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150+ Different Names for a Brain Dump

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Synonyms for Brain Dump - find 150+ alternate names | ChocolateMusings.com #braindump #collections #bulletjournal

I don’t mind the term ‘brain dump,’ but I know many people don’t like it. Which got me thinking – what are some different names for a brain dump?

I use different names for brain dump all the time each month (or quarter) I tend to include some sort of thought-catching page. Though I didn’t realize it, I’ve done this in my bullet journal from the very beginning. I have to confess that since coming up with this list of alternate names for brain dump, I rarely title the page ‘brain dump.’

Here are some alternate names for a brain dump. I’d love to know what you call your recorded thoughts! Leave a comment below on what you call your ‘brain dumping ground’ page.

Edited – Originally Posted 05/09/2019

Need a different name for brain dump? I've organized 150+ alternate names for brain dump - perfect for your bullet journal or planner | ChocolateMusings.com

Table of contents

What is a brain dump? And all things brain dump + 150 different names for brain dump | ChocolateMusings.com

First of All – What is a Brain Dump?

If you’ve never heard of or done a brain dump, it sounds weird. In my experience, you can do brain dumps in several ways. One way to think of it is downloading your thoughts from your head to paper or electronically so you can categorize them and organize them. Once you’ve written down everything flying around your head now you can sort through the information and ‘mine the diamonds in the rough.’ Meaning to pick out the good things and pursue them.

Another way to brain dump is to focus only on one topic and write about it. Though concentrating on one topic might be more brainstorming instead of brain dumping.

For a more in-depth explanation about brain dumps – check out this post.

Alternate Names for Brain Dump - Header | ChocolateMusings.com

Alternate Names for Brain Dump

Need a brain dump synonym? Though I’m 100% positive that this list is not exhaustive, it’s a good start. I’d love to hear your ideas – if you have a different name for a brain dump, leave me a comment below.

What names have you seen or brain dump page names you’ve used. I’d like to see your creations, too if you’re inspired by these different names for brain dump – tag me on Instagram @ChocolateMusingsCreates.

General

  • A to Z (a little doodle of Amazon’s arrow logo might be fun for this brain dump page)
  • All the Things
  • All the Things in My Head
  • Hello Thoughts
  • Jots & Tittles
  • Landing Page
  • Let me Sleep (this brain dump name is perfect if your thoughts keep you up at night)
  • Meeting of my Mind
  • Mind Tricks (Magic tricks come to my mind with this alternate brain dump name)
  • Mind Unzipped (wouldn’t this be a fun illustration?)
  • Mindless Wanderings
  • More than Just Shower Thoughts
  • Musings
  • Musings & Mutterings
  • Recorded Thoughts (this brain dump alternate reminds me of an 80’s tape deck)
  • Sandbox
  • Shower Thoughts
  • These are Mine
  • These Thoughts
  • Thinking
  • Those aren’t voices; they’re my thoughts speaking to me
  • Thoughtful Things
  • Thoughts – Everybody has Them
  • Thoughts Anonymous
  • Wander through My Wonderings
  • Wonderings
  • Write it Down! If you’re like me – you might need an instruction to write it all down instead of trying to remember the details. Sometimes you just need to a reminder to write it all down.

If You Feel Like the Thoughts are Neverending or Your Brain is Whining

My brain usually does this when I’m trying to sleep. I keep a notebook and pen beside my bed and just write things down. Here’s a little secret – I don’t even turn on the light when these thoughts keep me up. So you can imagine the mess on the page when I try to re-read what I wrote. And in all honesty, these thoughts are rarely worth keeping since they are more worries or things I already know.

  • Don’t Judge My Thoughts
  • My 2-Year old and My Brain are alike – They Both Whine (of course you can substitute for any age that whines at you, 16 year olds, 12-year olds, 47-year olds. Whatever you need to compare it to)
  • My Brain is Whining Again
  • Anti-Meditating
  • Anything Goes
  • Free Your Mind
  • Get it all out
  • I’m trying to Quit…Thinking
  • Information Relay
  • Inner Monologue
  • Internal Broadcast
  • Brain Exclamations
  • Nonsense
  • Where Did That Come From?
  • Odds & Ends
  • Peculiarities
  • Random Thoughts
  • Straight out of the Brain
  • Stream of Consciousness
  • Stuff

Creative Names for Brain Dump

I don’t know about you, but sometimes the creative ideas just flow. There were literally times where I sat down and wrote an entire year’s creativity-based ideas in about 10 minutes. So naturally, I like to title these creative bursts appropriately so I can let my creative juices flow. Now, there are a lot of ways to illustrate each of these ideas.

  • Creative Juices
  • Crafting my Awesome
  • Creative Muse
  • Creative Space

Idea Generation

If you use your brain dump as a brainstorm page as well, you might need a page focused more on idea generation. Here are a few names for brain dump which focus on generating ideas. If you’re digging for treasure (in your thoughts, of course) look through the treasure/pirate section as well!

