At first glance, the Passion Planner system is one that does not look like it could adapt to different types of planning and journaling. It comes with a printed layout, and using the weekly planner I have, the times are already filled in. However, after looking at some creative posts on social media, finding some awesome stickers, and using markers in new ways, I have been appreciative of how easily the Passion Planner can adapt to my needs. I just recently stopped tracking all things baby. We have a full blown TABY (toddler-baby) and her schedule is far easier to predict at this point. I have entered a season in life where I am declaring boundaries on work, and then looking at how I am taking care of myself physically, mentally, and emotionally. This post outlines how I am focusing on using my Passion Planner to become a health journal. My health journal will include a daily focus, routines, steps, exercise goals, water intake, self-love statements, and more. This post will also give lots of inspiration for creating your own health journal.

I first started using the Passion Planner system in 2017, but abandoned it when I discovered bullet journaling and creating my own layouts. With bullet journaling, I loved the freedom of a blank page, and I had the time and energy to create layouts and spreads that worked for me. Fast forward to the recent process of pregnancy and motherhood, and everything got busy. I really felt like I could benefit from the focus that comes from using the Passion Planning system and planners not only because I didn’t have as much time to create layouts, but I also wanted to refocus on the dreams and goals I had before pregnancy and motherhood. Passion Planners have now turned into the ultimate tool when it comes to planning, goal-setting, and also tracking my schedule and baby’s schedule.

It started with virtual teaching in the fall of 2020 when I had to take things day-by-day. I started the 2020-2021 school year almost 5 months pregnant, and I was facing a crazy year of teaching without being in front of kids. I literally took things in the transition to that school year day-by-day. I loved the Daily Passion Planner because it was undated, and I could really focus on a few months at a time. In comparison, I tried the Weekly Academic Passion Planner for the 2021-2022 back-to-school year season because it gave me a chance to plan out my year as a new mom. This post goes into detail about my experiences in two Passion Planners, why I chose the new Passion Planner I did, and what I love and don’t love about each planner. I talk sizes, layouts, and different spreads that are included and what works for me now.

After having our first little one this past year, I hit a learning curve with all of the things a new mom has to keep track of and record. Being a person who loves planning, I was obsessed with learning about schedules, wake windows, bottle timings, night wakings, and more. I found out immediately that schedules and sleep were linked. This caused me to become hyper-focused on how to get our little one on a schedule because sleep was the key to functioning again. I ran to a well-known app that worked perfectly for the first 8 months. An app on my phone was great because I could track feedings, pumping, diaper changes, and sleep patterns all in one spot. I also had a report that would come to my inbox weekly when we were updating our pediatrician on how things were going. Apps are amazing things, really.

Then, our little one started daycare, and it wasn’t feasible or practical to have the daycare use our tracking system, and it was too tedious to try to keep entering in the day’s information all at once. I was exhausted after work, and I didn’t want to feel like I had one more chore to do at the end of the day. I was also finally moving to a place where I was more “go with the flow” and didn’t feel the need to track every minute of our little one’s day. I have always been an analog person. I love the feel of paper when it comes to both journaling and reading books. I get why other people enjoy the other mediums, but when I was faced with how I keep track of our little girl’s schedule in a new way, I immediately ran back to paper. This post outlines how you can use any bullet journaling or planning system to keep track of your young one’s day. I go into detail about what I track, how I track those items and some setups that might work for you

August always feels far away, and then all of the sudden it is here. It has to be one the fastest moving months throughout the year. Back-to-school advertisements and sales are everywhere. All of the teachers I know (including myself) are struggling with how the fall will look for students, teachers, and families as we return to teaching during a pandemic. How quickly will burnout set in? Will everything be okay? The new dynamic of being a mom will also be on my plate as I enter the upcoming school year. Managing family schedules, daycare, and finding time to fit in what really matters is going to be an added challenge. I have loved bullet journaling for the past 4 years, but I have also used a Passion Planner occasionally when I need to get myself back on track in terms of organization and goals. This post outlines how I plan to use BOTH a Passion Planner and a bullet journal to keep myself on track in terms of goals and tasks, but also dreams, family time, and trying to fit in a certain amount of self-care to avoid burnout.

I love all things paper. A new notebook, journal, or planner is enough to get me to feel motivated about my goals. Fresh pages that are blank are sometimes all you need on a rough day to feel like a fresh start is in order. However, maybe like me, you have also had a notebook or office supply obsession get out of hand over the years. While I love a fresh notebook or journal, I will be the first to admit that I am one of the first people to not finish a notebook or journal and move on to something new. I don’t think there is anything wrong with that because of the inspiration that a new notebook brings, but I also know many of us are on the hunt for notebook, planner, or journal peace where we find a system that works for us in all ways.

If you check out examples in the planner and journaling communities, you can see a variety of journal types, writing and typography, designs, layouts and spreads, and ideas for organization. New notebooks make us feel good. Half of the fun in this journaling journey is the trying out of new ideas and systems to see what will work for us. If you are like me, you know what definitely doesn’t work for you. This post proposes different styles, types, and considerations when trying to find a journal or planner peace. The goal of this post is not to present you with a correct option, but show you the options that I have encountered along the way so that you find what works best for you.

As I reflect on the planning that I did at the beginning of August, I am keenly aware of the transition to the fall teacher schedule that happens in September. Yesterday was the first day of school and our first day implementing our district’s online learning plan. While today was the first full day, and I think it went pretty well, there still is something to be said about the major adjustments in the schedule that happens in not just my life, but in the life of a teacher. Really, anyone associated with someone going to school. Different pockets of priorities sneak up around keeping track of new tasks, email inboxes, trying to stay organized, and encouraging personal creative growth and inspiration. One way I like to try to maintain life’s course during times of transition is through journaling. Last month I wrote about how I was utilizing the Undated Daily Passion Planner in Lush Green in order to take things one day at a time. I can focus on the goals and the tasks that need to happen that day. This has been an adjustment in how my brain thinks. I am a habitual planner-aheader. I want to know what is happening a week from now, a month from now, and a year from now. I am constantly making lists. However, I think this particular fall season calls for all of us to maybe considering slowing down.

However you find yourself slowing down this fall season, I hope you get a chance to focus in on your goals, get curious about your own learning, and indulge in small moments that make you happy. One way to do that is to focus on your journaling habits. You may be choosing to use a bullet journal system, keep a Passion Planner, or write down your thoughts in any notebook you have around the house. My process for September involves figuring out where my motivation is through an inspiration layout, and then planing for each day, one at a time. This post is a preview of my inspiration layout for the month, some dailies, and my process for tackling the rest of the 29 days ahead.