Powered by Blogger.

Search This Blog

The Brunette Journaler

  • Home








  • Bullet Journaling




  • Lifestyle







  • Christianity
I find myself wanting to share what I personally do with my bullet journal, from how I organize it, what trackers I use, and my themes. I love to show y'all how I do things and I feel like it might be beneficial to some of y'all if you actually see what I'm talking about in my other posts. :)

Yes, I know that I am very late on posting this since its now almost April, but I still hope you can get some ideas for upcoming moth trackers and layouts.

First up: Trackers for this month

I had a conference with myself at the end of February and decided to cut a few trackers from my monthly bullet journal sections. I used to be using a homework/work tracker, but looking back, I used it and filled it in a few times, at the most. I didn't have a lot of work, and I thought, 'why waste paper if you don't need it?'

I also cut a sleep tracker, because I don't go to sleep that late or wake up that early, and I'm not very obsessed with constantly checking and getting a good nights sleep. I filled it in, but it wasn't a lot of help to me.

So after that little anecdote to myself, I decided to keep the following trackers: Mood Tracker (Love this!!), Gratitude Log, and Habit Tracker.

Example by Adaija Packnet on Pinterest

This is an example from off the internet that I use as my mood tracker for March. (Hers undoubtedly looks a lot better than mine) I have a habit of finding really cute trackers to categorize with different months, like January: A snowflake, February: Hearts, March: Clover, and planning ahead, April: An umbrella. I like to style my trackers or monthly pages based around the theme of the month. It not only looks great and is creative, but it helps me to find the tracker for this month quickly when I'm flipping through my journal. 











Great examples by Sheena of the Journal and Erica Fitzgerald



In some of my other posts I've mentioned that I don't like day-to-day or weekly layouts, so let me tell you why. I sometimes had really important events that I needed to plan for later in the month and to see on my calendar, but with weekly trackers I couldn't see what events were happening soon. I also didn't put a ton of stuff on each one of those days, so when I didn't have a very busy week it was sort of a waste of paper.

Monthly trackers make it way easier to spread out your month so you can see it on one page. This helps me, like I said before, to know what events are happening soon and be prepared. Plus, monthly trackers are so cute, and you can do a lot of cool designs with these. For my March Monthly spread I used a St. Patricks day theme and made a calendar sort of thing in green to go with the style. I drew a sort of clover like on the mood tracker, and made little vines growing around sections of the page.









My habit tracker for March is my best yet. It is so minimalistic (Perfect for my OCD gals) and precise, with touches of style and grandeur here and there. I just did a simple habit tracker like my other ones and filled out the usual stuff. But the important part here is that I desized the tracker.

But hey, this is a great learning experience for some of y'all who are just like, 'how'. I wanted to shorten my tracker because it was getting so hard to keep up with.

In February I had like 15 things on there that I had to fill in, from making my bed (Which I never do) to cleaning the room, and some of those things I didn't really need.

So yes, I cut it down. For some of y'all, this might seem hard to cut down some of those things that you think are so important, but I have a solution. Go through each of those things and consider, 'Do I really need this? Do I already do this or do I need a reminder?' This will help you to break things down and make your life easier.

I love my habit tracker so much this month, not only because it is so darn cute, but because it allows me so much room to expand. I added some little "Sticky note drawings" below the chart that make it even more organized, with 'events', and 'notes'. I can quickly jot down those things I need a quick reminder of to help me remember to get myself organized.



The real reason why I wrote this post was because I wanted to show y'all some of my favorite tracker and monthly spread ideas because you can experiment so much with these and really express yourself. I feel like at every start of the month I love drawing and designing my new trackers to reflect upon the month.
March 29, 2019 No comments
So for starters on my new topic Lifestyle I thought I might introduce y'all to a few really good lifestyle blogs and bloggers to visit online. (Probably because they are way better than me at lifestyle blogging)

You might be thinking, what exactly is 'Lifestyle blogging'? Well I didn't really know in the first place but once I got into it, it was a really uplifting way to encourage yourself using your day to day life and strengthening those normal lifestyle things, whether worries, mom questions or how to's.

So the google definition is: A way in which a person or group lives. A lifestyle blog is about one persons individual life, such as events that have happened in their life, their kids, spouse, family, vacations, just things that they want to share with the world.

