The netlogx theme for 2024 is Inspiration. Inspiration is key to creativity, problem-solving, and promoting new innovations and solutions.
Throughout this past year, as I have thought of my own sources of inspiration. I soon realized a tool that has been very helpful for me in reflecting and capturing the day-to-day inspiration in my life is journaling.
I’ve maintained a Bullet Journal® off and on since about 2018, and it has become a very useful practice for me. I use my journal not only to help myself plan and prioritize what is important but also as a place for memory keeping. In particular, I like to document events, thoughts, quotations, and any other things that inspire me. Having my own repository to pull from has been incredibly beneficial when I need a little inspiration.
Here are my top tips for starting a journaling practice to help you capture your own sources of inspiration.
Let Go of Perfection
I do not consider myself a particularly artistic person. If you google “bullet journal” online, it can be easy to get overwhelmed by the beautiful spreads and art many people include in their journals. I encourage you to very consciously use journaling as an exercise to let go of perfection. Your journal is for you and if you make mistakes, that is ok. Also, give yourself grace if you fall off the journaling wagon sometimes. If I miss days, weeks, or even months, I try to pick up where I left off and not feel guilty.
Tailor to What is Most Important to You
I find most of my inspiration in my family and my children, but I also draw a lot of inspiration from books that I read. I mainly use my journal as a way to capture family memories and funny moments with my kids so that I can reflect and look back in the future. I also like to use my journal to track my reading and often jot down inspirational quotations or key takeaways from books that I finish.
When in Doubt, Jot it Down
I am constantly making quick notes— if there is something that resonates with me for whatever reason, I will make a note in my Bullet Journal® to return to later. Going back through entries and seeing these notes can help inspire creativity in other areas of my life when I reflect and examine.
Build Journaling and Reflection Into Your Day
My husband and I have two small children, so we often do not get a lot of time to ourselves. However, one of my post-bedtime rituals is spending 5 minutes updating my journal with notes from the day and thinking through what the next day will look like. I really enjoy this opportunity to reflect and pull inspiration from my daily activities.
