Bullet Journals or ‘Bujo’ has become a very popular form of journaling, it helps so many people get through the day and prepare for tomorrow. You can log your present and save it for the future to look back on. Plan ahead to save time and above all, it helps you collect your thoughts and keep your ideas all together.
As we know there is no right or wrong way to keep a journal, perhaps your journal is bare-bones, plain Jane with a simple setup. Or, you’re the complete opposite and you’ve gone a bit wild with the bullet journal doodles, borders, and other little squiggles and delights.
In this blog we look at a few different ideas that you could implement into your bullet journal, to maybe spice it up or give it a bit of a revive. There are a few “well duh” ideas but sometimes your mind just goes blank so we’ve kept them in our list. Let's go ahead and take a look.
About me
Yes, we know, one of the first pages most people complete their journals is an about me page. It is almost a journal staple, but there are so many different variations in which you could present it. It is essentially a layout that is all about YOU! In the very moment of time you create it, it shows all there is about you and how you’re feeling, what you are loving right now and so on. It’s your place to take a snapshot of your life. Let it be a time capsule that you want to remember when you come back and look at it in the future.
Some people go on to write a full biography about themselves, whereas others just write key details. If writing helps you relax and lets your creativity flow why not, as a suggestion why not write a poem about yourself. Be kind and gracious, you want your journal to be a form of inspiration and innovation.
If you are someone that tries to avoid writing and absolutely hate it then why not fill your About me page with little doodles of your favourite things, or insert photos, use stickers even, to express yourself. Whatever calls to you at the moment of creation, let it be your guide.
A Key
Again, a very typical and popular page to have in your bujo, but it is also something that you can make that is very unique and personal to you. It may be for a tracker that you use throughout your whole journal, or you may create a key page for each and every individual tracker and log that you create in your journal.
Will you use Symbols? Colours? Stickers? Or maybe you’ve got stamps that you’d like to use, it doesn’t matter. Use whichever one that works for you and your vision.
Gratitude Log
There is nothing pure and personable as gratitude. Writing down a few things you are grateful for every day is a sure fire way to open yourself up to a more happy life in the long run. Keeping a gratitude log is so simple and quick. A perfect activity that everyone could benefit from.
This is a great activity to include in your evening routine to help you end the day on a high note and clear your mind before bed, so you don’t have to worry about any wandering thoughts keeping you up at night.
Affirmation Log
Something that is quite similar to a Gratitude log is an Affirmation Log. There are times where it's hard not to focus on the negatives in life but keeping an affirmation log can help you work through those times. While similar to the Gratitude log there is one small difference, it's all about you.
For example a gratitude log entry may be something along the lines of "my boss congratulated me on a job well done." Whereas, when you write in an affirmation log it’s more of a recognition, "I am really good at my job." While there is only a small change and a subtle shift, self recognition can work wonders for your confidence.
Why not implement this log as part of your morning routine because it can help you start your day with a positive attitude.
Budget, Savings or Expenses Tracker
This may be a more personal idea for your journal, depending on the type of person you are, but a spread in which you can keep track of your finances, in a way that you understand. This page, or pages, can be as simple or complex as you’d like to make it, for you to log and keep track of your monthly budget. You may also use it to help you manage and clear your debt. Being able to see where your money is going can make such a big difference to your head space.
You could even use this spread to help you budget for a dream holiday. This handy little bullet journal idea can be something that will really help you prepare for it early! You can create a tracker for your budget with your end goal in mind. This way you can make it unique and individual to you, so you have a cheery reminder to help keep you focused, rather than one of those boring and mundane apps.
Of course this doesn’t only have to be for your dream holiday, this is also something that can work for any other big purchase, like a house or a new computer, or even your dream car.
Water Intake and Food Log
Keeping on the wellbeing “theme” and looking more at your personal self care and health goals, why not include a water intake and food log. It's no secret that hydration and what you eat is important, it can be so easy to completely forget about what you ate and how much water you are drinking. You may think you’ve eaten or drank more than what you think, or maybe the complete opposite. Including these simple logs into your journal will help you keep track of what you're putting in your body so you can focus on improving your habits.
This log could also help you identify foods that may cause your gut a little upset, an intolerance that you may not have realised you had.
A Meal Planner
Similar basis as the food log but you plan ahead, that way you can go out to the shop and get exactly what you need for the week. This can not only support you with your health goals but also help you with your budgeting and saving; you have an exact list of what you need so there is no “oh I might need that! oo yeah that’s nice I’ll grab that too”.
Well, a lot less of it anyway.
This planner will also give you the opportunity to try new meals and experiment with your taste buds, which may not have been an option if you are one of those people that always have no idea what they want for dinner or what they want to eat.
Seasonal Bucket Lists
This idea technically includes 4 journal spreads, a Bucket list for each season. A great way to put your journal into sections and give it a little structure.
Have you ever wanted to cliff dive, maybe do a zip line or a bar crawl? Put it down in your Summer Bucket list. The same for Spring, Autumn and Winter. Writing them down helps you to not only remember them but gives you that little bit more accountability to push yourself to try and mark off as many as you can.
You can use seasonal colours, stick in some seasonal props and really make these pages bookmarks for your journal almost.
Inspirational/Favourite Quotes
These pages are the sort of pages to break up your journal, but they also give you an “oomph” of emotion; whether that be happiness, determination or motivation. Whatever your heart desires, it is your journal after all.
Will you have lyrics from a song,
“Because you’re amazing, just the way you are.”
A quote from your favourite author,
“Life is a journey, not a destination.”
Or maybe there is a quote you have just come a cross and you resonate with it completely,
“Be a voice, not an echo.”
Whichever you choose, you want it to be something that helps and supports your journey and lifts your spirits.
Doodle Pages
These are the random little pages dotted throughout your journal when you're not sure what you want to include or where you started an idea but changed your mind and still wanted to make the pages work.
Your journal shouldn’t feel like a chore, you don’t want it to be something that you dread doing. Having these really easy creativity boosting, mind blank pages help keep your journal a safe place where you can put down what you want and what you are feeling at that time of entry, whatever the entry maybe.
We hope these ideas help spark some of your own and help give you something different to include into your bujos. We would love to see what spreads you include into your journals and maybe you could share some that you have in your journals already to help others who may be in a bit of a stump.
If you're in need of a dreamy new journal, why not check out our collection here.