Starting off: Barefoot Blonde  by Amber Fillerup. She focuses a lot on family, hair, and fashions. To me she puts a lot in about her personal life and expands a lot on important events in her family.
Photo by Barefoot Blonde
A cup of Jo is a great blog to go check out because it is so heartfelt and meaningful. She focuses a lot on motherhood and life and just how to be a mom. She also likes to write about travel, relationships and fashion.
Photo from A Cup of Jo

Another great motherhood and beauty blog is A Piece of Toast. She loves to write about motherhood and baby care, but is great at beauty tips and fashion
Photo by A Piece of Toast

Next up is The Blonde Abroad. As you might have noticed, she likes to write about traveling and her adventures. :) She also specializes in feminism, and photography.

Photo from The Blonde Abroad

Deliciously Ella is probably one of my favorite blogs because, her name is Ella, like me! Of course she specializes in cooking and healthy lifestyles, which a lot of us are interested in.

Photo from Deliciously Ella

Sincerely Jules is a great lifestyle blog because its all about lifestyle! She really goes heart to heart about her life but at the same time focuses a lot on fashion and style.

Image result for sincerely jules
Photo from Sincerely Jules


A great fashion and mom lifestyle blog is Sandy A La Mode. She focuses intently on motherhood and especially fashion tips and tricks.
Image result for sandy a la mode
Photo by Sandy A La Mode

Overall, these are all great ladies who do great jobs of expressing themselves through blogging. I hope this interests you and gets you motivated to live your best life.


March 19, 2019 No comments
Motivation seems to be a big part in my life: Whether its from folding a mountain of clothes or trying to come up with ideas for a new blog post, I constantly find myself needing something to speed me up or get me started.

So I decided to come up with some ideas to help y'all along if you find yourself in the same boat as me. :)


"Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice."
-Wayne Dyer


1. Remind yourself why you want to do something.
When you remind yourself of this you tell yourself, 'what do I have to look forward to in finishing this?' You sort of set a goal mentally, but instead of planning and preparing, you automatically say, 'Yeah, I want that reward.'

2. Just get started: Let motivation catch up to you. 
Even though you might not want to even think about starting something, if you get wrapped up in your work you get motivated to finish something. You started something, so its waiting for you to finish it. 

Related image


3. Start small if starting big makes you procrastinate, or the other way around.
If a big project makes you procrastinate, then desize it. Don't overwhelm yourself. If you do a lot of small things, then you may find yourself doing to many things at once. Find what your comfort zone is, and use it to lessen the weight of the project and motivate you to work harder.


4. Get positive
If you are constantly negative about your work or what you are doing, you'll never be able to convince yourself that its going to turn out great and you'll quit. When you are positive you fill your mind with thoughts that uplift you, and motivate you to keep going.
Image result for happy girl with hands up in a field with light


5. Reduce your to-do list to just a few items.
If you have an insane amount of to-dos on your list, it can seriously burden your work and make it even harder for you to enjoy and progress with your project. It can do the opposite of motivating: slowing you down. You don't want all that extra stress. 

Things like 'Gah, I have so much work to do today, on top of shuttling the kids to sports practices and my workout, yoga, and PTA jobs.' are all representations of an overfilled to-do list. Try spacing things out over your week. You could schedule a dance class on Friday, and workout on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, instead of it all on one day.



6. Be kind to yourself when you make a mistake
People are not perfect, and whenever we make a mistake we tend to say, 'Why? That was so stupid.' And we quit. But I'm here to encourage you to lift your chin up and remind yourself that, yes, we are not perfect and you are bound to make mistakes. 

If you constantly push yourself down after a mistake, when they pile up you can't motivate yourself at all. Your just digging a deeper hole for yourself. Perk up, it'll be alright. :)

Image result for kindness heart on a sticky

7. Break your work into smaller chunks.
If you want to tackle a huge project, is it better to take it all at once or piece it out, where you can slowly but surely put it together and have a less chance of making a mistake?

Chances are, the answer is breaking down your work. When you are able to see what you have to do, it's way less stressful that tackling it all at once. Breaking it down allows you to plan ahead and avoid mistakes, and allows breathing room and experimentation.

