This month we are featuring the amazing Mire of @mutant_bujos!! If you haven’t checked Mire out, she is a wonderful example of the amazing work bullet journaling can do for mental health AND productivity. The bullet journal is the perfect tool for everyone, Mire is going to tell us exactly why!
Meet Mire of @mutant_bujo
Hello everyone, my name is Mire (but call me Mutant), I'm 40 years old, and I'm Italian. Ah, I'm a woman-mutant, and I strongly believe in positivity, education, and change. Recently I opened my own blog, Mutant Blog, where I write about Bullet Journal, mental health, and other things I want to share. I am hoping it can be useful to someone.
I also created the Italian version of The Bullet Journal Method Book Club, Metodo Bullet Journal Club Libro, in which I make available in Italian the contents and tools of the official club
My Bullet Journal Journey
I started using the Bullet Journal in December 2017, in one of the worst periods of my life, when my first and most violent panic attacks suddenly appeared. They forced me to leave work and lock myself in my home for months. I started in a very simple notebook I had at home, based on what I found on the web. Slowly I came to discover the original method.
The Bullet Journal helped me to start living from scratch again. I recovered all the normal habits of a person, like washing, dressing, taking care of my body, cooking, washing dishes, leaving the house and going out. These were all tasks for me since I spent my days still on the bed without doing anything at all.
Slowly, I also recovered many passions that I had put aside, including drawing, reading, watching movies and videos, running. I've learned a lot of new things, discovered new passions, built new habits (such as Morning Pages or meditation) that increasingly resemble me and finally I know who I really am, who I want to be and live my life intentionally.
How Bullet Journaling Helped Me
Many pages of my Bujo have been dedicated to reflecting on the condition I was living, on why, on hopes, on motivational phrases that could help me. From my empty days, I started to fill them with all the things that I love and that are part of me. The Bujo also welcomed all the tools to help with anxiety and panic attacks. I used these tool according to the time and need. I put my fears, little big successes and relapses on paper allowing me to develop awareness, face my fears gradually, learn self-compassion, and dream of being able to return to do everything I want.
Bullet Jouranling & Mental Health
The bullet journal has an extraordinary value for mental health. While the bujo alone is not enough, in cases like mine you need the support of a professional and possibly medical therapies. In any case, this was and still is my bullet journal journey. I loved my journey and it really allows me not to feel alone. Through this, in the end, I am in good company, that of myself, my best friend!
The Bullet Journal has never been just related to or focused on my mental health and my problems. Rather, it is similar to many other journals, with tasks, tracker, etc.—do not take it for a "Diary of therapy", because it has never been. My bullet journal is my Life Companion!
Tips for Bullet Journal Beginners:
To those who are starting to use the Bullet Journal I recommend:
- Know and learn about the original method. Do not believe that the Bujo is just what you see around on the web! Give yourself this chance!
- The bujo is for everyone, just know the ability to handwriting and have a notebook and a pen.
- The Bullet journal must reflect yourself, do not imitate models or try to be someone else. Otherwise, it will not really be useful! Rather take as inspiration what you see on the web!
- Don't use the Bujo just to get likes on IG and Facebook, it was not born for this!
- Open up, and try, try, try, try whatever comes to mind, from graphics to layout, to content.
- Always remember that the Bujo is not born to be a beautiful object to show. It has its own way, it's up to you to find yours!
- If you are shy (like me), try to meet other bullet journalists by writing them in DM. There are people behind every notebook!
Thank you, Elizabeth for hosting my testimony on the importance of the Bullet Journal as a support for our mental health!
If you like @mutant_bujo’s planner or want to check her out, head on over to her Instagram Here!
If you are interested in becoming a featured bullet journaler, check out the details and apply here!
