Bullet Journal Feels
I have a super special treat for you today! My oldest daughter, Jordan, discovered bullet journaling several months back and I really thought it would be a perfect opportunity for her to prepare a guest post for my readers. I’m so thrilled that she was willing and have to say she blew me away! It took me over a week to pull this together because every time I read it I’m overcome with emotions and pride and my heart is so full of hope and I just know you will love it as much as I did! So here she is with her very first, but hopefully not last, guest post. Who knows, maybe she will even find a little cyber space of her own!
My mom and I have discussed a guest post several times this summer, and I have absolutely been interested but didn’t know quite how to start or what I wanted to talk about. She has suggested doing a post on pages in my bullet journal, and today I decided just what part of my experience with bullet journaling I wanted to share.
When I was a kid, I always enjoyed writing. Fiction mostly. Stories about horses, about dreamers, about people I made up. I think those little stories were my first escape attempts from a reality we cannot control. As I grew up, writing became more of a task, a grade, something I was judged on, and inevitably I began to resent it. I’ve read some of my work from school, and I wonder why I grew to hate writing so much. I was good at it, and I wish desperately that I had continued to practice it.
I think I rediscovered this love when I found bullet journaling. I found a concept for consolidating my every day plans and lists with my ideas and creativity.
I’ve found (as I’m sure most people often do) that the minute I go searching for God, I find exactly what I was looking for to pull me through that helpless moment. Today, I wanted some of the comfort I felt from reading Annie F. Downs’ book Looking for Lovely: Collecting the Moments that Matter
“What if this year we just hoped like crazy? The kind of hope that can feel scary and look embarrassing and may blow up in your face”
Exactly! Today I was feeling like this hope I have been feeling in my personal life is an embarrassment, that it made me weak. And there she was; Annie, telling me that I’m wrong. In the top right corner of this website, there is a search bar. Following Annie’s lead, I typed the word HOPE.
I began to read the articles. I read some sentences over and over. And I needed to write. I needed to document all of this information about hope. I took every meaningful phrase, every meaningful sentence, and I wrote it all in a spread in my journal. It was therapeutic. Physically writing out these words helped ease my worries. I read them, I felt them, and surprisingly I wanted to share them with all of you.
And so here I am, not just copying down someone else’s words, but wanting to share those words through writing my own. My first ever guest blog post for my lovely mother. I’m not sure it is what either of us envisioned when we discussed a post about bullet journaling. Or what either of us thought I would write about at all. But I felt, and I wrote. I can only hope that it might encourage you to do the same.
Love, Jordan
So what do you think? I know, she’s incredible! Does this spark your interest in starting a bullet journal? I’ve pinned tons of great ideas but keep in mind no two journals should be the same and it is ever evolving.
I like that idea. It makes the words so personal.
Your daughter is just beautiful!
I recently came across the idea of bullet journaling and though I haven't yet started, my interest has definitely been piqued! I enjoy your daughter's journal notes she shared and her heart seems lovely! 🙂
What a sweet post!! Love this!! And do hope Jordan finds her way to the blogging world one day!! I had never heard of bullet journaling…am off to peruse your pins!! Have a great day ladies!!
This was awesome! I had heard of bullet journaling before Jordan's post and had even gone to the website to order a journal – you know to get all these thoughts out of my head! Sadly, the journals were backordered. 🙁 BUT, just last week I placed my order and it should be arriving shortly! Tell Jordan I may come to her with questions! And, I can't wait to look through your pins!!!
I've been intrigued by bullet journaling and think it's great for people who are creative! Awesome job!
I can see why you are so proud. To be honest, never heard of bullet journaling before. I was never a fan of journaling to begin with. Always afraid someone would find it and think I was a quack. Your daughter is lovely and I'm so glad you shared her wisdom today at my party. Proud momma!!
First off, Jordan is just stunning, but I can tell her heart is just as beautiful! I have never heard of a bullet journal, but it sounds like something I would love. I am going to check out your pins right now. 🙂
Your daughter is beautiful!
Jaymie
She is so beautiful Shelley. Inside and out
I love bullet journaling! I've been doing it for about a year now and I can't imagine how I was ever organized before. 🙂
This is wonderful, Shelly! Your daughter is great has some great ideas and I can tell from her words here that she's not only passionate about writing, but her heart is in it all the way through. Thanks so much for sharing her post on #shinebloghop. This was endearing to read!