It also helps you to be able to put your best work forward. If you slow down and aren't stressed, you can perfect the things you might not have noticed before. You can add extra details to make it better, and you have more time to work problems out.

This helps to motivate because it takes all the stress off your shoulders. How are you supposed to work when you have the weight of a gigantic project in progress all at once in your hands? Bite off what you can chew.


8. Give yourself breaks
Don't overwork yourself. Too hard of a slog can ruin your general motivation, and can add extra stress that piles onto your continuous work.

Plus, it's really boring working all. The. Time.

So try to find times where your work slows down or you don't have as much to do. Take a walk. Get some coffee or a snack. Read a book that you enjoy. (Not a insanely hard business book that makes you think MORE) Just try to give your brain a break sometimes.



Now, you might be thinking, how really do I keep myself motivated? Remind yourself constantly of what works best for you in terms of these motivation tips. Write it on a sticky note. Set a reminder on your phone. Put these tips in your work space. Spice it up. Stay motivated.

March 15, 2019 No comments
Right now is a time where I am considering and meditating on this question in every waking moment. My church is not  a church that is fostering love and community, and we feel we may need to make a decision involving the church and where God wants us to be. So what questions should you ask yourself when you find yourself in this situation?

1. Is your church fostering a lifestyle of community and fellowship?
As a church they should try to improve their community. God calls us to be in fellowship with other Christians and be able to grow in a relationship with him through them. When you have community you not only get to know other people, you please God. A few verses to think about:

Matthew 18.20: 'For where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them.'
Romans 1:11-12: 'I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong- That is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each others faith.'
Romans 12:5: 'So in Christ we, through many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

2. Ask your family if they feel community from the church.
Even though YOU might not feel like you have community, your spouse or children may feel different. When you are asking your kids about this, make sure you focus on what exactly is their community. If its just a few friends, they might not be too connected there or they don't really feel community in their group. With your spouse or family find out what exactly is their tie to the church. Small group? Subject based classes? Pastor? Teaching? If you find that they feel community in a way you don't, find out why. Explain why you don't. If you see another person's view of this important subject you might change your feelings about it.

3. Is your church based around the bible?
This is a big problem I find at my church because without fail, the main pastor hardly ever uses references from the bible. The church is supposed to be in accordance to the bible, and following it and referencing it in all it teaches. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, "All scripture is breathed out of God and is useful for teaching, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of god may be fully equipped for every good work." This tells us to apply the bible to all of life so we can become more like God and able to tackle any situation. John 17:17 says: "Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth." This shows us that the bible is holy and that we should study it in all parts of life. If your church is not consistently using the bible in their teaching or promoting it, the church is not a good church for anyone.



What to do
There are many reasons why a church might not be working for you and your family, but let me help. Here are a few ideas for how to decide what to do about it.

1. Look at other churches
Another church might be a better fit for you and fit your spiritual needs better. It could fill some of the empty spaces your previous church had. Even though it might be hard to change churches, it is healthy to try to find one that really helps your spiritual needs.

2. Find out what problems your church has
Is it the pastor? The teaching? The use of scripture? The community? Find out what the problem is and identify what happens around the church to create it.

3. Trust in God
This is all I have to say. Trust in God. Pray to him. Worship him. Find ways to connect yourself to him in everyday life, and devote yourself to him. He is your sole provider, and he will sustain.
March 11, 2019 No comments
Everyone has his or her own bucket list: Whether about christianity, places you want to visit, or things you want to do with your kids. All of them will be different. This is just a place for me to express the things I want to do to become closer to God.

1. Visit the Holy Land
When you go to Israel, it is so inspirational and awe inspiring. To be in the place where He once stood! It is always a boost in your faith to see the places in the bible and walk where He once was.

2.Win someone to Jesus
I have personal experience on this one. A few years ago I brought a bible with me to work and my friend asked me about it. I gently told him all about the gospel and the love of Jesus Christ. God worked in him through me to bring him close to God. Now this person was not a Christian at all. He was of the Hindi religion. It was especially difficult to get close to him and personal about this topic because he asked a lot of deep questions about Christianity. It really tested my faith as well and made me ask a lot of important questions about my faith. Eventually, we parted ways and we don't see each other hardly at all, but I hope I planted a seed in him.

