Getting Organized: Bullet Journal!!

Getting organized.  Getting things done.  Jumping on the bullet journal bandwagon!

Check out my new bullet journal.

I stumbled across the bullet journal concept on Pinterest while looking for crochet projects that my mom could make.  She is super into crochet right now and I have been the grateful recipient.

So in my search for getting my life together, the bullet journal is designed to be whatever you need it to be.  I'm starting.  Created my index, started my monthly and weekly pages, wrote up my tasks lists.... I've been at it for one week and it really is working for me right now.





I have been able to keep up with the most important tasks.  I have been trying to keep up with regular habits and being thoughtful and intentional in my daily practices.

There are some habits that I have failed at this past 10 days but some that I have been able to keep on top of.  This has helped me reflect and look at what I can change in my life to keep on top of my habits.

I am also practicing an attitude of gratitude! Every day I jot down a couple of key words/phrases that help me remember things that I am grateful for - reflecting on the small things and pausing long enough to find the joy and beauty in the every day things even when the day has been crappy.

There are lots of people that make bullet journaling their creative as well as organizational outlet.  I used some colors but kept my layouts and design simple overall.  It is is a work in progress and I am learning more about what works for me and my brain every day.

If you want to learn more about bullet journal and the original method check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fm15cmYU0IM

I'm jumping in

"If you are not in the process of becoming the person you want to be, you are automatically engaged in becoming the person you don't want to be." - Dale Carnegie

"The process of becoming unstuck requires tremendous bravery, because basically we are completely changing our way of perceiving reality." - Pema Chodron

"We are all in the process of becoming." - Audre Lorde

I'm jumping back into my blog and I'm not going to wait for the perfect thing to say or the perfect thing to write.  Last year at a conference, my friend Caroline shared the idea that we are all in the process of becoming.  It isn't necessarily a novel concept but it stuck with me and in that moment struck me as profound and what I needed to hear. Over the last month the idea of being in the process of becoming has resonated in a new way and has sent me off into a new journey of taking that process and attempting to approach it more intentionally.  I am terrified of pulling back and diving in and finding the unknown.  I am trying to embrace my imperfections and truly identify what matters to me, who I am, what I believe.  I think that I know the answers to these questions.  

I don't want to let my life pass by thoughtlessly.  I don't want to feed one part of my life and starve other parts of it.  I want to make decisions that are driven by my heart and my mind, that are driven by purpose and intention, that are moving me forward in my becoming and not based on fear of failure or fear of success.  

I have been moving the "restart my blog" line on my get-to list for days now.  I have made countless excuses for not just starting it and today I am stopping those excuses.  I am jumping in... even if the water is cold, the first step is often the hardest.  

I will be posting 3 to 4 times a week on things that I learn, I see, I do in this process.  I have no idea where it will lead, I don't know where I am going, I am becoming along the way. 

52 Lists: Ways You Can Cleanse for Spring

52 Lists

Week Ten// List the Ways You Can Cleanse For Spring

• sort through winter clothes and make a donation
• clean out the fridge and start from scratch
• get rid of unhealthy food
• hang the pictures on the wall in the apartment
• organize personal papers
• clean up the spice cabinet
• get back on track with exercise
• start to journal
• begin to meditate and practice yoga
• clear out email inboxes
• send the thank you notes/letters that I've been meaning to send
• Put old furniture and boxes in basement storage
• clean out my car!!
• Full cleaning of the baseboards, windows, etc. 
• align chakras with Suzanne
• start a new journal

52 Lists: Places you want to go

52 Lists

Week Nine// List the Places You Want To Go

• Ogunquit more often this summer
• Firewater in Providence
•  Paris
• The Museum of Picture Books in Japan
• The fairy pools on the isle of Skye, Scotland
• the Merced River beaches in Yosemite Valley
• Mardi Gras in New Orleans
• Carnivale in Rio de Janiero
• Riomaggiore, Italy
• Amsterdam
• Horseshoe Bend - Glen Canyon near Page, Arizona
• Garden of Cosmic Speculation
• Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada
• Fiji
• World's Largest Pool, San Alfonso del Mar, Chile
• "The Mammoth" - the latest and greatest ride in water slide history is set to open next year at Holiday World and Splashin’ Safari in Santa Claus, Indiana, US
•  Apple picking
• Blueberry & raspberry picking
• Lake Champlain
• Great Lakes
• San Francisco
• South Africa

Lovely tulips

On Thursday, I walked into my office and found a box from ProFlowers.  It was lovely tulips.  The note said "Just because you deserve someone doing something nice for you for a change."   There was no signature.  There was no name.  A few years ago, I received an awesome anonymous gift of the Gilmore Girls box set.  It just showed up in my office one day.  I am a lucky girl!

I have no idea who the flowers are from.  I have asked everyone that I can imagine but they have all denied sending them.  They are glorious and bright and lovely.  They make my office very happy and feel full of love and life.  

  Thank you universe for giving me what I need.  Thank you universe for putting people in my life that love me and care for me. Whoever sent the flowers - I sincerely thank you.  The flowers came at the perfect time.  They meant a lot to me and they made me feel feel loved. 

52 Lists: Your Favorite Albums

52 Lists

Week Eight// List Your Favorite Albums

This is actually kind of a hard one for me.  I listen to a lot of music but I've never been very good at identifying the full album.  Here goes my lists of songs/artists/albums that I love (I'll have to look some things up.  :))

• Jannet Jackson - Janet
• Little Mermaid soundtrack
• Rent soundtrack
• Adele - 21
• Britney Spears - ...Baby One More Time
• N*Sync - No Strings Attached
• Digital Underground - Sex Packets
• Jason Mraz - Mr. A-Z
• Jason Mraz - We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things
• Madonna - The Immaculate Collection
• Maroon 5 - Songs About Jane
• Boyz II Men - Cooleyhighharmony
• Garth Brooks - Ropin' The Wind, Sevens, In Pieces, Fresh Horses
• Alanis Morisette - Jagged Little Pill
• Matchbox 20 - More Than You Think You Are
• Whitney Houston 
• Michael Jackson
• Hairspray Soundtrack
• Justin Timberlake - Justified
• Christina Aguilera - Stripped
• Lionel Richie
• TLC - CrazySexyCool
• Bell Biv Devoe - Poison
• Norah Jones - Come Away With Me
• Fiona Apple - Tidal
• Sarah Mclachlan - Fumbling Towards Ecstacy, Surfacing, Mirrorball, Afterglow
• Into the Woods soundtrack
• Grease Soundtrack

52 Lists: Things that make you feel healthy

52 Lists

Week Seven// List The Things That Make You Feel Healthy - Mind, Body, and Soul 

This list idea kind of comes at a perfect time.  I could really use a moment to reflect on the things that make me feel healthy - mind, body, and soul.  The last few weeks have been challenging.  I haven't always taken great care of myself but I've been working on taking care of myself.  So here goes the list...

• laughter
• spending time with my friends
• aqua zumba
•  taking walks
• cuddling with Sally my dog
• playing board games
• eating fruits and veggie
• reducing the amount of candy that I eat
• spending time in water
• making lists
• keeping a journal
• writing thank you cards
• volunteering with the Student Leadership Training Program
• singing along to musicals
• coloring in coloring books
• doing crossword puzzles
• aligning my chakras
• fruit smooties for breakfast
• organizing my house
• clearing out my email inbox
• random dance parties in random place at random times
• driving
• writing thankful lists
• tell my friends that I love them
• learning new things
• doing something that makes a difference
• getting some sunshine
• sleeping
• spending time browsing the library or a bookstore