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Looking back at my first bullet journal setup in 2018
I remember staring at a blank notebook, stuck between doing a super artsy, decorated journal or a bare-bones, rapid-logging one. I picked the simple route, just a black pen and a ruler, because I was scared of messing up fancy layouts. For the first six months, it was just tasks and dates, no colors or drawings at all. It felt a bit plain, but it actually got me using it every single day, which was the whole point. Now my style is somewhere in the middle, with a few simple doodles. Anyone else start out super minimal and slowly add more art later?
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robertcarr2mo ago
Totally disagree with @river952. Starting with the fun stuff is what kept me from quitting.
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ward.kim1mo ago
Starting with the fun stuff works because it makes you WANT to open the book. @river952, you make a good point about building the habit first but some of us need that spark to actually pick up the pen. A little color or washi tape never hurt anyone if it gets you writing.
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river9522mo ago
Starting simple was the smart move. It builds the habit without the pressure to make it perfect. My first journal looked the same, just black ink on grid paper. Adding art later is much easier because you already know what layouts you actually use. The fancy stuff can wait until the system itself is second nature. A plain journal that gets used is always better than a pretty one that doesn't.
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