With this it is very easy to go wrong, I admit. How do you know if you are preaching the right things? What are you supposed to tell them? How are you supposed to answer generic christian questions that you've never really asked? I tell you: Just get out there. Try it. Reach out to a friend of yours who is not a believer. Try to spark a fire in them to love the Lord.



Image result for people talking


3.Memorize an entire chapter of the bible
Which one? There are so many great ones out there. Tons in Phillipians, Ephesians, Isaiah, and the gospels. Pick one that speaks to you and you constantly go to for help and comfort in times of trouble.

4.Visit a mission field and do something there for Jesus
Whether it is a church youth camp or a mission trip to a nearby city, try it. I was exposed to many types of these and was influenced by all. With mission trips you have the opportunity to help the less fortunate in your surrounding area and help the people in need.

I personally have a story to share about a mission trip my church did once. They went to a camp and helped out with some younger kids there. They preached the gospel to them, shared their testamonies and spread the good news to the next generation. It was a great way to help others grow in God and to strengthen your faith as well.

5. Learn to pray better
For most of us, we feel uncertain when it comes to praying. We don't know if we're doing it right (How do we know he's listening?) or if we are saying the right things. How are we supposed to know? What I want to do with this is to encourage you to find ways that help you strengthen this part of your spiritual life. Read church library books. Talk to elders or people that you trust for tips on how to pray.

I'm not saying that you will be totally satisfied with it. It may take a long time for some of you, while for others it may be a few weeks to practice. Just find the way that helps you grow in Christ.

6. Find your spiritual gift and put it to use. 
Whatever it may be: Words of Wisdom, Faith, Gifts of healing, Miracles, teaching: Put it to use.
Everyone is gifted some spiritual capability from God. If you don't know what yours is, then I suggest you try new things. Exposing yourself to new things allows you to find your passion, and allows you to experiment with new things.

Image result for bible

7. One time in your life, contribute twice as much to the work of the Lord than you did the previous year
If you are a tither, then this one is for you. This is a great challenge for some of us: Giving a lot of money to the Lord may be a stretch and a burden. You might not be comfortable giving that much. I suggest you figure out what you are willing to give and give a little extra- but not too much. Just remember that you are giving to the Lord your God. He provides all things.

8. Tell everyone who you love that you love them
This might seem like a really simple one, but even the smallest thought or word or sign that you noticed someone or something can make someone's day. You don't know what everyone is going through. Some people might be dealing with a bad marriage, others struggling with finding community, others deep into depression. A kind word always makes someone's day.

9. Become an expert on one book of the bible
It doesn't really matter which one it is. It could be a book that covers deep Israel history, or one that talks about what our time with God after life will be. It may be a book that has deep personal meaning to you, like you study it a lot to apply it to your life. It could be one that you want to study more to deepen your relationship with Christ. This is a great way to apply scripture to parts of your life and to focus your time around it, making a deeper time with God daily.
Image result for books of the bible

10.Read a book on Christian theology.
There are tons of great books out there to read about christian theology. Topics about divorce, raising a family, temptations, and more are all covered in these deep books.
Some ideas:

-The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis
-Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis
-Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis
-Knowing God by J. I. Packer
-The Reason for God by Tim Keller
-Crazy Love by Francis Chan
-Christian Theology by Millard J. Erickson



March 03, 2019 No comments
Newer Posts
Older Posts

About me

Hi, I'm Ella! I'm an avid journaler who loves to express herself through bullet journaling, blogging, and everything in between. I hope you are inspired by my work and I hope to make a change in the world by making the best of every person.


woman in striped shirt with backpack holding sunglasses while walking on street

Follow Us

recent posts

Followers

Labels

Bullet Journaling Christianity Lifestyle

Blog Archive

  • ▼  2019 (15)
    • ▼  March (5)
      • A peek into my bullet journal: A look at this mont...
      • 7 rich lifestyle blogs to visit
      • 8 Ways to Motivate yourself: Empower your work
      • Its time to make a change in your church or commun...
      • My faith based bucket list: 10 things to help you ...
    • ►  February (10)

Report Abuse

FOLLOW ME @INSTAGRAM

Created with by ThemeXpose | Distributed By Gooyaabi Templates