Creative Planning in 2020

You don’t know how tempted I was to put a pun about “20/20 vision” in the title of this post. I am so ready for the new year! I don’t mean in the sense that all of my lesson plans, copies, and grading are done, but more so in the way that I feel rejuvenated after winter break. I really tried not to work the entire time over the two weeks, and I feel the benefits in my creativity and in my writing motivation. I started to wake up yesterday with new ideas and the desire to fill notebooks up with thoughts, reflections, and more. This came in handy because I was procrastinating about migrating over into my new bullet journal for the new year. My local independent bookstore, This is a Bookstore and Bookbug, started carrying my favorite journals so now I have a constant supply to look at and plan for when I go get a chai latte and grade or pick up new books. The goal of this post is to show you how I use my bullet journal to plan for the new year with year-long goals and plans, and also how I set up my monthly plan for January. This post is similar to the other bullet journal “plan-with-me” posts on the blog, but it provides more information as I am moving into a new journal and it is the start of a new year.

In case you are new to bullet journaling, there are tons of resources here on the blog and on the internet in general. I would start with the “Weekly Blog Roundup: Teacher Bullet Journaling” post to get an idea of the process of bullet journaling and how it works. There are also some excellent video examples connected to the post. This post is also a great place to start if you are brand new to bullet journaling because you get to see how I set up a new journal. If you want to just jump right in, you don’t need a fancy notebook. Grab any blank notebook (it does not have to be dotted) and your favorite pen, and let’s get started.

Notebooks, Pens, and More

I now have four different notebooks that keep my life organized and connect to different outlets of creativity. Some bullet journal enthusiasts would encourage their audiences to keep one central notebook and not carry so many journals. However, two to three of my journals stay at my desk during the day. I am often only carrying 1-2 journals at one time. I don’t want my bag to get too heavy, and I use my main journal for most aspects of life. Here is a breakdown of all of my journals:

My main journal. This is a medium A5 port red Leuchtturm 1917 dotted journal. It has a pocket in the back, two bookmark strands, and a table of contents in the front. It also has all dotted pages for drawing and numbered pages for added organization. I use this journal as my planner, my note-taking resource, and my mindfulness journal. This is where I do all of my morning pages and reflections. This would also be the place that holds all of my brain dumps when I get stressed. My main journal lasts me about four months of time. This means I am moving journals three times a year.
My book writing journal. This is a larger B5 ice blue Leuchtturm 1917 dotted journal. One of my goals is to finish my book proposal and submit it by summertime 2020. I keep this journal separate because of the detail and notes needed for my annotated bibliography, and I have specific research sections throughout the notebook. I house a lot of this work on my computer. I like that this notebook has almost a full page of paper to write on so I can fit more ideas per page.
My blog content calendar and journal. I got this from the Target dollar spot and fell in love with the setup. It has monthly calendar pages in the front, and then lined pages and squared pages in the back. I can brainstorm about blog content and make a plan for the year. My goal is to sit down each month when I do the “plan-with-me” posts and also plan out my month on the blog. I have tried to do an electronic editorial calendar in the past, and I always go back to using paper and pencil. The journal was only $3.00, and I have already started to add a running list of blog post ideas in the back.
My Etsy log and journal. This is a 9 X 11 Walnut Wooden Journal that I sell in my Etsy shop. It is kept together by binder rings, and it has squared paper. I love this style because I can flip the cover over to lean against while I am out and about or in bed working on the shop. I keep track of any sales I have made, and I keep a record of wording and verbiage for listings. Any creative ideas for Etsy go into this notebook.

I am constantly looking for new markers -from cheap ones to expensive ones-to try out in my journal. My current favorites are my 15 count dual-tip Zebra Mildliners. I got these at Target and keep them ready-to-use in my pencil pouch (also a Target purchase). I got some fun washi tape that matches the markers from my local Hobby Lobby. They are in softer pastel colors. I loved the way the washi tape and the markers looked together when I made my yearly and monthly layouts. I also found this “Sticker Book for Wellness” in the Target dollar spot. Almost everyone I know refocuses on health and wellness as they enter the new year, and this book would be a great addition to bullet journaling or anyone with a regular planner. In terms of pens, I continue to use flair pens and mechanical pencils that twist up as my main writing instruments for everyday journaling and working on special layouts.

The very first page of my notebook is always a special quotation. it is not tied to a theme or monthly layout. I expect 2020 to be MARVEL-ous. I love this quotation from Tony Stark because I am constantly reminding myself to come back to the present. As someone who worries a lot, I often find myself dwelling in the past or future. The present moment reminds us time is precious. We have to dedicate time to creativity, the people who matter and making sure we are taking care of our own wellness.

Book Inspiration

The main theme book for the entire year of 2020 is The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy. This literary graphic novel is beautiful. If you or someone you know needs a pick me up, this is the perfect gift. If you need a book to keep on your bedside nightstand for the tough days, this is it. I agree with the online reviews that say anyone of any age would love this book. The drawings are particularly wonderful. Some people use other layouts, colors, or everyday items as inspiration for layouts. You can definitely check out enough examples on social media using the hashtags #bujo or #bullet journal. I use books. I find that the quotations are good for my own mindset, and in the process of teaching English to sixth-graders, I am always reading something new. This particular book gave me inspiration by way of words, but it also sparked a creative drive to draw a horse from memory. I am always on the lookout for books that make me feel alive.

Amazon summary of The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse:

“From the revered British illustrator, a modern fable for all ages that explores life’s universal lessons, featuring 100 color and black-and-white drawings.

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” asked the mole.

“Kind,” said the boy.

Charlie Mackesy offers inspiration and hope in uncertain times in this beautiful book based on his famous quartet of characters. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse explores their unlikely friendship and the poignant, universal lessons they learn together.

