New Goals for 2017!

Hello New Year!  I can’t believe it is already 2017! Of course, like most of us, all I can think about is setting new goals for the year and reflecting on 2016.  The last few months I’ve majorly slacked on my creativity, journaling, and this blog because life happens.  I’m pregnant and I’ve got a bun in the oven that’s making me SUPER sick! I am 5 months pregnant now and FINALLY getting a little relief from this little peanut.  Wooo Hoo.  It feels so good to be almost back to my old self!

Now that I am feeling saucy and creative, I’ve got plenty of goals in mind for the new year.  I’ve immersed myself into some of my favorite creative planning books along with a new one called “Your Best Year 2017: Productivity Workbook and Creative Business Planner” by Lisa Jacobs.  I’ve heard great things about this creative planner from fellow bloggers and just had to get my hands on it.  So far I’m loving it.  My main focus this year will be directed towards improving my business/blog and getting a little bit more organized in that regard.

I also want to motivate other creative entrepreneurs and share my creative journey as a business owner in hopes you can learn something.  That’s the one thing I’m constantly searching for from other successful bloggers…..how did they do it? What did they do to get to where they are today?   I feel like it is kind of a hidden secret. I mean, I want to know the products they use,  marketing strategies, the workshops they’ve taken, and all the tips and tricks along the way. Even the horrible mistakes.  I want to create a road map of my journey to help you with yours.

Some other changes I’d like to make are posting on a consistent basis.  I am very guilty of posting on a whim when I feel motivated.  Does anyone else have that problem? I surely can’t be the only one!

I think I am going to get rid of the monthly journal prompts for now just because I’m kind of over it.  Don’t get me wrong.  I still think journal prompts are great.  But I feel like doing something a little bit different. Instead of the monthly journal prompts for each day of the month, I’ll do ONE journal prompt for the month along with a journal spread to inspire you.

Here is a spread from my bullet journal on quarterly goals inspired by Boho Berry. I just love this idea. I still have to fill out my action steps.

Okay. Okay. Enough about me and my goals. I want to hear about you and your goals for 2017! Lets make 2017 great!

My challenge for you is setting five goals that you can accomplish in the next three months.  Then creating an action plan for those goals. Make sure you set S.M.A.R.T goals.

S: Specific

M: Measurable

A:  Achievable

R:  Relevant

T:  Time-Based

Please share some of your goals with me in the comments!  Would love to hear them. 

December Journaling Prompts!

Hello Lovies!  I can’t believe it’s almost December already!  For this month of journaling I’ve provided a word or two for you to journal about.  Write whatever comes to your mind first.  Have fun free-writing and brain dumping!  Maybe write the word in HUGE bubble letters with splashes of color first.  Then grab your favorite pen and begin jotting down your stories and ideas.  Have fun!

1.  Grace
2.  Intimidating
3.  Focus
4.  Fearless
5.  Inspire
6.  Cherish
7.  Giving
8.   Children
9.   Awkward
10.   Lesson Learned
11.   Dating
12.   Bliss
13.   Beautiful
14.   Cruel
15.   Secrets
16.   Gossip
17.   Romance
18.   Journey
19.   Adventure
20.   Summer Morning
21.   Holidays
22.   Family
23.   Free time
24.   Courageous
25.   Past Relationships
26.   Unspoken
27.   Wandering
28.   Hurtful
29.   Hope
30.   Travel
31.   New Beginnings

If you enjoy the word prompt inspiration you can even collect words and phrases from magazines to use as journal prompts!  Be sure to check out my blog post on organizing your magazine clippings–I have a section about collecting words and phrases!  Happy Holidays! ‘Tis the Season!

Creative Journaling Tutorial

Necklace: Boho Gypsy by Trendovy

Materials:

• Notebook (I use the Piccadilly Essential Large Notebook)
• Black Pen (I use the Rolling Ball Precise V5)
• Glue Stick
• Old Magazines
• Paint Chip Sample (or colored card stock)
• Colorful Envelope
• Washi Tape
• Colored Pencils, Markers, and/or Gel Pens
• Black Permanent Marker

It’s creative journaling time! Get ready to set goals and write affirmations! If you didn’t read my previous journaling tutorial be sure to check it out!  The style is similar and I go through the journaling process step-by-step.

