I was scrolling through Pinterest like any other day, and I happened to come across and interesting post that had to do with a "bullet journal." I had no idea what that was, so I decided to do a little more research.

A bullet journal is a small notebook that people use to keep track of (usually) long-term goals and habits. At first, I thought it sounded silly, but as someone who likes organization and color coordination, it seemed like a good activity to try. I went to CVS, picked up a little notebook and some gel pens, and got to work, scrolling through Pinterest for inspiration and spending a decent amount of time planning everything out.

The bullet journal I have been keeping has already improved my mental health, even though I haven't been keeping it for very long. Why? Because it forces me to articulate my thoughts, feelings, and goals, something that, as someone who lacks self-confidence, has proved to be extremely beneficial.

As people get older, they tend to keep their goals quiet--they don't communicate them with others, like children are always asked to do in school. Instead, they keep them private, but they do not generally write them down. With this journal, I can open it up and see the goals I had articulated several weeks ago, and this prompts healthy self-reflection.

It decreases my stress because, whenever I feel like I am falling apart, I open my journal and am reminded of how ambitious, strong, and determined I am. Writing everything out keeps my rather hectic thoughts from causing me too much stress; instead, I can put down the thoughts that may keep me up and it helps keep me on track.

I also created a mood tracker where I mark each day how I am feeling. As someone who can get bogged down with negative thoughts, it can be difficult to maintain a positive attitude. It is not healthy, however, to bottle up certain feelings even when life is getting you down. With this journal, however, it forces me to reflect on my mood for that day and helps me reflect on why I may have been feeling a certain way. This is also a really great thing for people who may not feel comfortable sharing their deeper feelings with others.

Rarely do the majority of people take time out of the day to dwell on their feelings and mental health. Self-care is very important, but can be hard to execute for those with a busy schedule. If you feel bogged down or like you are not motivated to do things for yourself, I encourage you to keep a bullet journal. All it takes is a little drive and just a few minutes a day, and very soon you will start to see the benefits that may last you a lifetime.