There was A Time when my days were passed in Chaotic Disarray. I darted around life as a mess, perpetually nine minutes late. I was as organized as a rabbit on caffeine (translation: not very organized at all). Those were the Dark Days.

But then I was trained in The Way of The Bullet Journal.

The Story of How I Was Trained in The Way of The Bullet Journal:

*my friend Amanda and I were discussing our goals for 2017 over grilled cheese*

Amanda: “And so I put it in my Bullet Journal so that I’d remember to do it everyday.”

Me: *chokes on drink* “You have a Bullet Journal?? I have heard of this thing, but what is it?”

Amanda: “I will show you.”

*I was converted to The Way of the Bullet Journal that very hour.*

I love my Bullet Journal (in case any of us had any doubt). This post is an attempt to tell you why and somehow convince you that you should keep a bullet journal of your own.

I’m actually getting things done.

I set goals and make to do lists and plan my week and my day and I’m actually getting things done. So many times Before I learned The Way of the Bullet Journal (and, no, I won’t stop capitalizing that) someone could ask me what I did in the morning before work or what I got done on my day off and my reply would be: “Oh, you know, things. Some things happened, a lot of different things in fact, so many things for sure, you know.”

Was I all that productive Before my Bullet Journal?

Now, I didn’t squander days away (for the most part) Before my Bullet Journal, but I didn’t make the best use of my time. But now that I have my Bullet Journal, things are getting done (novels are getting finished, blog posts are more consistent, etc..).

I’m less stressed about the things I have to do.

My Bullet Journal has helped me lay out goals, come up with plans, and realistically *collective gasp* approach my tasks lists.  Yes, I still get stressed because I’m still no expert on handling stress, BUT my Bullet Journal has lowered my stress levels because I feel like I’m actually aware of all the things that I have to do whereas Before my Bullet Journal, I was a bundle of confusion, stress, and chaos.

Speaking of confusion…

I’m not as forgetful.

I always have seventeen tabs open in my brain, and then there always used to be four tabs that I accidentally closed and then forgot about resulting all manner of awful moments of remembrance such as:

“Hey, Rosalie, have you sent that email to so-and-so yet?”

“Rosalie, you took pictures of that, right?”

“Have you called that place yet, Rosalie?”

“Rosalie, did you give that calendar to Mr. Such-and-such?”

Note: while this does still happen, it’s only about once a week these days instead of four times a day, and I’ve discovered a wonderful thing called Diversion.

“Have you done the research on that thing yet, Rosalie?”

So now when I’m faced with questions such as: “Rosalie, have you….?”, “Rosalie, can you…?”, or “You need to…”, I can say:

“It’s going in my Bullet Journal.”

“Let me add that to my Bullet Journal.”

“It’s already in my Bullet Journal.”

“That’s a box in my Bullet Journal that’s already been filled in.”

Speaking of Bullet Journal boxes….

Filling in little check boxes is enormously rewarding.

Once I finish something that I put in my Bullet Journal, I get to fill in the little blank box next to it. It’s like checking something off a list, but so much better somehow. I think coloring in the little boxes releases endorphins (happy hormones) in my brain, and leaving boxes unfilled (aka: tasks unfinished) breeds cortisol (that’s a stress hormone) in my brain. No joke.

Getting stuff done is great, but being able to fill in the boxes next to that stuff in my Bullet Journal is even better.

I have structure and flexibility.

“That’s impossible!” you may cry.

Well…

It’s possible with my Bullet Journal. A Bullet Journal is the very definition of customizable on a day to day basis, and yet it provides structure for each day.

Before and After.

My life Before I learned The Way of the Bullet Journal:

My life After I learned The Way of the Bullet Journal:

Moral of the Story.

There are a so many more reasons why I love my Bullet Journal, but suffice it to say that I do not regret my Bullet Journal and I think that you all should go out and buy a notebook to be your Bullet Journal because Bullet Journal = literally the best thing since sliced bread.

Now, since I didn’t care to take the time to explain anything (psh, that would have made too much sense) about keeping a Bullet Journal or what it looks like or why check boxes are even involved and need to be filled in or how exactly it’s completely customizable and did not even mention the role Pinterest plays in Bullet Journaling, go Google it and prepare for your mind to be blown.

Let’s chat it up.

Have you heard of Bullet Journals before? Do you have one? Do you think you’ll start one (the correct answer is “yes”)? Why do you love your Bullet Journal?

With love,

Rosalie <3

P.S. – a special shout-out to Amanda for taking the time to show me her Bullet Journal and inspiring to start my own (as well as inspiring me in so many other ways).

P.P.S. – I still don’t get everything done, and I definitely don’t get it all done in a timely fashion, but most of it happens eventually, which is far better than some of it happening at some point which is how things went down before my Bullet Journal. #fulldisclosure