  • Fabulous Finds
  • Idea box
  • Idea Log/Journal
  • Think Outside the Idea Box

Lightbulb

  • Light bulb factory
  • Light switch
  • The Lights are On

Gold / Pirates / Treasure

  • Nuggets
  • Brain Nuggets
  • Thought Nuggets
  • Nuggets of Awesome
  • Pot of Gold
  • Thoughts of Gold
  • Gilded Thoughts
  • X Marks the Thought
  • Pirate Map
  • Mind Map / Mind Mapping (make it look like a treasure map)
  • Treasure Trove
  • Diamonds in the Rough
  • Diamonds and Coal
  • Treasure at the end of the rainbow
Pirate theme Treasure Map Brain Dump | @ChocolateMusingsCreates ChocolateMusings.com #pirate #bulletjournal #bujo

Travel

  • Train of Thought
  • Flying Through my Thoughts
  • Zoom
  • Zooming Thoughts

Weather

  • Brainstorming
  • BrainStorm
  • Down Pour
  • Lightning Strikes
  • Winter Thoughts
  • Spring Thoughts
  • Summer Thoughts
  • Fall Thoughts
  • These Thoughts Keep Falling
  • Thoughts Keep Springing Up
  • Thought Tornado
  • Snowflake Thoughts (because each one is unique!)
  • Stormy Thoughts

Zen

  • My Tangle of Zen
  • Too Tangled to Zen

Dark

  • Don’t Go There
  • Dark and Dreary
  • Dark and Dreary Wilderness
  • Mind-field
  • Fettered Mind
  • Unfettered
  • Do Not Enter (Police Tape Theme)
  • Outer Darkness
  • Brain Limbo
  • Shadowy Thoughts & Reflections

Animal / Bees

  • Barrel of Insights
  • Barrel of Thoughts
  • Buzzing Thoughts
  • Fluttering Thoughts
  • Idea Farm
  • Idea Keeper (like a beekeeper)
  • Untamed Thoughts
  • Wild and Untamed
  • Wild Thoughts Can’t Be Tamed
idea keeping is like bee keepeing

Creepy Crawly / Halloween Brain Dump Alternatives

  • Brewing Thoughts
  • Haunted House of Thoughts
  • Monsters in My Head
  • Spider’s Lair
  • Spooky Thoughts
  • Tangled Thoughts
  • Tangled Web of Thoughts
  • What’s Brewing

Harry Potter

Harry Potter themes provide a treasure-trove of different names for brain dump. Some of my favorites (so far) are:

  • Catch the Golden Snitch
  • Chamber of Secrets
  • Chamber of Thoughts
  • Fantastical Thoughts and Where to Find Them
  • Horcrux
  • I Think I Need Another Butterbeer
  • Magical Maladdies in My Head
  • Magical Thoughts
  • Maurader’s Map of Thoughts
  • Mischief Managed
  • Quiddich Field of Thoughts
  • There’s a Quaffle in my Brain (Someone let it out!)
  • Tom Riddle’s Diary

Beach / Water

  • Beach It!
  • Beached Thoughts / Beached Ideas
  • Deep Thoughts
  • My Pool Runs Deep
  • Pool of Thoughts
  • River of Thoughts
  • Shell we Think?
  • Submerged
  • Swimming Thoughts
  • Think Tank
  • Thought Waves
  • Wading through Wonderings
  • Water under the bridge
Floral Doodles Bullet Journal Theme - Brain Dump Page | ChocolateMusings.com #floral #doodles #bulletjournal #braindump

Plants

  • Berry Picking
  • Idea Jungle
  • Idea Tree
  • Field of Thoughts
  • Idea Berry Bush / Idea Bush
  • Wilderness of Thought
  • Finding Roses Through the Thorns
  • Prickles in my Brain (Cactus)
  • Garden of Thoughts
  • Maze of Thoughts
  • Seeds of Thought
  • Don’t get boxed in, grow your way out
  • Idea Bush – Let your Ideas Grow
  • Delectible Ideas
  • Hot Dog! Those are a lot of thoughts! or (Hot Dog! What a good idea!)
  • Fruits of my Brain
  • Pot o’ Honey
  • M&Ms (musings & mutterings)
  • Thoughts are Poppin’
  • __________ Pieces (include your name – for instance: Tricia’s Pieces)
  • Seedlets
  • Seeds of Thought
  • Grape Thoughts
  • My Thought Vine
  • I Need Chocolate for these Musings (Can you tell where I got this idea?)

Science

  • Brain Waves
  • Radio Waves
  • Spectrum of Thoughts

Space

  • Brain Warp
  • Thoughts at Warp Speed
  • Galaxy of Thoughts
  • Out of this World Thoughts
  • Flyby Thoughts

Money

  • Penny for your Thoughts
  • If Time is Money, Thoughts Make Cents!
If time is money, thoughts make cents! Different Name for Brain Dump | ChocolateMusings.com #braindump #bulletjournal #bujo

Cartoon / Book / Quote

  • Think, Think, Think (like Pooh Bear)
  • Curiouser and Curiouser
  • Where the Wild Thoughts Are
  • Dump it to Crumpet
  • Fifty Thoughts Freed
  • Not All Who Wonder are Lost
  • Mindcraft / Mindcrafted
  • One Thought to Rule Them All

Games

  • Scribble Scrabble in My Head
  • Scrabble Tiles
  • Word Search
  • Crosswords
  • Know When to Fold ’em (Know when to keep ’em)
  • Brain Games

Gray Matter / Brain Anatomy

  • Wandering Through theBrain Folds
  • Gray Matter / Grey Matter
  • My Gray Matters
  • Cranial Purge

