Uncategorized

Setting Up My 2022 Bullet Journal

Wow! Is anyone else completely blown away that 2021 is just about over? There were times when it felt never ending, but also times when the dates dropped off the calendar so quickly. I will be adding a few miniposts these next couple of days to talk about my 2021 goals and reflecting on the past 365 days, but today I have a fun post for you–so let’s jump in and see how I set up my 2022 Bullet Journal.

First, a disclaimer. I did not originate any of the ideas or terms used in this post. I am a HUGE fan of Youtube Bullet Journal channels and find so much inspiration from artists like Amanda Rach Lee, Caitlin’s Corner, The Plant Based Bride, Julianne Doodles and Shayda Campbell. In fact, I did a shout out to these five women a few months back. Check that out here!

Supplies: For this year’s bullet journal setup, I used…

Crayola Super Tips (Periwinkle, Light Gray, and Charcoal)

Paper Mate Ultra Thin Flairs (Black and Purple)

Paper Mate Flair (Black–my standard pen)

2022 Amanda Rach Lee A5 Dotted notebook in black

Of all the journals I have used in the past the Amanda Rach Lee notebooks are my favorite because the paper quality is fantastic. The pages do not bleed through or ghost. They are also a bright white which makes covering mistakes so much easier than off-white pages.

Title Page

The color scheme I chose for this setup is Periwinkle. For the past couple of years I have used the Pantone Color of the Year as a base to make all of the first pages in the journal feel connected. The accent colors I used were a light gray and a charcoal gray. The title page is full of Amanda Rach Lee doodles which I colored in my color scheme. I love the way this page turned out.

2022 Words of the Year

At the beginning of each year I like to choose words of the year that reflect my intentions and hopes for the next twelve months. This year I am focusing on the words Drive and Passion. This is a page dedicated to those words and how I plan to enter 2022 with drive for the things I am most passionate about.

Goals Page

Because I like to split my goals up into two categories, I used the entire spread for the writing of my goals in 2022. On one side I wrote out my personal goals which include fitness and family and on the other page I wrote out my work-related goals which include blogging, business, and reading. When I complete this page, I will write out a measurable goal for each category.

Grid Spacing and Wishlists

When I sit down to create a new spread I often refer to this page to help me divide my pages equally. I used a mix of Amanda Rach Lee and the Plant Based Bride’s methods on how to set up this page. If you like to make sure that things are lined up I would recommend checking out their explanations on their channels.

Beside my Grid Spacing mock-up I created a place for a personal wishlist as well as a place to record gifts that I give to others. Both of these lists come in handy when someone asks what I want for my birthday or when I’m struggling to come up with gift ideas for others. Also, because I have kept a gift list in my journals over the years, I like to look back and see what I’ve given people in the past to make sure I don’t repeat gifts or to simply reminisce.

Future Log 2022

One of the most tedious spreads to create, yet most aesthetically pleasing is the annual Future Log. This is a “dump” space for all upcoming events or appointments. The bullet journal concept focuses on month-to-month planning and so the Future Log is helpful for events or appointments that may be a few months out.

Brand Ideas

Because I have so many ideas for The Ameri Brit Mom in 2022, I dedicated a page to brainstorming my brand ideas.

Books of 2022

This is a spread to track the books that I read in 2022. One of my goals is to read and review at least two books per month. What I have created with this page is just a skeleton. I plan to put a picture of the cover of each book that I finish on the provided squares and so for now there are just placeholders waiting to be filled.

Quarter 1 Goals Tracker

I am a goal-oriented individual and so when I set goals at the beginning of a new year I truly intend to fulfill those goals and to track my progress. I’ve found that breaking each goal down into small steps helps me to make sure that by the end of the year I have realized all the goals I established in January. This is a page for breaking down my goals for the first three months of the year.

Female Health

Tracking my health and symptoms is very important to me and so I like to create an easy place for me to log all things related to physical health.

Thanks for taking a look at my 2022 Bullet Journal setup. I really enjoy taking time at the end of each year to reflect on previous journals and planning how my new notebook will serve me in the coming year.

In 2022, there are BIG things coming to The Ameri Brit Mom. Make sure that you join the subscription list to be the first to know what’s going on. You can join the subscription in the margin or by clicking below.

I would love to hear about which spreads you plan to incorporate into your planner in 2022.

The Ameri Brit Mom

fiction · Uncategorized

Honor Your Reality

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My writing journey hasn’t been a linear one. There have been months of motivated writing sessions and others where I’ve nearly fallen off the map. I’ve taken detours and shortcuts. I’ve even abandoned route several times. While my mind cursed itself for losing focus I’m learning that in those times life needed to come first.

When my heart was breaking for those I love.

When my body was growing a baby.

When work zapped all of my energy.

When anxiety crippled me.

Those are moments in my reality when I set the pen down and just lived. Getting through each day was hard enough I couldn’t push through word counts and pages as well. Some call it survival mode–those days when you do the bare minimum in order to keep your sanity. I’m a human and I find myself on the survivor’s path every now and again.

If you have followed my blog for a couple of years you will remember the year I took off in 2017. My energy was focused on growing my family and my health. I did write here and there, but I put no pressure on myself to produce things for other people to read. I journaled every now and again, but I took that year for ME. Life was changing and my soul was aching. I didn’t live that reality on the page of my blog because it wasn’t the encouraging me that I hope to be as an online writer.

Luckily, that period didn’t last forever.

I returned in June 2018 with a venegence. Strengthened by the trials I resurrected my presence in the writing world. I re-established goals, re-appeared on my blog, and started to think of myself as a writer again.

There will be a day where once again I will have to step away.

We go through periods where the path has been cleared and we can focus on the road before us. Other times, we have to clear that path before we can go any further. We are not robots. We have souls that need rest.

So give yourself some grace. If you find yourself walking through a storm in your personal life it is okay to put your writing life on hold (or at least in neutral.) We have to honor the reality of life. It’s okay!

The Ameri Brit Mom

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I’m working my way through a DIY MFA program based on the book DIY MFA by Gabriela Periera. Throughout the course and book study I will be posting periodically in response to prompts