It’s been a busy month! February for me was unproductive and slump-ish. March has been the complete opposite. This month has been very productive, with the results so far are delightful (though you may not know it from my Habit-Tracker). Here’s the March mid-month habit check.
The Results
The result of the mid-month habit check (so far) is that I haven’t been tracking them. I’ve done them more than I’ve indicated. The last half of the month I am definitely going to put more effort in marking them if nothing else than just to keep the habit of tracking.
The Layout
There are some fresh, clean, fantastic layouts tracking habits individually and not in a big block like I usually do. The quote took over the minimal look and the thing just…does not work the way I imagined. Next month I am going to track my habits in a block style again. The quote is a great one though!
Additional Habits
You may have heard (or read) that I love Skillshare. (Here’s one reference: My Muses: Sources of Inspiration). One of the classes I took was about creating a 365-day project. Well, that seemed to fit in very nicely with my habit tracking. But which habits do I want to track for a whole year?
Skillshare Mini-Overview
Ok, let’s stop for a minute and talk about Skillshare classes. ‘Classes’ is a strong word. Many people think they don’t have time for ‘classes’ because they think it is a time commitment and think that they have assignments and blah blah blah.
No! Not like that at all. The ‘classes’ are broken down into hour-long courses but what’s better is that each one is then broken down into 5-10 minutes, you can download them to your phone and watch them when you can.
Infact, the 365-Day Project is just 34 minutes long. (Sign up for a FREE Trial and check it out!)
While drying my hair or cooking dinner, I stick my headphones in and watch a video and learn how to paint or draw or manage my time or learn how to cook a fantastic meal. I even watch while grocery shopping. It’s some great ‘me’ time.
365-Day Project
Like most things I do, I usually can’t settle on just one thing (the bane of my existence.) So I chose 6 items for my yearly project – where I’ll spend at least 10 minutes per day (or other designated time) doing these projects.
Work on my blog
Products
Spiritual reading
Prayers (am/pm)
Laundry
Workout
Thinking back, I probably should have left laundry and workout off the list, but I want to create a habit of washing and working out that just ‘exists’ in my life and I don’t have to think about it anymore. So I’ll keep working on those.
Betterment to the Core
Looking at the results for the first month and a half, I can tell that the first two are high on my priority list. I work on them regularly and put in at least 10 minutes per day. The shocker to me is the spiritual study and the prayers. I think of this as the self-betterment to the very core. You may have practices where you work towards a similar goal, regardless of your theological point of view.
Not Expected
Why is it so hard for me to study my scriptures or read a spiritual thought or get down on my knees twice per day? Another thing I didn’t expect is how hard it is for me to write about it. This is my personal journey, and I have invited you along for the ride, hoping that we can strengthen each other along the way, but this is something that I hold dear to my heart – or so I thought. The results say otherwise, and I didn’t expect that at all.
The Way I Use Habit Trackers
The way I use habit trackers sometimes is just as an assessment as I like to do a ‘status check’ with tasks that I want to turn into a habit, and this 365-day project was eye-opening. I am going to reassess my mindset because the reality is that I am not really committed to these tasks on my tracker, and that is where I need to start to make a change.
I’ve wanted to feature various sources of inspiration for a long time now. I imagined myself Oprah-esque telling you about the things that inspire me. Well, maybe someday I will do a giveaway of my favorite things. But now I will just share them for your own inspiration.
Contains Affiliate Links
When Does Inspiration Come?
The thing is, inspiration can come from anywhere, so you will see quotes, products, YouTube videos, Instagram accounts, blogs, you name it. If it inspires me, I want to share it with you. I hope you enjoy and find some inspiration too.
I always love to hear what inspires others. Leave comments on what has inspired you this week. I’d like to check them out! I will certainly give you a shout out if you inspired me to find inspiration.
So what’s inspired me this week:
Blogs/YouTube
First up – I love this Truth-Bomb-Telling-Mom on many levels, but I’ve never been emotional about what she says. This one was emotional. I need to figure out what I am telling myself and try her experiment. See for yourself what it is.
Social Media:
I aspire to have clean, minimal designs in my bullet journal. However, I am pretty sure it’s not in my DNA. I happened on this account and ogled all the posts. How can there be so much function with so much incredible white space? Are you looking for minimal design? Take a good long gander at @supermassiveblackink on Instagram.
Minimalism is great, but if you are looking for a little more color with incredible calligraphy skills, look no further than @sunlanterns her bullet journaling is beautiful, her calligraphy is ON point (pun totally intended), and the textures used in her photography are eye-catching and stunning.
Products/Resources
If you’ve scoped out any of my watercolored bullet journals lately, you will see that I use Crayola Markers as my watercolor. Yes – I use Crayola Markers or Tombow Dual Brush Markers scribbled on a smooth plate (or Ziploc bag) and a paintbrush with a bit of water or a water pen.
I like this especially for bullet journaling because I can erase pencil behind it, it doesn’t seem to need as much water and doesn’t leave a funny texture as watercolor paints do.
In my quest for self-improvement through habits, I started reading books on habits and habit formation. I happened on “Better Than Before” by Gretchen Rubin, and after I turned it into the library, I bought it.
