Welcome to Thrifty Journaling!

Hi there, and welcome!

I'm new to "bullet journaling," and I do it to improve my productivity and health, not as a creative outlet (for the most part) since, unfortunately, I'm not artistic. I'm trying to change this - part of my goal for 2019 is to branch out and try to learn new hobbies.

Here, you will find free dot-gridded printables, secular inspiration, non-judgmental encouragement, and basic advice on the methods I use to journal, primarily using supplies most of us already have or can purchase at low cost. I have nothing against religion in general, and I may occasionally break that rule, but you'll not see much reference to any specific religion or spiritual practice on this blog. You should also know that any time you want, you can comment on any post with questions - or email me if you prefer that your question remain anonymous - and I'll do my best to answer openly, honestly, and without treating you like you're "too new" or asking something that shouldn't be asked! I'm new to the hobby too, so if it's something I don't know, maybe we can figure it out together! I feel like journaling is an incredibly effective way to motivate yourself, and I think that's backed up by scientific research. It seems to me like viewing my success is much more of a motivation than avoiding my failures.

What you won't find are ads, affiliate links, beautiful artwork (sorry!), religious themes, long-winded descriptions of how amazing and perfect my life is, or a curated reality. I aim to be practical and accessible, not pretentious and unrealistic. I know that a lot of times, I see Instagram accounts and blogs that make me feel, "why should I even try? I'll never be that good!" I don't want to be one of those blogs. I think this hobby should be freely available for everyone, especially for those of us who have - at best - good handwriting, the ability to use a ruler, and, at the very least, the desire to create something. What I mean by "curated reality" is that sometimes, it's hard to remember how many outtakes there are for those Pinterest-perfect Instagram-ready pictures, how heavily edited they are, how we are shown exactly what they want us to see -- so much so, that there can be this constant feeling of "not good enough." I don't meant to downplay how much hard work goes into that, but I hope you'll never feel that you're "not enough" here.

In the coming days, I'll introduce myself and show you some of the methods I've used (with varying degrees of success) to create my own journal and planner. I have a personal journal and a work planner to hopefully stay a little more organized and productive in 2019 (*she says, as she writes a personal blog post from her desk at work*). I hope you'll stick around, maybe subscribe to my blog if you like, even download a PDF or two to incorporate in your own personal journal or planner or to use as a starting point for your own ideas. Anyways, welcome, and thanks for reading!