Are you ready?  Gather your supplies and lets begin!

1.  Number your pages.  Add the date.  I always write the day, month, and year.  Play with fonts!  If you need help writing different font styles, check out DaFont.com (you can browse different fonts and type the words you want to preview), it’s pretty cool.  Add a little doodle border around the date.  I doodled curly q’s but you can doodle whatever your heart desires.  Maybe dashes, mini triangles, or a bold straight line?

I like the fun colors and messy artist backdrop in this image.

2.  Next,  look through old magazines.  If you have a pile of magazine clippings start there! Find an appealing focal image.  Once you pick your image, glue it down with a glue stick and cut the excess paper.

One of the great rewards of creative journaling is discovering a style that’s authentic and uniquely yours!  You’ll slowly discover patterns and themes that reveal significant clues about your personality. I adore flowers, anything artistic, bold bright colors, females with blonde hair (probably because I am blonde), and sexy/edgy advertisements.

3.  Add some Washi Tape along the edge of your image. I cut my image a little crooked and covered it with Washi Tape.  🙂

I’m OBSESSED with Washi Tape!  It’s so versatile and easy to use.

4.  Add more Washi Tape!  Layer different colors, widths, and patterns on top of each other.  It will add depth and richness to your page.  Washi Tape is transparent (so, if you layer yellow and blue together, you’ll get a cool green!)

4.  Grab a colorful envelope and paint chip sample (you can find these at Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes, etc. in the painting section–they are free! YaY!) that fits inside the envelope.  If you don’t have any paint chip samples, use scrapbook paper or colored card stock and cut to size.  The cute little orange envelope I used is a couple years old and it’s from an old ephemera stash–I believe it’s from the Dollar Tree.  Use what you have or make your own decorative envelopes!

5.  Add Washi Tape to your paint chip card.  I chose orange Washi Tape to cover the paint name and layered the decorative feather Washi Tape on top.  Next, glue your envelope down to your page using a glue stick.  Add Washi Tape around the edges of the envelope.

I wrote five goals I’d like to accomplish in the month of May.

6.  Let’s start this page off right and jot down some goals.  Who doesn’t love goal-setting and daydreaming of their future?  On the paint chip sample, use a permanent marker to write your goals.

Maybe you’re eager to work out but haven’t started?  Or you want to learn a new skill but don’t know how to start?  Or you want to eat healthy but keep eating Doritos?  Try listing your weekly, monthly, or yearly goals on separate cards instead.  Whatever it is.  Get it down on paper!  Be specific and add details.  You can focus on one major goal too.  Perhaps, write it on the front and the action steps on the back of the card?

7.  Write an affirmation on an area of your life you’d like to focus on and improve.  Maybe an affirmation to help with one of your goals?  If affirmations aren’t your thing than write a gratitude list or your favorite quote.  Have fun with it!  Get creative with markers or gel pens.

I read “Creative Visualization” by Shakti Gawain to help write better affirmations–it’s one of my favorite books on visualizing your goals and positive thinking.  The affirmation that I wrote is aimed towards my business and blog.  It’s the same one I’ve used over the past month or two.  I love this affirmation and will continue to use it until I move onto something else.

My Creative Affirmation:  “I am now an open channel for creative energy.  Creative ideas & inspiration are coming to me every day.  This or something better now manifest for me in totally satisfying and harmonious ways for the highest good of all concerned.  And so it is!”

I’ve noticed changes in the last few months after writing this affirmation over and over.  I believe it’s really helping me get things done and have clarity.  A lot of things that were difficult before seem so much more easier now.  I’m actually blogging regularly and writing blog posts with ease! YaY! That was a huge challenge before–all these ideas, not knowing where to begin, and feeling scattered. Ugh.  Maybe you can relate?

8.  Fill your page with all your hopes and dreams!  Add a little color and pizzazz. I added a little more Washi Tape, doodled and used colored pencils to finish the date.

Necklace: Boho Gypsy by Trendovy

Enjoy the process and don’t worry about creating a master piece.  Creative journaling is a rich journey of discovery, wonder, adventure, and excitement.

I hope you enjoy this tutorial and feel a creative spark inside.  Please share your beautiful pages with me!