can let go of the pressure of trying to make this into something it doesn’t need to be. That’s where the magic really is!