By Taylor
Life moves fast. Between chasing goals, juggling responsibilities, and navigating everyday chaos, it’s easy to forget the small moments that shape who we are. That’s why I started bullet journaling—and I haven’t looked back since.
You might be wondering: What’s bullet journaling?
Is it some kind of tactical diary strategy? Thankfully, no. It’s something much more personal.
What Is Bullet Journaling?
Bullet journaling is a customizable system that helps you track your life, your thoughts, and your goals. The best part? Like other kinds of planners and non-traditional journaling, bullet journaling is open-ended, which means you decide what goes in it, what it looks like, and how it works.
The term “bullet journal” comes from the original system that utilized bullet points rather than full sentences and paragraphs like traditional journaling, but the system is open-ended enough that it’s become a new system of thinking about journaling rather than strict rules with “dos and don’ts.”
You can track your schedule, log your habits, scribble down ideas, sketch out dreams, or jot down what you ate for lunch. There are no rules—only tools that you adapt as you go.
My Old Western Approach
I once heard a story about a cowboy who got sick and began logging the final stretch of his life in a journal. It wasn’t scheduled or polished. He simply carried a notebook in his bag and scribbled down what moved him: what he saw, felt, learned, or thought. Despite the melancholy of the story, I found that style of journaling deeply meaningful, and it helped enhance the themes of what he was going through.
This inspired me and gave me a starting point in how I approach journaling. When I eat something delicious, I write it down. When I learn a random fact, I note it. If a moment inspires me or I get a fresh idea for a creative project, it goes in the journal. It takes only a few seconds, but it helps me stay grounded and aware of what matters.
Soon, my own system started to spring from this prototype “free-write” style. A few features evolved that are completely customizable to who I am and what I need, like different pen colors for recurring themes, or sticky notes to carry some ideas between pages.
The Magic of Revisiting
Writing things down is powerful—but revisiting them? That’s where the magic happens.
I review my journal weekly, usually during quiet moments at church. It gives me space to reflect spiritually and mentally on what I’ve written. More often than not, I discover new insights just by rereading old notes. Things I forgot. Things I didn’t fully appreciate at the moment.
Reflection turns experience into wisdom. How have I been doing in my goals? What needs to be adjusted? Do I need to rethink my “why” behind my work? What concerns do I have that I don’t need to hold on to? It may sound silly, but in a way this reflection has become a spiritual experience in itself.
Trial, Error, Success, and Self-Discovery
My journal didn’t come together in a day. In the beginning, I wasn’t sure what to write or how to format it. I didn’t know what counted as “important” enough to record. Even which color pen to use became part of the journey.
And that’s part of the beauty.
Through trial, error, and success I didn’t just create a journaling method—I discovered more about how I work, how I stay focused, how I track my creative progress, and how I recharge socially. It wasn’t just about the notebook. It was about learning me.
Getting Started: Start Simple
If you’re curious about bullet journaling, don’t overthink it. Start simple. Ask yourself some questions:
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What are my goals and dreams?
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What do I want to remember?
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What do I want to change or grow into?
Write those down. Then make a small, tentative plan. Try a weekly recap. Jot down one good thing each day. Experiment. See what sticks. Adjust as you go.
The best journal is the one that works for you—and discovering that is half the fun.