Beautiful daughter, beautiful post.
wow, just wow. What a great idea! I've never heard of it, but a while back I had a small notebook that I would write down phrases or sentences that really captured me…too cool. Great job! I hope to see more!
Beautiful – inside and out – just like her mom. I never heard of bullet journaling before. Love the idea!
I am just blown away and I never knew anything about bullet journaling until this post. I am DEFINITELY interested in it and will have to follow up on this! Kudos to Jordan for putting herself out there. She did a fabulous job!!! Great job to MOM too! Because as we all know…. great parents produce great kids! Have a blessed day, Shelly and Jordan!!
Fabulous post and I feel so informed now on what bullet journaling really is! I think I have a new way to journal!
Umm… your daughter is AWESOME. Wow. Not that I'm surprised – she has a beautiful momma! This was so inspiring; I especially connected to the part about hope 🙂 I was meant to read this today, thanks so much for sharing, Jordan!
Wonderful post!!! Thanks for sharing Shelly. You are blessed!
Great post! Just started my own Bullet Journaling board on Pinterest – gonna give it a try!
Yep no doubt she's amazing..incredible and beautiful. It blesses me to see how God used this opportunity to grow her relationship with him. Her creativity is awesome!
Love this! I've got journals for all different things in my life – the good/bad/happy/sad/road trips/vacations you name it… I've been hesitant to start bullet journaling bc I don't want to mess it up if that even makes sense but I may just have to try it! Great job, Jordan!
She is beautiful inside and out!!!!!
What a inspiring young lady!! I am sure you are so proud of her.
Your daughter seems so lovely and I love the idea of bullet journaling! Especially if my penmanship was as gorgeous as your daughters!
I know Emily…I am so jealous of her creativity!!
Thank you Stephanie…I think she's pretty special.
Thanks Crystal! I sure do think so.
That's how I was….I love the concept but have had a hard time stepping out of my box. She is so much more creative!
Such a sweet blessing for this momma!
It is so much fun…and freeing! 🙂
Thanks Georgia! Hope you are doing well!!
It is so much fun Amanda!
I was the same Kim. It works so much better for me….but I totally am jealous of her creativity..mine is not nearly as creative. I think I need to get a little more outside the lines.
It is definitely better for people like me who like to look back at all I've done instead of making a list of my to dos that I fail to do. haha
Thanks Sarah! It definitely is working for her.
Thanks Laura! So glad to see this girl have hope in her heart.
Thanks Maria. I definitely think she has found a little focus that is working well for her. Makes my momma heart so happy!
I still haven't gotten the complete hang of it Mia. I think I was still trying to be a little to structured in my thinking and design.
Thank you Kimm….you know as the mom of bigs how heart warming this is.
Thank you Jaymie!
Thank you Emily. I love when I can learn from my children!
haha..Michelle you make me laugh. Hell…sometimes I write some stuff down and hope someone DOES find it so I don't have to say all the things I really want to say and then they will just know! lol
Dara it has definitely been a challenge for someone like me who has a little struggle getting outside the box. I'm kind of creative but more of a copier!
I totally tried it and loved it but now need to get a little further outside my box.
I know Katie….she totally has a passion for writing and I really think she would be a great blogger!
Thanks so much Kendall. I definitely think bullet journaling is so much more fun than using an ordinary planner…now I just have to get the type A side of me to let go a little more.
THanks so much Kathy!
As a mother of two adult daughters, this makes this momma's heart swell! Love her creativity. There was a time when both my girls loved writing and Sharpies. Now, one a teacher and the other in grad school and writing has become a chore. Hope they too get back to the love of it.
Lauren you totally know it! Seeing your big kids become such amazing adults is just so heartwarming!
Love reading this post again and looking more into bullet journaling. Thanks for sharing with #overthemoon, Shelley!
Thanks so much for hosting Cathy!
This was such a beautiful post! I love how God can use us to turn a guest post on bullet journaling into a tool to encourage others! Your daughter is as beautiful inside as she is out! I can see why you said with this guest post your "momma heart grew three sizes"! I love the idea of bullet journaling even more after reading this!! Thanks for sharing and linking to it in today's post too!
xo – Brenda // Chatting Over Chocolate