Close to the Name “Brain Dump” but Just Different Enough…

  • Brain Farts (though this doesn’t sound much nicer than brain dump – I thought someone might get a kick out of it)
  • Brain Dumping Ground
  • Download
  • Mind Dump
Idea Tree - Alternate Name for Brain Dump for your Journal | ChocolateMusings.com #braindump #doodles #lightbulbs
Hate the name brain dump? Me too. So I came up with 150+ different names for brain dump - perfect for themes in your bullet journal or just to change it up! | Chocolatemusings.com
Need a different name for brain dump? I've organized 150+ alternate names for brain dump - perfect for your bullet journal or planner | ChocolateMusings.com

Fall Bullet Journal Theme Ideas

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Fall Bullet Journal Theme Ideas + Collection & Color Scheme Ideas | ChocolateMusings.com

Autumn is in the air, with crisp air settling in and color-changing leaves on the horizon in the upper hemisphere! With it comes caramel apples, pumpkins, spiced lattes, and sweater weather. And, of course, it’s time to decorate your bullet journal for fall! If you’re looking for fall bullet journal theme ideas, get out your pen & notebook. I’m excited to share with you this list of fabulous autumn bullet journal theme ideas.

In addition to bullet journal theme ideas for fall, I also compiled a list of bullet journal collection ideas & color schemes to try for the autumn season.

Look for my Halloween-specific bullet journal theme ideas as well!

Table of contents

First on the Fall Bullet Journal Theme Ideas: Leaves & Trees!

I can’t write about fall theme ideas in your bullet journal without mentioning fall foliage and all the leaves shapes.

It seems that nearly every year, I do a colored leaf-themed bullet journal in the Fall. I’m not mad, but I am surprised. Fall really is my favorite season! I went back through all of my journals to find fall 2018, and I have a gap between the end of one book, August 2018 and November 2018. Oh well! I guess I make up for it by having two in 2017.

September 2017 – Fall leaves weekly – still one of my favorite spreads, and it makes me want to use more colored pencils.

November 2017 – Aspen Forest Welcome Page

November 2019 – with bright colors and semi-dutch door feel on the monthly. Maybe I should try this again. I really like the effect.

September 2020 – Acrylic markers blended from green leaves to fall colors for a beautiful effect.

I feel like Forrest Gump. I could go on and on. By the way, if you like puns, ‘leaf’ is an excellent start to a pun-tastic fall bullet journal theme. I’ll just ‘leaf’ that idea right there. I’m sure you could blow me away with all your colorful puns. Don’t let these ideas dry up. I really should stop now.

Suppose you’re looking for more ideas for an autumn theme. Keep reading. I promise there are so many good ideas.

Journal Page - I love how these acrylic markers blend & create a bright, functional journaling page in my bullet journal | ChocolateMusings.com
November Bullet Journal Set-up Fall Inspiration | ChocolateMusings.com #fall #leaves #bulletjournal
Autumn leaves sketch for the weekly planner spread in my bullet journal. I can't get enough of September and Fall.
Fall Minimal Weekly Inspiration | ChocolateMusings.com #bujo #bulletjournal #weeklyspread
Fall Bullet Journal Planning - Monthly Log | ChocolateMusings.com #bujo #bulletjournal #monthlyplanner
Fall Bullet Journal Planning - Cut Page Border | ChocolateMusings.com #bujo #bulletjournal #monthlyplanner
Close up of the color changing leaves for my September Plan With Me in my Bullet Journal - Color blends done with acrylic markers on the monthly log & September Cover Page in my Bullet Journal | ChocolateMusings.com
Bullet Journal Ideas: Idea Tree Instead of Brain Dump | ChocolateMusings.com #braindump #bulletjournal #ideas

Second on the list for Fall Bullet Journal Theme Ideas: Apples!

Of course, you are free to choose your theme but remember you don’t have to include only images of apples. For instance, a few years ago, I created a bullet journal spread with signposts and apple buckets as though I was in an apple orchard.

In fact, here are some apple-related brain dump page names. Because I love to name my brain dump pages something other than ‘brain dump.’

  • Fill the Orchard / Fill the Bucket
  • Orchard of Thoughts
  • Apple Bucket
  • No Bad Apples
  • Ripe Thoughts
  • Thoughts for the Picking
  • Wooden Directional Signs Weekly Bullet Journal Layout - Fun, whimsical signs point the direction to each day of the week, leaving plenty of space for appointments, to-dos and notes. | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Apple orchard weekly bullet journal theme - fun, easy and adaptable to your style. | ChocolateMusings.com

More Fall Food Theme Inspiration:

  • Apple Cider
  • Candy
  • Candy Corn
  • Caramel
  • Cinnamon
  • Coffee
  • Comfort Food
  • Corn on the Cob
  • County Fair Foods
  • Food
  • Mason Jars
  • Oktoberfest
  • Popcorn
  • Pumpkin
  • Pumpkin Pie
  • S’Mores
  • Spiced Lattes & Pumpkin Spiced Lattes
  • Cups of Hot Tea or Spiced Cider
  • Vegetables
  • Wine Bottles
Fall Minimal Weekly Inspiration | ChocolateMusings.com #bujo #bulletjournal #weeklyspread

Happening in the Fall

Find some easy to doodle Halloween headers in this post, or check out how to create mummy-wrapped text in this post. If back to school is on your calendar, check out these back-to-school doodles.

