Hello Sweeties,
A lot has happened to me and to my family the last month of 2015. I have to admit it has been a trying tail end of the year. I plow on… I carry on and like everyone I survived.
I am not one who believes in new year resolutions. Maybe because I can never follow it to the letter and I tend to carry over the list the following year. You know how tiring it is, to rewrite your resolutions every year…the same thing. It is quiet embarrassing. So for the past couple of years I started with my word for the YEAR.
Kate Alvarez, one of the amazing women of bdjbox.com and editor of the Belle de Jour Power Planner wrote a very nice article about this. You can read it here. In essence, instead of making a list and checking it twice but not following the promises in the said list, it is best to pick/select an empowering word to live by for the entire year.
This year I choose COMMITMENT. For some reason I always go with some fad or the other… like Calligraphy or water coloring and set it aside. I am not much of a multitasker. I have a short attention span and my daughter says that I am such a kid sometimes… she often says this to me with a straight face. I have a tendency to get overwhelmed, sometimes I get bored must of the time I forget. Yeah, the attention span of a 3 year old.
Because of my uber short attention span, I need keep everything written down to remind me of my everyday… as a reporter, as a blogger and as Mommy.
My brain is like a cesspool…. so unorganized. Hence the need to have everything written down so I can go back to it. Similar to the character of Dory in Finding Nemo, I need a constant reminder, repeating everything over and over so I’d remember. Tsk… and you know that does not always work. I need to keep something on hand so I can run my life without any major hiccups. Schedule everything before hand, so none of the important events overlap.
Want to know how I keep my life on track? Read on!
For the past 5 or so years I have been using the Belle De Jour Power Planner, Happy 10th Anniversary! What I really love about BDJ Power Planner is that it evolves and they make it a point to listen to suggestions of the Bellas (what they fondly call the ladies who are part of the community) I enjoy that every page is colorful, every month has a theme, They also hold activities for the Bellas a workshop, soiree, and fairs. They also have P 40,000 worth of coupons you can use with great discounts! I was not an active Bella last year due to pressing family issues, I rarely got to attend any activities, I even had to resort to going to their pop-up store to get my planner! But once a BDJ Bella nope… BDJ Veteran will always have their planner of choice on hand. This is my household planner I have on hand at home. Where I write down everything I need to keep up with my children`s activities, household matters and the likes.
Last year I decided that I wanted more than just one journal for my personal use. I really enjoy the delicious coffee of CBTL – Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, and unlike the other high end coffee place, you only need 12 stamps / signatures on the card will give you the very colorful CBTL Giving Journal.
Every journal you get CBTL has an advocacy, this year it is Giving Flavorfully, to give back to the community, and it has partnered with Real LIFE foundation, the Giving Journal’s beneficiary, to fulfill this tradition by supporting the educational needs of the less fortunate. To date, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf has already sponsored 38 university scholars since 2011 – giving them the chance to fulfill their dreams, help their families, and improve their prospects for a brighter future. The brand is proud to share that 13 of the sponsored scholars have already graduated. Evidently, The Giving Journal is certainly not your ordinary planner; it is a gift where the joy of giving and receiving it lasts well past the holiday season.
Every cup I drink from them is worth it don`t you think?
The CBTL Giving Journal 2016 is very similar to the BDJ Power Planner, it has stickers and coupons, it is much thinner, I use this to jot my story notes, interview listings and the like for my day job (I am a Broadcast Journalist by day). I can also use it to keep my work schedule organized and neat. I usually leave this at work, write on it every day.
You maybe wondering why I have more than 3 journals, I like to keep my work and household note separate. I really don`t enjoy bringing work at home since my children are my main focus.
You can acquire the CBTL Giving Journal at the end of each year. Just complete the stamps.
Now we go to the final planner. Well, it is more like a journal.
I have been following fellow blogger Pat Mansala who is into travel journals. I really enjoy reading about her creative lay outs not to mention her beautiful growing collection of travel journals. To be frank, I enjoy paper products. My daughter Raffy calls it my secret sin. Coz I go to book stores not just to check out the latest Children`s Book another of my secret shame but to check out the paper products and fountain pens.
I wanted a journal that is light, someone I can actually personalize depending on my mood…more like mood swings. I really love fountain pens and colored pens as well as sharpies. I want to create my own layout depending on the time of the month. My handwriting is not much, but I was taught the classic script and made my own version of it. I want to write my own quotes and use stamps and stickers to decorate the pages. I could go on and on… hence my happiness knows no bounds when BDJ Quest Journal came out!
I use my Quest Journal as a my travel note book where I keep all my blogging assignments and ideas in place.
The BDJ Quest Journal came out in two colors, Cool Taupe and Talc Pink. Both colors are feminine but I choose the pink because it called to me he he he. It comes with two notebooks inside with 64 pages each. You can choose between plain or grid notebooks. It also comes with a vinyl zippered pouch and card slots where you can keep your receipts, post its, pen refills etc. It’s got an elastic cord lock so it’s stays safe and organize inside my cluttered bag.
I may not have not neatest and most beautiful journal but I love making my own lay out for the week or the month. I love my own accessories that I get to put in my own charms. I also enjoy using a color pens, stamps and wash tapes. I will talk more about that when I finally get the courage to show you my personal lay-out.
Everyone needs a little boost to keep yourselves organized, our thoughts straight or clear. I actually need 3 planners to do it.
You can get the BDJ PowerPlanner and The Quest Journal at https://ilovebdj.com.
How do you keep yourself organized?
Until next time!
Muah!