Without leaps of imagination or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning. — Gloria Steinem
Amen, dear Gloria, AMEN!
I have used the same planner for over 10 years. It is a system that has served me well, I have added to it as I entertained new ideas… some worked, some not-so-much. But live and learn.
One thing that has worked for me this year was my second foray into keeping a Word Journal for my word. Now this is not some scrap-book-y, artistic venture… but rather a way to keep track of important moments, things I want to remember, and quotes that really hit home for me. I include a photo of myself each month. This journal quickly became too bulky to reside with the other planners. In addition, I wanted to spend time this year being thankful… so I added a journal just for that… I am not sure how I will incorporate that next year, but I am thinking about it.
But one can get to the point of having “too many journals” to be practical… I am verging on that point as I am out of “space” in my already modified leather Traveler’s cover.
So before next year begins and I continue on the same path, one that has lost the “excitement of possibilities” and feels very stale. So I decided I needed to shake things up a bit. I am not one who needs to reinvent the wheel… but I have tried to “change things up” before with no success. So I sat down and contemplated what might I change, learn, reimagine next year. I made a list of things I wished a planner to do/have and what I like about my current system.
Once I gathered that information, my choice became easy… at least until a slight hiccup happened, but more on that later.
My first thought was that I really like the slim profile of the standard size (4.33″ x 8.25″) but I wanted something that had both monthly calendar plus a weekly break down and if it could have pages so I can keep track of lists… books I want to read, things I want to knit, wardrobe replacement items, etc. To my delighted surprise, there is a “planner” that has all those things… the Hobonichi Weeks MEGA… so I ordered one! It arrived and I was shocked to see how small it is… and it is really small!! (3.75″ x 7.5″) I am going to have to practice MUCH smaller penmanship in the new year! But, size aside, this planner will be taking the place of almost all the inserts in my current Traveler’s system. (save the Thankful Journal… I still have LOTS of pages to fill in the current journal)
Now enters the hiccup… earlier this month Kay and Ann shared some information about a class with Felix Ford on journaling and the price was reasonable… so I signed up. In the past, I have tried and failed using the BuJo system but what if I can glean some new ideas. And what if some of those BuJo tips and tricks work well in my new calendar?! I am very eager to listen to Ms. Ford!
And finally… I am committed to continuing the journey I began last December with Margaret Renkl in reading/thinking/writing about my backyard. So yes… another book and I will use it in tandem with her essays in The Comfort of Crows (and yes, this will be my third time reading it… I think that is the measure of how much I love her writing! Also, if you have not read Comfort of Crows… it starts on the first day of Winter… you have time to get a copy and begin!)
And that is where I am as we wind down 2024 and get ready for 2025! My hope is that I will have a new appreciation for my planner… and maybe I will even learn a few new things to make my journaling even better!
See you all back here on Monday!
Links on everything I talked about:
- Traveler’s Company USA
- Hobonichi Weeks MEGA
- the journal I used for my Word
- my current calendar inserts
- The Comfort of Crows
- Leaf, Cloud, Crow: A Weekly Backyard Journal
- Felix Ford’s BuJo Zoom Workshop
- Galen Leather Cover for my Word Journal
Key to the planners in the Header Photo:
1 and 2, obviously Margaret Renkl’s books.
3. Traveler’s cover that holds my calendar, my Thankful Journal, and two almost full “list/plans journals”
4. My new Hobonichi Weeks MEGA planner
5. Time journal in a Galen Leather cover.
Thank you for the info on the MLK journaling workshop. I just signed up and am looking forward to doing this 2024 review. I consider it self-care, self-therapy.
Hmmmmm…I don’t journal and rarely even make lists. When Carole posted about her journals the other week my thought (and I commented) was geeze, that’s a lot of work…a lot of time spent writing and organizing. BUT…as I also commented on Carole’s blog, every time she writes about journaling I get tempted. Same with your post here Kat. I’m tempted. I doubt I will do it, but thinking….I have a lot of blank journals that could be used. One year I started writing about my walks…I might still do that and throw in some gratitude. Not sure. But I am thinking…dare I say planning? LOL. Thanks for the reminder of The Comfort of Crows. I may pull out my copy. I also bought (last year when I bought Winter Solstice) a book of stories from around the world about looking for light. The 21st might be a good day to start reading that!
What a great plan you’re launching for yourself, Kat. (I took the full Felix Ford online Knitsonik BuJo class several years and gained lots of inspiration and tips. I’m sure the workshop will be most excellent!) XO
I love hearing about your journaling process and plans for 2025. The weeks is definitely small and I recommend a fine point pen so keep your writing small, too. That said, I use a Pilot gel pen and have no issues. Be open to what comes up as you move forward and change whatever doesn’t work!
This is quite interesting and instructive! I’m with Vera in the “it sounds like a lot of work, but also intriguing” camp. I’ve tried journaling before and always failed after just a couple of weeks. I should probably think about reasons that journaling might work for me and start simple. I think I would tend to rebel against anything called a “system”as I don’t want to get overly involved with the process. But I thank you for planting the seed in my mind. Maybe I’ll figure out something that might work for me, just like you have.
I feel very unsophisticated among you serious journalers — I just use whatever notebook is handy! But it’s worked for me for years, so I don’t feel like I need to change what I’m doing. I will thank you, though, for reminding me that The Comfort of Crows begins on the winter solstice; I’ve been wanting to reread it, and it makes perfect sense to read it to match the dates in the book.
I’m so impressed with people that are committed journal keepers. I have never been very structured or disciplined to journaling. However, that has never stopped me from purchasing blank page books with the dream of someday being disciplined to actually write in one regularly. I have started diagramming tables and who sat where at all my Quilting, rug hooking meeting and retreats. Sadly, I do this because I can never remember names! It has been a game changer for me.
I’ve been loving The Comfort of Crows and have every intention of starting it right back over on the winter solstice!
Love this post, Kat. I could chat Journal all.day.long. I’m pretty content with my system–which is currently 1) artsy-covered ‘Decomposition’ nb for my One Word. 2) school-issued calendar as my ‘daily’ (handy b/c it already as ALL the school events included. yay. and 3) I print a plain calendar page to monitor my ever-changing cycle. I’ve gone through various calendars and planners I’ve fallen in love with — but then am bummed when they make some changes… I think I’ll stick with this while it works, then when it breaks, fix it 🙂
Enjoy your class!! And thanks for including the links…like opening little gifts. Off to explore some of them 🙂
I have too many planners, lol. I have a Weeks for daily planning. A B6 365 stalogy for daily journaling, a A6 techo for gratitudes, an A4 365 stalogy for art journaling and more!! I am going to add another A6 365 stalogy for health tracking (exercise, BP measures and aerobics and menu planning.