Time to Start Journaling?

So yesterday I poked fun at the untimely arrival of some new day/week planners. I remember my excitement when I placed the order. Their rich textured cognac and matte black covers are stunning. They just beg to be folded open and written in. Perhaps an important appointment. An eye exam for a new set of spectacles? A visit to the registry office for a road test? The final exam towards your degree? A high school group project due date? A sports practice? A playoff game? A banquet? A birthday party? A curling bonspiel?

These are just a few of the many things we have either missed as a family or have heard our friends comment on in the last couple weeks. In the scheme of things, it’s not life and death. But they still matter to us and we were disappointed. I try not to dwell on the negative so I couldn’t help but poke a little fun at the lack of demand for a planning journal during these times. In reality I need one more than ever!

Like the rest of you, my routines have completely gone out the window. I no longer attend morning aerobics and rush home to get the kids up and ready for school. I no longer drop them off and head to the shop to open up.

Now, I find myself staying up a bit later each night and slower to rise each morning somewhat unsure of what I should be doing.

Thank goodness we had already launched our website and online sales but there is an increasing sense of urgency to get anything and everything listed as soon as possible. With staff working safely from home to furiously add to the site, we must send copies back and forth, gather images, weigh products, and determine stock quantities remotely.  

Then we must keep current on our social media to share all these treasures. How are you to even know you might like something if we don’t first tell you about it? Trying to get the word out about the site is more important than ever.

I’m trying to find a balance for curbside pick-ups, deliveries, and being as completely accommodating as possible. Every sale is more important than ever before. Working out the kinks for shipping and ensuring the POS system and our online platform match rounds out the day.

Yesterday I made myself four different To Do lists. There was the master list and then then I opened my email and consequently generated an entirely new set of tasks. On another sheet of scrap paper I jotted down what needed to be weighed and finally drafted a list of items to correspond between the POS and the site.

It was an unusual day but purposeful. Very fulfilling. How blessed I am to have these things to keep me busy. How honoured I am to gather for you items that can bring you some joy.

And so, it turns out I need a day planner after all. To supplement my journal.

I had started journaling a couple months ago as we closed up the Vermilion shop. I needed to set new goals, wanted to track progress, jot down reminders, and capture insights. But I am not a DEAR DIARY kind of girl, never have been.

Tess had told me about the concept of a Bullet Journal. Each page is unique. You can sketch, colour, caption, make headers, plan, calculate  - basically anything. You create it as you see fit. Some people track nutrition, sleep, workouts, water intake and weight loss/gain. Most people write and doodle. Some people recap events or trips. You can draft lists (i.e. bucket lists, wish lists) or gather ideas (date nights, party themes) or capture your favourite quotes. I also use it to keep track of passwords. One of my favourite pages is Sentence a Day. I’m writing a story – only one sentence per day.

I had this in mind when we ordered all of these beautiful new planners and journals. We’ve also got some darling new stickers for use in your bullet journals or to embellish a binder or a water bottle. Not surprisingly this is all up on our site. I hope you’ll take a peek.

And in the meantime, if you’d like to know a little bit more about bullet journals, I encourage you to check out a few of my favourite IG accounts:

• @seasonjours
• @coldbujo
• @danicreativesco