Gratitude Wall for November Instagram Challenge | ChocolateMusings.com #gratitudewall #bulletjournal #bujo #grateful
August Welcome Page School Building - Watercolor old fashioned school with a big bell | ChocolateMusings.com
How to Draw Mummy Text great for bullet journaling & planner headers video tutorial with complete step-by-step walk-through
6 Fun & Easy Back-to-School Doodles for your Bullet Journal or Planner | ChocolateMusings.com #doodles #howtodraw

Fall Outdoor Fun Bullet Journal Inspiration

My family used to attend a local ‘witches night out’ around Halloween. We loved the crafts & food and witch costumes! They sponsored a fun run, as well! If you’re into running, look for any themed half-marathon or runs in your area and do them as a family.

  • At the Farm/Barnyard
  • Camping
  • Cookouts
  • Corn Maze
  • County Fair Silhouette/Outlines
  • County Fair Rides & Prizes
  • Farmer’s Market
  • Hay Bales
  • Hot Air Balloons (found on my whimsical travel theme post)
  • Pumpkin Patches (here’s a pumpkin themed weekly spread.) I don’t know about you, but sometimes I like to create my page and then add doodles later. That’s essentially what I did with that spread – substitute the pumpkins for other doodles and change it out all year.
  • Scarecrow (you could even go all out and do the Wizard of Oz!)
Bright fun watercolor hot air balloons - weekly bullet journal layout travel themed | ChocolateMusings.com #bulletjournal #weekly #watercolor
Planet Balloon Weekly Layout With Planet Orbits | ChocolateMusings.com #bulletjournal #bujo #space #weekly
August Welcome Page School Building - Watercolor old fashioned school with a big bell | ChocolateMusings.com
Watercolor Farm Theme & Quote - Welcome August - Bullet Journal Welcome Page | ChocolateMusings.com
Fall Minimal Weekly Inspiration | ChocolateMusings.com #bujo #bulletjournal #weeklyspread
Weekly Horizontal Bullet Journal with mini-time blocking and cute pumpkin doodles

Night Sky

  • Cabin in Woods with Smoke
  • Full Moon
  • Harvest Moon
  • Moon Cycles
  • Night Sky
  • Stars
  • Tree Silhouettes
  • Witch across a moon
  • Cat sitting on a fence in front of the moon

Moons and galaxies are some of my favorite things to paint outside of my bullet journal. I’ve seen a lot of moon phase layouts as well. Some use glistening glittery paint. Others are just outlines of each shape. Whatever you choose, I’m sure a moon theme would be spectacular.

  • Watercolor Moon & Forest Painting | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Full moon above the trees watercolor painting | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Watercolor Moon Painting with galaxy background | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Weekly Bullet Journal Spread - Moon Cycles - Watercolor Painted with Crayola Markers- fun and simple weekly spread and layout | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Nighttime Sky with Moon and Stars Hand Painted Watercolor Greeting Card | ChocolateMusings.com #watercolor #moon #nightsky

Warm & Cozy Fall Bullet Journal Theme Ideas

  • Candles
  • Cooking
  • Firewood
  • Flannel
  • Knitting
  • Plaid
  • Movie Nights
  • Sweaters
  • Tea Lights
  • Warm & cozy
Argyle Sweater Bullet Journal Cover Page | ChocolateMusings.com

Enhance Your Fall Bullet Journal Theme – Fall Collections

Beyond The theme in your Bullet Journal for fall, here are some great ideas for collections to include during the fall months.

Clothing & Accessories

  • Bag Wishlist
  • Bags I have
  • Clothing Size Lists for Family
  • Coats I Own
  • Fall Outfits
  • Ideal Outfit
  • Sweaters I Own (list colors/patterns)

Keeping a list of clothing items that you currently own sounds like a great way enhance the nostalgia when you flip back through your bullet journal. When you start including snapshots of your life, it brings a sense of who you are at that very moment and keeps that time as a memory. It’s not just about schedules and to-do lists. It’s recording a snippet of your life. At least, that’s how I use my creative planner.

Fall Self-Care Practices

  • Bath Bombs to Try
  • Self-Care List
  • Favorite Shops
  • Favorite Coffee Houses/Diners
  • Things that Motivate You

I know during the fall, life gets busier, schedules take over, and sometimes self-care suffers. Make a list of what you do to make yourself happy in the fall and winter months. Make sure to carry this list through winter to help prevent feeling glum.

Food

  • Bulk Cooking Ideas
  • Fall recipes
  • Favorite fall foods
  • Hot Drinks to Try
  • Restaurant Meal Menus

Here’s a post on recipe tracking – especially when you get a new fall recipe book!

Try New Recipes - Bullet Journal Tracker

Things to Do in the Fall:

  • Fall Bucket List
  • Family Hikes
  • Local Fall Activities Map With Dates/Times
  • Local Farmers Markets
  • Night Sky Tracker
  • Knitting Plans
  • Places to see fall leaves
  • TV Show Tracker
  • TV Time Tracker

If you’re looking for more things to do and celebrate during the fall season, be sure to check out my random holiday list. Select a few miscellaneous holidays and celebrate in fun, interesting ways. I also find fun fall bullet journal theme ideas hidden in the list of random holidays.

Holiday Preparedness

  • Cold Weather Travel Packing List
  • Decoration List
  • Decorations to Replace
  • Family Records for Health, Dental & Medical
  • Holiday Planning Ideas
  • Tools I Own (or your significant other – maybe you found the perfect gift!)

Sorry to tell you, but the holidays are on our doorstep. Now is a great time to make some lists in your bullet journal of things you need for the holidays. Get prepared early so that you can enjoy the upcoming season!

