I have loved to journal since I learned to write. Before Social Media was even a thing, and long before Bullet Journal was born, before I could spell “Winnipeg” on the train trip I took with my Grandmother at the age of five, I was recording my thoughts and adventures in whatever notebook I could find.
It was not only easy to do, it was necessary to my peace. I have never had to find a routine, or be consistent. I simply had to write.
Then came the awareness of Travelers Factory Company notebooks. Paper Republic journals. Hobonichi Techos. I went down the journaling rabbit hole revealed to me on Instagram and now have an embarrassing large collection of each brand. (This photo shows only a part.)
Don’t get me wrong. Each vegetable tanned journal, or limited edition cover, each size of Traveler’s Notebook, has been a joy. I have taken them to Switzerland, Italy and Japan. I have written in my own quiet study. And I have kept awake into the night pondering which I should use consistently.
Then came the Bullet Journal. What an idea! Record your thoughts in bullets! Now they are categorized into an acronym for NAME: N (Note), A (Action), M (Mood), and E (Event). It’s easy to capture what is happening, how you are feeling, what you are thinking or doing with a simple bullet point.
But, where does the journaling I’ve done all my life come in? How can I adapt the speed of my pen, which matches the speed of my thoughts, to a single point? And so, while listening to the Bullet Journal Livestream today, I asked this question:
“How can I incorporate long form journaling, which may examine feeling too much? (I have journaled in long form for decades, and it is my preferred method of journaling.)”
I was amazed when I saw my question appear on the screen. Apparently, it was deemed worthy of answering…
The first thing Jessica Chang said, after she read it out loud, was that it sounded like a lot of self judgement was going on. (Imagine her discerning that from the first part of my question alone!) But then, Ryder answered it like this (paraphrased):
Bullet points anchor myself. What is most alive for me? I can unpack it in a long form entry. Long form journaling can be immensely valuable, but it is too time consuming for me…Long form journaling is getting an idea of what’s happening; get to the purpose of why.
I realized that Ryder’s ADHD has required him to journal one way, and I journal in a completely other way. But, that is the beauty of his system: it is flexible enough to adapt to the journaler’s needs. And, I loved how he suggested that those who keep a bujo need to determine why something is going on, and why they are reacting to it in a certain way. What changes need to be made to meet your intentions?
There was so much meaningful content in this livestream today, which can be found on YouTube. I can see how the Bullet Journal system has evolved over the twelve years it has been in existence, and it is so very much more than what I’ve seen online: pasting down cute stickers, and highlighting headers with Mildliners, and calling it “journaling.”