Radiant with Mackesy’s warmth and gentle wit, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse blends hand-written narrative with dozens of drawings, including some of his best-loved illustrations (including “Help,” which has been shared over one million times) and new, never-before-seen material. A modern classic in the vein of The Tao of Pooh, The Alchemist, and The Giving Tree, this charmingly designed keepsake will be treasured for generations to come.”

The monthly book inspiration is a little book of quotes my sister gave me for Christmas called “You Had Better Make Some Noise: Words to Change the World” by Phaidon Editors. Amazon summary of the book: “Magnificent collection of quotes from visionaries who have been the engine of change in the world. You Had Better Make Some Noise compiles the world of social activists, revolutionaries, artists, philosophers, writers, musicians, or politicians. Individuals who have fought and fight for justice inciting us to do the same; Octavio Paz, Ai Weiwei, Margaret Mead, Harvey Milk, Pablo Neruda, Susan Sontag, Bertold Bretch, Diego Rivera, or Bertrand Rusell are some of the inspiring voices collected.” This book pushes for all people to make changes big and small. It speaks to the political side, the activist side, and the educator side of my writing and the work in my classroom. The quotes I chose stuck out to me as being important for January. We come back to school with renewed energy, and with this energy, we continue to be able to do the work that matters.

Some people ask how long it takes me to move from one bullet journal to another. One to two hours is the answer. I go through my currently bullet journal and flag pages that I need in order to set up the next one. I don’t like to copy so many pages because it makes that specific journal special. I often will take ideas from the original journal to start layouts in my new journal. The layouts I copied over are:

“What’s for dinner tonight?” This is a layout of all the things I make for dinner. It is kind of like a recipe board. Whenever I ask or my husband asks, “what’s for dinner tonight?” I like to have this layout nearby.
Book Proposal Plan. This was an incomplete goal from 2019, so I wanted to move it over so it comes first in my new journal.
Workout Why Layout. I love this layout because this is an answer to all of the excuses I might have for not wanting to workout. I am left with zero excuses after I take a glance at the spread. I also put my new 30-day yoga journey opposite this page to get me fired up for January.
Any updates to yearly spreads that are important like my “Dream Goal Statements” page and my “Five Year Plan” page. If I like the layout from the previous journal, I make a note to continue to use the layout in my new journal.

Big Picture Plan: Yearly Overview

New year, new check-in with goals. I am not huge on resolutions, but I love reflecting and making big goals. As I was reading The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse, I kept fixating on words that stood out in the numerous quotes about life. I took those words and made them my cover for 2020. There are words like “save” that pertain to specific goals, and there are other words like “push” that talk about going outside of my comfort zone. I have always said my two goals for teaching are to focus on “reading” and “empathy,” and “writing” has been the glue that has kept it all together.

Here are all of my focus words for 2020:

save
push
courage
wellness
kind
empathy
write
read
believe
unknown
unlearning
love
grow

My other layouts for the year include:

Looking Back at 2019. I want to reflect on moments of gratitude, habits to keep, school goals, home goals, health goals, big events from the year, and the blog goals.
Dream Goal Statements. I love the idea of writing goal statements down like they already happened. I got this from Rachel Hollis, but feel free to steal this easy and inspirational spread.
Five Year Plan. It is important to have a sense of direction. I did a ten-year plan last year and it seemed too far out of reach. I want to focus in on five years to really make the steps I am taking to reach my goals more manageable.
2020 Goals. From five years down to one year in focus. My categories are blog, work, home/life, and finances, but you could insert any category you would like.
2020 Year At-A-Glance. These are for planned milestones and big events. I want to schedule my year so I am constantly pushing myself and in the same breath not overwhelming a certain part of the year.
Savings Goals by Quarter. I want to breakdown my goals for savings and finances into three-month sections. Whether this is a certain amount I am saving from each paycheck or using the envelope system, I want to make sure that saving becomes the theme of my financial life.
2020 Book Releases. I like to keep up on what books are coming out and when. I have SO many that I am looking forward to this year.

Monthly Plan

The theme from the yearly overview will transfer over to the monthly plan. For the month, I wanted to focus on making a big noise and taking action steps right away. My sister got me this little book of quotes that is amazing. I can tear out the perforated pages. From this book, I made my monthly layout and four different weekly layouts.

The main quote for January:

“The size of your dreams must always exceed your current capacity to achieve them. If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough.” -Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

This quote sums up the vision I have for 2020, and it seems fitting to use it right away for the month of January. I believe in always pushing myself outside of my comfort zone and dreaming bigger than I imagined. This pertains to the work I do here on the blog and in my classroom. I love the idea of “unlearning” when it comes to habits and reflection. I am always learning and unlearning as a process to grow. This book also seems fitting as I begin to focus on the fourth marking period at school where all of my classes do an Activism Research Project.

My other layouts for the month include:

Monthly Overview. I keep track of health goals here, professional goals, personal goals, big events, book releases, and my focus word for the month: push.
December Reflection. I have said this before in other “plan-with-me” posts. This layout is SO powerful. There is something about consistently checking in with the positives and moments of gratitude that helps realign you to your goals.
Week 1 Layout. “Feeling good is not enough. Create a political moment.” -Tania Bruguera
Week 2 Layout. “Read for the book. It is a weapon.” -Bertolt Brecht
Week 3 Layout. “There is no time for despair. No place for self-pity. No need for silence. No room for fear. We speak. We write. We do language. That is how civilizations heal.” -Toni Morrison
Week 4 Layout. “One of the meanings of human existence, the source of human freedom, is never to accept anything as definitive, untouchable, obvious, or immobile” -Michael Foucault