Why It’s Perfectly Fine To Neglect Your Bullet Journal

I cannot stress this enough but it's perfectly fine to not use your bullet journal at some point in life, it's OK to feel uninspired, it's OK to take a break, and it's fine that you're not ticking off your to-do lists. IT'S PERFECTLY FINE.

I used to feel guilty for neglecting my bullet journal for days. When this thing first hit me, I wasn't okay with it because I could spend an entire week listing, lettering, writing and doodling in my bullet journal. So missing a single day or maybe a week is unimaginable. 

But is that realistic? I mean, feeling guilty and beating yourself for not using your bullet journal? 
Guilt is actually a powerful feeling. It can be a great motivator and a little push to help us to make positive changes in our lives. But for a portion of us, the mere mortals, it can be an enormous weight on our shoulders that keeps us from moving forward. 

The thing is... I left an entire blank page in my bullet journal a couple of weeks ago... 

Then what? What's the big deal? 

Exactly. 

It's not a big deal, guys. It does you no good to make it worse by feeling bad about not using your bullet journal for weeks or even months, about leaving spreads partially filled in. I know it can be hard not to feel that way. Especially if you're like me and you regularly share pictures of your bullet journal online. 

This is another thing I want to touch on. Sometimes, in the online bullet journaling community, there's this pressure to have all your spreads up on time. And then there's you, looking at your empty spreads — it does not help at all. I personally hate it when I have to force myself to use my bullet journal and finish the spreads when all I want to do is not pick up my bullet journal. 

There will always be times when you need some time to rest, recover or take a break from daily routines. 

You may find it incredibly overwhelming to write in your bullet journal and stick to your regular schedule. This is where I ask myself, "Is my bullet journal helping me feel better right now, or is it going to cause more stress?" You may want to do the same. If it's making you feel overwhelmed to keep up with your daily spreads, then have a break. It's that simple. 

Keep in mind that a bullet journal is supposed to be something that helps you organize your life and keeps you in check. If for whatever reason it stops working for you for a while, that's perfectly fine. I have probably said this before: your bullet journal is personal to you and it should be only for you.

I know this was kind of a short post but this is something that's been on my mind too much lately. I just want to let you know that if you find it hard to fill in those blank pages, you're not alone. You don't need to get into all that every day. Give yourself some grace. Your bullet journal will always be waiting for you. 

Take a break, reassess and come back with a clearer mind <3 I hope some of this resonated with you and that my words helped you somehow. I would love to hear your thoughts on neglecting your bullet journal in the comments below! 

Have you ever taken a break from journaling?