Journaling

  • Favorite Fall Memories
  • Past Halloween Costumes for you or your kids

I love to keep a list of past fun in my book. Wouldn’t it be amazing to have a list of all your kid’s yearly Halloween costumes? The thing with this type of list is that you don’t have to sit down and compile it all at once. Add to it as you remember or as Facebook memories remind you. I can’t believe that I’m going to thank Facebook for something, but here we go, thanks Facebook for the memories!

Sports

  • Football dream team
  • Football Tracker
  • Soccer

I know I’m missing more sports-related trackers during the fall. What other fall sports would you track in your bullet journal?

Color Inspiration for your Fall Bullet Journal

  • Oranges, reds, purples
  • Tans, browns, and yellows
  • Deep reds like burgundy
  • Transitions from green to yellow to red and finally purple

I love the color of mulled cider and cinnamon. There are more than one reasons why I love fall, and the colors don’t disappoint. I adore the rich, vibrant colors associated with fall foliage and the autumn season.

From bright orange pumpkins to the deep rustic orange of mulled cider. Golden yellow, tan, and brown present their rich, flavorful hues during the fall months. Dark Reds like burgundy paired with dark purples lend comfort and a sense of warmth.

  • Journal Page - I love how these acrylic markers blend & create a bright, functional journaling page in my bullet journal | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Fall Bullet Journal Welcome Page - November Bullet Journal Set Up | ChocolateMusings.com #bulletjournal #plannerinspiration #bujo #welcomepage
  • Autumn leaves sketch for the weekly planner spread in my bullet journal. I can't get enough of September and Fall.

Fall Bullet Journal Themes Inspiration & Ideas

I hope this list of fall bullet journal theme ideas turned on the idea factory in your head. I can’t wait to see what you create. If you use any of these themes, I’d love to see them! Tag me on Instagram @ChocoalateMusingsCreates #myplannermuse

  • Fall Watercolor Leaves - Fall Bullet Journal Theme Ideas + Collection & Color Scheme Ideas | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Fall Bullet Journal Theme Ideas + Collection & Color Scheme Ideas | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Fall Bullet Journal Theme Ideas | ChocolateMusings.com

No Matter Which Notebook I use – You’ll Always Find These Supplies Close at Hand

Planet Themed Bullet Journal Set Up

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Whimsical Space-Themed Bullet Journal Plan With Me Layouts | ChocolateMusings.com #watercolor #planwithme #bulletjournal

This month I decided to do a planet-themed bullet journal set up. I like to use circles in my planner. You might have noticed that if you’ve explored my blog a bit. Feel free to pin any images for later.

Here are some posts relating to using circles in your bullet journal.

I skipped out on a Planet Welcome Page in May and jumped right into a colorful monthly-log style layout for the beginning page of May. Instead of trying to copy planets exactly, I let the watercolor bleed and blend on its own.

Tip: when watercoloring on something other than watercolor pages – even a notebook with thicker pages – it’s always best to go easy on the water. You can’t use the same amount of water as you do on watercolor paper. Otherwise, you’ll start to see the water bleed through. Sot that means you’ll have to work quickly in smaller sections so you can get the paint to blend together.

Fun planet themed bullet journal layouts - Plan With Me | ChocolateMusings.com #planner #bulletjournal #planwithme

Monthly Log/Calendar

I have a habit of filling up my monthly calendar with all the things and never looking at it again. Monthly logs don’t allow me to fill it up – not really anyway. With the #stayathome initiative right now, I figured that now is the time to train myself to list only the essentials on my monthly calendar as an overview then use my weekly planner to record all the nitty-gritty details.

I find that if I keep my habit tracker on the same page as my monthly calendar, I refer back to the bigger picture more frequently. That’s a benefit if you’re like me and get lost in the details. So once I add my monthly appointments, I’ll add a circular habit tracker down in the left-hand corner of the page.

Planet-Themed Monthly Bullet Journal Log | ChocolateMusings.com #bulletjournal #bujo #monthlylog

Monthly Log – Artwork

Using the idea of layers behind and in front of the band featuring dates/days, I used my favorite circle drawing tool – the helix circle maker to create several different sizes of circles. Then watercolored them in various shades.

No Matter Which Notebook I use – You’ll Always Find These Supplies Close at Hand

For this planet-themed bullet journal set up, I decided to use a lot of bright colors and fun, wiggly lines outlining the planets. I used artistic interpretation of planets and used inspiration from our own solar system, but created a few of my own.

Tip: If your artwork doesn’t look realistic, it’s ok! Add black outlines (maybe two or three!) around each planet and turn your artwork into a whimsical peice. It creates a style all its own and doesn’t require realism.

Loose Circle Doodles + Watercolor for your Bullet Journal | ChocolateMusings.com #watercolor #weeklylayout #weeklies

The inspiration for creating the outlines around the planets came directly from my ‘floral wreaths’ post. It creates an enjoyable, whimsical, playful style. I’d expect to see it in a children’s book or as a children’s room art piece.

You can check out the floral wreaths post here:

3 Simple Ways How to Draw Circle Wreaths Tutorial | ChocolateMusings.com #circles #howto #floralwreaths

May Weeklies – Continuing the Space/Planet Theme

Bullet Journal Planet Weekly Layout | ChocolateMusings.com #bulletjournal #bujo #weekly #planets

Week 1 – Planet-Themed Bullet Journal Layout

Each week has its unique feel, but they are all cohesive due to the style. The first week has six planets laid out along the centerline of the page. If you used this design, the week’s tasks & daily agenda could be logged at either the top, the bottom, or vary back and forth if you wanted.