I don’t like to rate books because I feel like if someone poured their heart and soul into those pages, how am I to flippantly leaf through the pages and then give it a rating? So I decided to come up with a rating scale all my own. You can assign stars if you wish as there are 5 questions.
Did I finish the book? Yes
Did I take notes? Yes
Have I used the book to change my life? Yes
Would I reread it? Yes
Would I buy the book? Yes (and I did!)
Skillshare Classes
Brace yourself; I am going to talk about this a lot. It’s simply because I LOVE IT. I signed up in January, and I have taken 30+ classes (that’s an understatement).
I adore learning new things. So, of course, I would say Skillshare ROCKS! My problem is I take too many courses. One of my favorite courses was by Yasmina Creates – Easy Watercolor Sweets & Treats for beginners. That class inspired me to paint some strawberries.
It’s not just creative classes. There are business, time management, project classes, and so much more! Try out the Skillshare premium membership for free. You’ll thank me later – and please tell me what your favorite Skillshare classes are as well.
I hope you’ve enjoyed a sneak peek into my sources of inspiration. I hope to curate more awesome from across the internet and inspire you as well. Please let me know below what you’ve found that inspires you.
I love the movie ‘Up’ and so this weekly spread is a nod to that adventure. Since that movie, I believe that balloons are a practical mode of transportation (hahah). Or not, but learning to paint balloons is something I’ve wanted to try for a long time. Their colors overlap and shine through to the next layer. Sometimes it is just fun to try something new. A note to those who are afraid of trying something new in your bullet journal: adventure is out there and once you’ve tasted that adventure, you might not want to go back.
Overall I think it was a good first attempt at paintings, some balloons seem more transparent than others – which was the intent! The key to learning to paint balloons is finding the sweet spot of when the ink is just about dry so it won’t bleed into the other balloons but just wet enough to fade slightly. I love learning new things and trying out new methods.
The Layout
I used this layout in December as well – when I created the Leg Lamp and it left a big open space to include some art. So why not learn to paint balloons? The weekly spread has plenty of space for appointments and tasks so it’s a great match for keeping track of all the things and for trying new adventures!
Process Video – Learning to Paint Balloons
Watch the process video below to see how I painted in the balloons. I used the same method of watercolor with markers as I have this whole month. I really like this technique – and I think I will continue to grow in the technique but only if I continue to practice. Practice stinks sometimes but it’s the only way to learn.
Passion for Learning Turned into a Passion for Bullet Journaling
I’ve never watercolored before about 6 months ago, and I can say it is a whole new process versus painting with acrylics (which is my only other frame of reference). One of my passions is to learn. I LOVE to learn new things and I love to read but hadn’t made time for it in my life. But since this post, I have started reading more – a LOT more. It’s like I don’t have an excuse anymore and I don’t want to make up an excuse.
How I Learn New Things
Audiobooks from the library have become my best friends, I listen to excerpts from books to find new books to read. And of course, kindle – I love marking books in Kindle and seeing the passages others have collectively marked as well. One other way to learn is on YouTube. YouTube and I go way back. That’s how I found bullet journaling! It, too, has become a passion (if you haven’t noticed). If there is something you want to try or learn – do it! I can’t tell you how free it makes you feel. It’s like part of your soul is soothed and ignited all at once.
I started handlettering not long ago – again because I wanted to learn it. What an adventure. I wonder sometimes where it’s been all my life, but I think that is kind of what a bullet journal does. It is a blank notebook calling for adventure, yearning for you to discover yourself within its pages. The dot-grid provides structure and yet freedom all at once. With handlettering, I have taken classes, done workbooks, written the same letter over and over, but the real teacher is time and practice.
Sharing the Passion
I love teaching what I learn to others, but I love learning from anyone willing to impart their knowledge and skill to me. Along those lines, I recently signed up for SkillShare (if you haven’t heard of it, it’s amazing). I’ve got a link below.
I plan on taking watercolor classes and as many as they offer. I’ve used SkillShare for less than a week, and I have already gone through 7 courses. You bet I went to Michael’s and got one of their $5 dot-grid notebooks and started taking notes. (That’s what I tell my husband – I really just wanted to try it out.)
There are tons of classes teaching brush lettering, calligraphy, I even took a class on time management and I am trying out some new techniques that I learned there. Ooooh – I also did one class on drawing botanicals – so maybe I can start including them in my bullet journal and I will finally get that theme.
I can’t help it, I am so excited and wanted to share this love with you.
New Learning = New Ideas
The more I learn, the more I want to share and I have sooooo many more ideas that I want to share with you, and if you have seen me on Instagram lately, I’ve given you some sneak peeks of what I’m planning. If you’re not following me there already, that’s where you’ll get the freshest ideas coming straight off my desk. (@ChocolateMusingsCreates)
Question:
What do you want to see from me? I’d love some ideas. I’d love to know what new thing you have learned recently as well. Whether it’s a new app or a new skill.
Whatever you are doing, remember to plan your life so you live beautifully and don’t be afraid to find your inner muse.
In my quest for self-improvement through habits, I started reading books on habits and habit formation. I happened on “
