It is with intentionality that I create my planner / journal. I know without a doubt that in this busy crazy world, home for me is the place where I find joy, creativity, rest, refreshment, and of course the cozy. Sometimes, especially during the school year, when I am in my classroom each day I long for home and cozy feeling it gives me.
When I started this type of planner about 4 years ago I knew it was the planner for me. Here's why:
💕 It's blank and so I get to decide and create what I need from a planner - how much room for each page, how I want it to layed out, etc.
💕 I make it seasonal ~ right now summer images are all over my planner, but come September and all of the fall goodness will charm it's pages
💕 It allows me to look forward to the seasons and look forward to the days ahead. Sometimes I can get a heavy 'spirit of dread/or a spirit of heaviness' (see Isaiah 61:3) and this planner combats that. Instead of looking at what could possibly be a sad or a busy or a difficult week/season/etc, my planner journal is too adorable and forces me to see each day as a gift of seasonal bliss. What is good about January? Well, when I look at cute pages filled with blankets and books, hot cocoa and soup simmering, suddenly I'm excited about all of that!
💕 Each page has a Bible verses that I have been studying or memorizing or that has simply touched my heart. I also put quotes that inspire me or I'll even write to myself calling things that are not yet, as though they are. (see Romans 4:17). I might write something ahead of time on an August page like this: "You are a patient mama and you bless your family with your life-giving words." or "For each child and my darling husband I carve out time and make it special, different, set-apart, beautiful." or "Blessing Anna and Abigail each night before they go to bed gives them the gift of a peaceful, restful, loved heart." I call things that have not yet happened as if they are true.
💕 It's a place where I write my appointments or places I need to be. For example after my pages are decorated and they have those Bible veres or quotes I am ready for the month/season. But each night before I go to bed I write where I need to be the next and and all of the things I need to do. So it's my whole plan for the day.
💕 I save room for picutes (I use Canon Ivy which lets me print little pictures right from my phone)
💕 It become a keepsake
Here are a few pages. I've created my pages all the way through the first day of school. Now I can really enjoy each day. This week I might even start my September planner journal and start adding in apples and cozy fall images.
Your planner looks lovely, Tara! I still use a paper one too (in addition to the one I have online), and mine is blank like yours. I enjoy writing down the birthdays of everyone I know so I can send them a card :).
ReplyDeleteAs for your question...what brings me calm (and cozy) in busy times is reading as much as possible, making time for friends and family, going for long walks, and birding. Things that remind me of what is really important to me.
I love all of that. I love walks too. It's so important to have spaces of cozy, isn't it? I'm glad you have things that bring you that cozy feeling!
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