Underlying Design

This design is the underlying layout for nearly all of my weeklies in April. You can see that I continued it into May. The basic design is the same, but the graphics are very different.

Circular Watercolor Bullet Journal Weekly | ChocolateMusings.com #watercolor #weekly #circle

Week 2 – Sunburst or Orange – You Decide

The 2nd week, my little girl told me it looked more like an orange. I intended it to look like the sun with solar flares or sun-rays. But since I sectioned off the center part for the days, it does look more like an orange. You can be the judge of which one it is.

By the way, if you want to know how to break down a circle into (relatively) equal parts, visit this post.

  • Spaceship weekly bullet journal layout - Space Theme | ChocolateMusings.com #bujo #weekly #spacetheme

Weeks 3 & 4

The third & fourth weeks use a horizontal layout similar to the bike layout from April. I LOVE the look of the spaceship and multi-colored stars. The inspiration for the balloon-planets comes from a t-shirt I bought my husband. The colors and stripes of the planets are so bright and cheery. It makes me happy.

Space-Themed Bullet Journal Braind Dump Page "Out of this World Thoughts" | ChocolateMusings.com #space #braindump

Final Planet Themed Page in my Bullet Journal for May – Brain Dump Page

The last page for the month is my brain dump page. I don’t always call it ‘brain dump’ – in fact, I came up with 150+ different names for brain dump (and have come up with more since then) so check out that post if you’re looking for an alternative to the term’ brain dump’.

Out of this world thoughts brain dump watercolor bullet journal spread | ChocolateMusings.com #bulletjournal #bujo #braindump

My brain dump is the catch-all page for thoughts that don’t fit nicely into my schedule or weekly plans. It’s the place that holds my ideas and concerns and makes me feel like a human once I’ve dumped all the wandering thoughts from my brain onto paper. If you don’t have a brain dump page, I recommend keeping one. Don’t be shy about what you write in it. Believe me, this page will not be pretty once the month is through.

Pro Tip: review your brain dump pages monthly or quarterly – you may find gold nuggets of recorded but forgotten ideas nestled on those pages.

  • Weekly To Do List Attached with Washi Tape - Bullet Journal Weekly | ChocolateMusings.com #todo #washitape #getstuffdone
  • Weekly Task List + Washi Tape Bullet Journal Addon | ChocolateMusings.com #weekly #tasklist #todo

Weekly Tasks

For a couple of months, I drew in a running list of tasks for the week/month. But then I came up with the idea of printing them out and attaching my weekly task list with cute washi tape to each week’s plans. The reason why bullet journaling works so well for me is that I write everything down by hand. If I have it pre-printed or even scheduled on my google calendar, I tend to give the task lower priority than if I write it down with a pen.

So I’ve learned to write down only the tasks that need to be completed for the week; otherwise, I get overwhelmed & don’t follow through. It’s a delicate balance of prioritizing tasks and ignoring them completely.

Planning for the Week – The Process

Before the week’s start, I’ll sit down for a few minutes and assign out the various tasks to a particular day by adding a dot to the day I think I should do the chore. The day I get it finished, I will checkmark it off. Some tasks are assigned to multiple days, others a single day. It’s my way of migrating tasks – if I see no checkmark, the job is not done.

Each night I’ll review & plan for the next day, adjusting as needed. Check out this post for 2 things to do every night to have smoother days.

I Hope You’re Inspired to Add Some Whimsy to Your Days on Earth

I hope my inter-galactic planner adventure for May (aka planet-themed bullet journal set up) gives you some ideas on increasing your productivity and lightening up your days with some fun, whimsical artwork as well.

Let me know if you use any ideas – I’d love to see them tag me on Instagram. Be sure to pin them for later! I’d like a comment below if you try any productivity tips or use the doodle ideas. I’d enjoy finding out what works for you!

Want More Planner & Bullet Journal Inspiration?

Find more plan with me ideas | ChocolateMusings.com #planwithme #ideas

No Matter Which Notebook I use – You’ll Always Find These Supplies Close at Hand

What is Bullet Journaling – The Basics + Infographic

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What is bullet journaling - Basics + Infographic | ChocolateMusings.com #bulletjournalbasics #bulletjournal #bujo

Bullet Journaling – what is it? Is bullet journaling a journal or a list of things to do? Yes.

Bullet Journaling is whatever you need it to be. I ran across this infographic from Quill.com and decided to share it with you.

It’s especially helpful if you’re just getting started in the world of Bullet Journaling – the graphic below generally breaks down the bullet journaling notebook into sections and how you can use them in your own notebook.

Other Resources:

Ryder Carroll – Founder of The Bullet Journal & The Bullet Journal Method you can also view his video on Journaling vs. Bullet Journaling

Is a Bullet Journal *Just* a Journal?

Yes. And no. Honestly, it’s what you want it to be.

If you’re like many people, you might have kept a journal at some point over the years. I know I have many half-filled notebooks recording the day-to-day minutia of my teenage angst. Some of these books have just one or two pages scrawled with the promise that I would write every day.

