floraj5604

Hello! I have no idea if anyone will even see this post because it has been soooooo long since I have posted. My last post was in 2021, five years ago.

I have been super busy during these past five years. I finished up my senior year of high school, and then promptly started college, where I spent four years getting a creative writing degree. It has definitely been a full but fulfilling five years. Unfortunately, because I was balancing classes, assignments, friends, family, and the scraps of free time I could find during my days, there was no time for continuing this blog.

However, I just graduated in May, so I am beginning a new stage of life. I’m figuring out what I want to do with my degree…and with the rest of my life (yikes!). Of course, I am still a writer. I want to write, publish books and short stories, and earn the term of “author.” But, as writers don’t have the most stable incomes, I am still figuring the rest of my “career” out.

Now that I am more fully stepping into my career as a writer, I figured it would be a good time to hop back on to this little space on the internet that I created a while ago. Writing, after all, was always supposed to be the main inspiration and topic of this blog — whether it’s just documenting my journey as a writer or giving more practical tips and advice on the writing process.

A huge part of this blog used to be my posts about my bullet journals, the spreads I created each month, and the advice I could give on that type of journaling. It has been a few years since I kept a consistent bullet journal, mainly because of the busyness of college life and because I was a little burnt out. I don’t know if that will be a topic that I will incorporate back into my blog because I don’t know when I will incorporate it back into my life yet.

The last main aspect of this blog was books — books I read, books I reviewed, and books I loved. Books are still a huge part of my life — first and foremost because I love reading. But books are also an essential part of my life because I am a writer. Reading is both inspiring and essential for refining my craft.

So… to make this a little more than just an update post…

What I Read in May

Here’s what I read in May!

I read the first three books (or volumes, as the author calls them) of the series called The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower. Here are my thoughts:

Overall, it is a wonderfully delightful series that I have not been able to put down. Each volume is made up of Emma Lion’s journal entries about her life. It is set in 1883, St. Crispian’s (a town in London). It is a town that has all the wonderful odd quirks that create the typical small town charm. Emma interacts with those she knows in the town and occasionally gets into some escapades and scrapes that are humorous.

Volume 1 has a lot of exposition about the town of St. Crispian’s, Emma’s house, Emma’s history, and her current situation. As any avid fan of the series will tell you, the first volume can be a little slow. However, by the end of Volume 2, you should (and will) be thoroughly enjoying yourself. Volume 2 has a lot more dialogue, which starts moving the story along at a faster and more enjoyable pace.

So far, Volume 2 has been my favorite. My interest caught at the end of Volume 1, so when I started Volume 2, I was fully intrigued by the quirky town and characters. I thoroughly enjoyed the second volume and could not resist moving straight into Volume 3.

I am very interested to see where the series goes. There are currently eight published volumes, but the author has stated that she has plans for 25 volumes when the series is fully finished.

I have also been reading a memoir, but I’ll save my review for when I’ve read the full book.

The Future of This Blog

So, this post is really a test to see who’s still out there reading my blog, so I can get an idea of where I’m at. It’s also me just tentatively stepping back out into the blog world to remind myself of what it’s like to write a post and get out my thoughts about where I’m at in life and as a writer.

I still love the idea of capturing my journey as a writer and a creative person, just like I did eight years ago when I started this blog. So that will still remain the cornerstone of this little corner of the internet. I am perfectly happy to still incorporate book reviews because I am still an avid reader. As for what else…. We’ll just have to wait and see. I have a few more ideas in mind, but I’m also happy to hear any ideas/requests from readers.

So, maybe I’ll see you again here sometime soon. Until then,

Signing off,

Corinne

“Why, my soul, are you so dejected? Why are you in such turmoil? Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him, my Savior and my God.” (Psalm 42:11 CSB)

Hello, everyone! Sorry this post is a couple of weeks late! Today is going to be a pretty simple and short post, but I figured it was something good to post about.

I Made a Decision

Recently, I made a decision about my bullet journaling.

