I've always been passionate about art because it gives me the opportunity to express myself and distress, so when I discovered journaling I just thought it was another way to do these things, but it is so much more.
I bought my first bullet journal in 2017 and I used it for trackers and drawing because I thought that it was the only thing I could do with it (I discovered journaling through Instagram and trackers were very trendy at the time).
Looking back at the first works I find a lot of flaws and I imagine ways to fix them, but I guess these are the reason I'm able to do better works in the present. Like the amazing Bob Ross once said: "there are no mistakes, just happy accidents"
After my first bullet journal, I bought a more professional one and I started using it as a sort of agenda, again, following Instagram trends. I liked it because it was a great way to distress at the end of the day and to think about the positive side of everything that was happening.
I found it very hard to keep it and update it daily during my last year of high school so I decided to take a break from journaling.
After almost a year, because I was not using art to express my feelings and emotions and I was just repressing them, I found myself getting lost in my thoughts, so I decided to start journaling again. Journaling is amazing when you need to put things into perspective: it helped me come out of the box I was keeping myself in, plus working on it reduces my anxiety a lot.
Knowing these things now I work more and more every day on it, and I love to share most of my creations (I keep the most personal ones for myself) with my followers.
It sometimes can be hard to find the time and concentration to work on it but I found it very helpful for my mental health and I would suggest everyone keep one bullet journal for the darkest and brightest moments. I don't think a bullet journal should be stressful to keep, so you don't need to update it every day if you can't, but it's great to use it sometimes.
You are also not forced to follow the current trends and you can use it for trackers, as an agenda, or simply for a random spread as I do.
The word of journaling has no rules, except that you should have fun and be creative!
Keep a journal and use it often, you will thank me!
Sara | @mypeachnotes
Cynthia, a well-known bullet journal creator on Instagram, showcases how journaling is a great form of self-expression and relaxation, as well as an organizational tool. We chatted to her about journals, her favorite stationery, and hand-lettering.
We interviewed Kate, a small business owner from Poland who creates custom journals and planners, about her passion for all things design, stationery, and planning.