Maybe you recorded one during your pre-teen or teen years, working through all the emotions and developmental stages by putting pen to paper. Or perhaps you journaled at work as a way of monitoring your tasks or what you had to work on. Some recorded their achievements (I wish I would have done that so I had a record to reflect on!). Some people journal as adults, too, recording photos or other momentous events in their lives.

Whether you currently journal or haven’t recorded anything since your high school days, bullet journaling is a type of journal that appeals to a wide range of people – and you might want to try it out, too.

Is a Bullet Journal Just a Journal? Basic Bullet Journaling Questions answered to get you started #bulletjournal #bujo | ChocolateMusings.com

What is Bullet Journaling?

Initially developed to be a rapid logging system of things to do and what I’d call stream of conscious where you get all the thoughts of the things bogging down your mind onto paper so you can sort, edit, schedule, or eliminate the unnecessary items.

Bullet journaling’s definition has evolved into DYI calendar-life tracker-doodle book all in one. As you can tell, I’m not a purist to the bullet journal system.

Of course, you are free to use this system as you wish and how it benefits you the most. If you prefer to keep everything to a minimum, do that. If you need an artistic outlet, please, do that. (I’m a huge advocate for finding a creative outlet!)

Bullet Journaling – A Diverse Way to Manage Your Life

I would call bullet journaling a diverse way to manage your life. Whether you need to manage to-dos, include journaling of your thoughts, ideas, and passions, stay on track with your calendar & appointments, use it as a creative outlet, or a combination of all of the above – one notebook can suit your needs.

Not to be overdramatic, but I found that it’s changed my life. Really. There’s a reason why I started blogging about it.

Bullet journaling is a new type of recording that’s a more recent development. It has some easy tips and ways for you to get started. Want to take it on? This graphic may help break it down for you.

Bullet Journaling Basics: The Breakdown

Scroll through to the bottom. It’s worth it.

Productive Bullet Journal

How I use Bullet Journaling

Personally, I use bullet journaling to replace my planner, my sketchbook, the brain dump notebook (that I used to keep beside my bed to log all my thoughts so I could sleep), journal, and life reference book. It sounds like a lot, but it works for me, I keep my schedule organized, and it makes me happy. This is why I want to share it with you.

What Happens if Life Gets Busy?

Some seasons of my life are busier than others. When this happens, I’ll switch to a daily log as shown in the graphic to keep track of more items on my to-do list and I will minimize the amount of doodling and art I include in my planner. But most of the time, I create a weekly spread that covers two facing pages in my book.

I love adding collection pages to my notebook. One page I include all the time is my brain dump page. Don’t like the term brain dump? Here’s a list of alternate names for brain dump.

Starting your Bullet Journal

If you’re starting out, I would start with the minimum that you can do. Don’t overdo it.

Ask yourself: What do you need to organize in your life? Do you need to keep a strict schedule, or do you have a lot of ‘to-do’ items during the week? Is your life filled with appointments?

Start with the most significant issue in your life and use the bullet journal to see if it fills that need. At first, don’t add all the bells and whistles until you establish a habit of using your book and recording the items you need help with the most.

Then, when you feel comfortable using the system, add to it if needed. After you’ve fulfilled your basic needs and wand a creative outlet – turn to a blank page for doodles. Try your hand at creating some fun headers for the week or month. Start small initially, and do only what you want to do. Please don’t do what others (or even me!) tell you what they do solely to follow someone else. Find what you’re comfortable with, and use it to fulfill a need in your life.

P.S. If you missed starting in January for the first of the year – it’s ok. I have eight journals, and two began in January. Start where you are.

Why Do I Love Bullet Journaling?

Honestly, the reason why I love bullet journaling is that I can make it mine and the beauty is that you can make it yours, too. Once you’ve given it a chance, figure out how you can customize it even more to your needs. Then when you need to change it, change it. No need to buy a new planner if your needs change. Modify your pages or your workflow and forge on.

Don’t Be Afraid to Customize For YOUR Needs

After you’ve been bullet journaling for a while, you might discover that you dislike creating your monthly calendar each month? Solve that issue by printing a calendar or using a monthly log like in the infographic above. If you discover not long after you’ve started that you need to include a cleaning calendar to keep your house sparkly. Well, my friend, that’s easy, simply add those tasks to your book.

After a month or so, colors in all hues might be calling your name beyond those black and white pages. If this is the case, a whole world opens up with the flick of a page and the brush of a marker. Customize this bullet journal to be what you need it to be. Keep in mind that it may change month-to-month or week-to-week. Allow yourself the freedom to change.

Bullet Journaling – A Journey

I hope you’ve found some interesting information that helps answer your question “What is Bullet Journaling”. And I hope it’s enough to propel your curiosity to dip your little toe into this world. Come on in, the water is fine.

I’m excited for you to go on this journey. I’ll be glad to help you along that path. Find me on Instagram or add a comment below if you need guidance. Let’s go, my friend. Let’s go see where this journey leads.

Feel free to bookmark this page and save it until later. I have a whole list of posts all planned out to help answer your questions about bullet journaling. Check back often or better yet, sign up for my newsletter!

No Matter Which Notebook I use – You’ll Always Find These Supplies Close at Hand

Get Started Bullet Journaling with Some of My Favorite Supplies:

Are Your Goals a Priority?

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Are your habits a priority? Simple questions to ask yourself to find out | ChocolateMusings.com #habits #bulletjournal #goals

Are your goals a priority? How can you tell? Are you consistently meeting your goals? If not, read on.

