No one warns you about the dark thoughts you’ll have whilst bullet journaling.
I’ve been bujo-ing for 7 months now. It was fun as first, but now I’m focusing on what makes this system work and getting the results I need, which is what persuaded me to try it in the first place.
Like most I thought, “finally, a solution for a creative with a demanding day job to stay organized, get things done, and achieve goals.”
Now, I’m starting to run into functionality problems, such as layouts or spreads not working the way I intended. Objectives are not being acquired. For instance, my tracking of habits I REALLY NEED TO CHANGE is inconsistent and follow-through and completion of tasks has only slightly improved since June. I am still suffering my old friend of not finishing what I start, getting bored half way through. Problems I was hoping to solve with bullet-journaling.
It’s not enough to make me quit. I want to figure this out. I know it’s just a matter of an ah-ha moment or one of those going-through-the-process rides. Ugh.
I keep researching and scouring the endless amount of bujo info out there and there is a plethora of resource material shared by bullet-journaling-perfectionist-Pollyannas who show how great the system is working for them and posting beautiful pictures, convincing the world of how effective it is.
Maybe a few will admit they didn’t like a layout or a tracker wasn’t working for them, so they changed it, making it seem like it’s just that easy. (It’s not.)
To me, this insinuates that functionality and flow will suddenly fall into place next week on the next page with the next weekly spread, and life will be perfect. (It won’t.)
There’s NOT enough information or sharing of the frustrations, obstacles, or dysfunctions of the methods individuals employ within journals and how to overcome them.
It can get kind of frustrating and disruptive to “just try something else” week after week, month after month.
Bullet journaling is a very “positive” sport encouraging and promoting a more positive mindset and positive lifestyle.
In fact, the word “positive” and any of its variations is overly abundant, and overly professed, during one’s bullet journal indoctrination.
It’s Thursday of the first week of January 2018 and I have yet to finish my monthly setup. A much slower start than I would have liked. It’s a bit disheartening. The struggle is real.
Yet, I thought I’d share this moment I had, which is not so positive, with the bujo noobs.
The fine-tuning process can be painful, but perhaps necessary. Like growing pains, I guess.
However, if you’re new to bullet-journaling and want a not so sticky-sweet, real-life example of how it MAY help and what you’ll learn - the last 7 months I have observed myself sticking with something, becoming more aware of my own resilience and perserverence, and the ever-increasing awareness of how truly important self-acceptance is.
I’d say that’s a pretty positive result.
