I started using a bullet journal for the first time last year specifically for reading and to be honest I slacked quite a bit and then this year I switched to a digital version.
So, far I’ve discovered a few things:
Making bullet journals is soothing
I like the idea of having two journals one digital and one physical
I’m thinking of having more bullet journals that aren’t just for reading as I like that it makes me feel organized
I’m currently putting together my digital 2023 reading journal which so far consists of a few month designs, my Goodreads goal, a yearly stats page, and the start of a yearly bingo.
Anyways, I was wondering if anybody else does bullet journaling and if you do what spreads do you use?
i adore the idea but it’s a lot of effort and time to make all your own pages and pre-made pages never quite have what i want, so i’ve never committed to one.
but maybe i should give myself something to do instead of dozing off in the mornings.
I cannot organize my brain enough to commit to a bullet journal (though I have tried), but I love the TikTok’s where people aesthetically build up their journals. I can see why it’s soothing! If you wanted to see some new spreads I’d recommend looking at some of those :).
My personal favorite are the ones that use calendars, idk why, but those seem the most satisfying to me.
It definitely is. I’ve always made my spreads in advance and rarely add any afterwards so its definitely a lot easier for me as what I’m using for my digital planner allows me to duplicate pages and move them to where I want them.
This years journal it started out as just eighteen spreads that weren’t duplicated (twelve were pages with the month on it) and then I decided to add pages with my thoughts on books I was reading so it’s gotten higher.
Next years journal minus the thoughts on books (I’m going to add this later) I’ll have twenty-nine (twenty-five of these are going to be art pages) by the time I finish unless I decide to add more.
I’m going to fill out my physical version closer to 2023 and basically copy everything up until February. That way if I want to add anything to January I can. Although, I might change the art pages.
Journaling and me have an ongoing battle. I understand the benefits and like the idea, but I’ve tried and failed over and over. Not just journaling for my life events, but also writing diaries or dream journals. I’d continue for some time but then find that I want to spend my time doing other things instead.
I guess I don’t like the idea of having my life organized in front of my eyes Just like how I’m not a planner when it comes to writing stories. If I plan, I feel caged in that idea and can’t move forward. My life is the same. If I do plan it out, I never want to look at my plan because if I do and notice all the things I didn’t do, I feel stuck.
I still like the idea of it and the fancy ways you can decorate your notebook or organize your digital journal.
But that’s great you’ve found it’s soothing for you I have some questions, if you don’t mind.
Did you find it difficult to start?
What made you want to try it?
Have you done other forms of journaling in the past?
Do you do it every day or a certain day of the week?
What made you decide on these things to put in your journal?
The only thing I had issues with was deciding what spreads I wanted to use.
Some booktubers I watch showed off their reading journals and I ended up going down the rabbit hole of watching those type of videos.
Nope. I absolutely hated the idea of journaling.
Mine is set up to where I only have to fill it out after I finish a book but can also do it while I’m reading one. But if I don’t read a certain month or finish a book then I just add some zeros to it or how many pages I’ve read that month.
I added the stats page this year as I like to visually see what I’ve read. The Goodreads goal I’ve always had in the journal. The bingo is to help motivate me read things I don’t usually read. And the month designs are purely a thing to separate each month.
The bingo currently has things like: read a classic, read a book with 500+ pages, read outside, and read a translated book.
All of these things I’ve done before but I never go out of the way to do these things. Basically, I’m a big mood reader but want to try to prioritize doing these things at least once next year.
I like journaling on an app I have. I really want to get into journaling with an actual bullet journal because there’s a bunch of stickers and washi tape I want to use.
This is it actually xD. It’s all in Mandarin but my translation app helped me to the point where I don’t need it anymore.
The app isn’t available in the App Store anymore tho. I think it’s only available in China because the only language you can have it in is Mandarin. So I really have to be careful and never delete the app since I can’t download it anymore.
Well, I currently have seven of the twelve months art pages done. Although, now I have absolutely no idea what to do for the others.
I decided to make my digital journal completely Halloween themed this is what I have so far: Candy Corn, The Nightmare Before Christmas, ghosts, graveyard, pumpkins, spiders, wizards and a cauldron.
give myself something to do instead of dozing off in the mornings.
Just like how I’m not a planner when it comes to writing stories. If I plan, I feel caged in that idea and can’t move forward. My life is the same. If I do plan it out, I never want to look at my plan because if I do and notice all the things I didn’t do, I feel stuck.
I have some questions, if you don’t mind.