In this post, I’ll show you how to determine if the habits and goals you set for yourself are really priorities by following the self-assessment I take and show you the planner layout page I use.

Are Your Goals a Priority?

If you make empty promises without the intent to follow up and do the hard things to accomplish your goal, then I hate to tell you the bad news. Your goal or habit is not really a priority.

Reflecting on your actions will show you whether or not your goal or intended habit is actually a priority in your life or if you’re set up for failure.

A Sure Sign Your Goals are NOT a Priority: Making Empty Promises

Life is full of empty promises that we never intend to keep. We make them to acquaintances and friends. Sure, we’ll get together. I’ll give you a call. We should have dinner sometime. We neglect to set a date, time, or follow-up because we don’t intend to keep the agreement.

Do you also make empty promises to yourself? Have you ever promised that you would start a diet next Monday only to find that it’s #nationaldoughnutday? And decide that you should begin your well-intended diet the next Monday instead?

Are your habits a priority? Simple questions to ask yourself to find out | ChocolateMusings.com #habits #bulletjournal #goals

What Changed the Commitment Rollercoaster?

I was always on this rollercoaster of hollow commitments to myself and never got anywhere. After reading several goal-setting and habit-forming books, there was one thought that kept recurring. All of these goals and habits had to become a priority to become an accomplishment or a formed habit.

Here is the Harsh Truth

The harsh truth is this: your actions show what is really a priority in your life. If it’s a priority to lose weight, you will either skip the doughnuts or plan carefully so you can have the right amount of doughnut and still keep your promise to yourself. Most days, I skip the sweets – and guess what? I’m ok. 

What are Your Empty Promises?

What things in your life do you empty promise – either to yourself or to those around you? Take a hard look at how you spend your time and the actions you take when faced with a hard choice. You’ll soon find out if your goal is really a priority or if it’s just a wish.

What If You’re Not Perfect?

Keep in mind that not every day will be perfect. And most days you’ll have some sort of set back. This is a matter of assessing your overall intentions and actions. This is not an opportunity to rip yourself apart and tear you down. It’s an opportunity to think long and hard about the positive actions you’re taking. Then build on those rather than bash yourself about what you do to hinder your progress.

Goal Example

For instance, I want to learn how to do chalkboard lettering so I can go to other businesses and pitch my talents (it’s a thing). Well, the harsh truth is a big fat NO – I am not making this a priority. 

But here’s what I have done:

I found a really great chalkboard to practice and have all the materials to practice, and I look at it every day. I know it doesn’t seem like much, but I can build on it. If I focus on the positive actions I already have, then all I have to do is change the negative items.

So this is what I would write as my plan to make this goal a priority:

Block out a time every day (or week) to practice chalkboard lettering. Decide which materials I like best to start, but don’t eliminate any upfront. Find some Skillshare classes that teach chalkboard lettering. Use quotes from my monthly quote page so I can have something to practice. Reassess progress in a month.

Continuous Changes to Make Your Habit a Priority

When you do an assessment, it’s not once and done, you make corrections, come back and reassess. What new positive actions have you added to achieve this goal? What obstacles do you face? And the Harsh Truth is always there to give a reality check.

Then set your plan, refocus your attention and energy, and go out and work toward those goals again.

Here’s the Planner Page I created to help me assess whether or not I was serious about the goals I set. You can recreate this in your planner (tag me @chocolatemusingscreates – I’d love to see it!).

Are your habits a priority? Bullet Journal spread with questions to find out| ChocolateMusings.com #habits #bulletjournal #goals

Goal Priority Assessment:

GoalPositive Actions I TakeActions that Hinder my GoalHarsh Truth – am I making this a priority,
Yes or No?
Weight Loss – Weighing in every day
– Recording everything I eat
-Using an app to track everything
-Sticking within my recommended daily allotment 		-Snacking too much
-Getting stuck in a rut and not finding healthy alternatives when I want a snack or meal
-Going to the store hungry
-Not planning meals		 Yes, but I could do better. The goal is to change my eating habits permanently and affect the rest of my life. Refocus and keep going!

The Plan:

  • Order groceries online so I don’t add snack items as I wander the aisles.
  • Do not shop hungry!
  • Add daily walks back into my schedule.
  • Use my bullet journal to plan meals & shopping lists.
  • Make a list of healthy alternatives and post it on the pantry/fridge door (maybe it will help the kids, too!).
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is find-more-arrow-down-e1569382617571-300x71.png

Want to know more about my weight loss & health journey? I share snippets from my planner and daily activities in my quest. Click on the image above

Other Examples of My Goals in Need of a Priority Assessment:

  • Running a creative business.
  • Creating a how-to doodle book.
  • Getting out of debt.
  • Replace the income from my job.
  • Create a lettering course.
  • Go-to Chalkboard letterer for local businesses.
  • Clutter-Busting (read post #1 & #2)

Here’s your question: What do you want to do?

How to Get Started

What’s the big goal in your life you keep chasing but never seem to get any closer to the end? Follow my example and write down your goal, the things you do consistently to achieve your goal. Then admit to yourself what you struggle doing. Finally, what does the harsh truth say?

Remember: this is not a time to beat yourself up. Capitalize on your positive actions (even if it’s a recurring thought) and build on those.

Here are some books I’ve read on organizing, decluttering, and habits. I’d love a recommendation and add it to my list. Let me know if you have more to add in the comments below. Â