At the beginning of the school year in August, I decided to start a bullet journal for a school planner. I was so excited, so sure I could be super organized and never miss a project or test. I was a little unsure about whether I’d have enough time to make the new pages each month, but I decided I would have plenty of time.

Well, turns out the junior year of high school is the hardest year. The first semester wasn’t so bad, but this semester has had me working long school days with not much time left for fun things at the end of the day. Not to mention, I was mentally exhausted, so convincing myself to do more work was hard. (This is also why I haven’t been posting, as I explained last week.)

At the same time, I also wasn’t able to get my normal bullet journal pages done. I didn’t even really have the energy to fill out my daily pages at the end of the day.

I knew something had to go. It didn’t make sense to buy a school planner for just the last few months of school, so I decided to take a break on my normal bullet journal for a few months, at least until summer.

I knew I just wasn’t really enjoying making the pages as much as I used to. It was also time for a new journal, and I knew I couldn’t start a project like that. So for now, I’m only doing my school bullet journal. This journal is much simpler than my other one was; just one monthly page and the weekly pages.

Signs That You May Need a Break

Here are some signs that you may need a break from bullet journaling:

You aren’t enjoying bullet journaling as much as you used to. You can’t come up with good ideas for each month. You don’t enjoy making the pages and aren’t feeling very creative.
You aren’t filling out your journal on a daily basis. If you can’t find the energy or incentive to fill out just your daily pages, then it’s definitely a sign to take a break.
You’re getting sloppy. Your spreads aren’t as neat as they usually are, but you aren’t taking the time to fix them up.
It’s taking up your time for other more important things. If bullet journaling is starting to take up your time for things of higher priority, such as time with family, school, and your hobbies, then you should take a break until you can find more time in your schedule.
Doing your monthly pages are causing you stress. If you’re stressed about your journal because you can’t get it done on time, definitely take a break. Bullet journaling is supposed to take away stress, not cause it.

If you are experiencing any of those symptoms, you’ve probably got bullet journal burnout. That just basically means that you aren’t as enthusiastic about journaling as you used to be.

Remedies?

Yes, I’ve got remedies! Below are a list of steps you can take to get rid off bullet journal burnout.

Take a break. Start with a week off from your weekly layout. If that isn’t enough, skip the next month. Skip the next few months if you need to. This break will let your mind take a break form the stress and worry your journal may be causing. You will come back refreshed and full of new ideas!
Use something else as a planner in the meantime. While I’m taking a break from my bullet journal, I’ve been using either a notebook or app on my phone to make task lists. You can also make a list of appointments for the week.
Let your mind take a break. Make sure you’re allowing your mind to take a break. Try not to think or worry about upcoming pages. If you come up with an idea for your next page or spread, make a list on your phone and then stop worrying about it. For your break to be a real break, your mind needs to rest, too.
Plan your starting-back date. Determine how long of a break you need, and decide on either the week of or the day of your return to journaling. *Note: This is the day you will start using your completed pages. You will have already made your spreads by this week/day.
Start planning your journal ahead of time. Give yourself at least two weeks before your start date to start planning and making your journal. Take it slow, being sure to stop for the day if you start to feel overwhelmed.
Look on Pinterest or other sites for ideas. Even though you just had a break, it’s not a guarantee that you’ll be bursting with ideas and inspiration. Be patient with yourself and get ideas from outside sources instead of expecting yourself to automatically come up with ideas.
Start your journal again! Let this day be a day of celebration! Fill out your journal!
Keep at it! Now this is the hard part: making it a habit. Set aside fifteen to twenty minutes a day for journaling. Don’t be upset with yourself if you miss a day; just make up for it the next day.

I could write a ton more, but I am saving that for another post! 🙂

Until Next Time…

That’s if for now! I hope this post helped you!

Let me know down in the comments if you are struggling with bullet journal burnout! Feel free to ask any questions and I will do my best to answer them!

Thanks for reading! Happy writing!

But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. (1 John 4:4)

Author: floraj5604

I’m Back! (+What I Read in May)