5 year Plan...

"Do you have a 5 year plan?"

I know that every time someone has turned to me in response and confidently stated "yes, I do",  I have an overwhelming sense of awe.... "Tell me more, please!"is my usual response. I find that having a steady plan conceptualized in your brain is a healthy coping mechanism for entering the unknown that is life.  It is not realistic to have no plans for the future as you find out in adulthood that structure and routine are necessary for a balanced and productive lifestyle. I do wonder however, how much can planning really help us. 

I have begun to explore recently the creative hobby known as bullet journaling. A organized and creative version of a paper planner. One you have entire control over. What I didn't realize, was the expansive world I had entered into. I found myself overwhelmed with the never-ending amount of tasks and requirements a human has to accomplish in their daily adult life. Its easy to take on a lot and then allow things to escape your mind when the due dates sneak up. I found that I was keeping piles of lists in an unorganized scattered fashion throughout my living space, constantly searching for a piece of paper can be stressful I'm sure you can relate. While working as a group therapist this past year I was introduced to the topic of tracking. As simple as the concept of tracking might seem, I realized that there is a true art beyond the purpose of this trend. My patients began tracking their emotions in color forms, finding themes throughout their days, and weeks, finding triggers and noting healthy habits allowed my patients to become more away of their mood swings, raising self awareness and therefore naming and finding reason beyond their change in energy levels, relationships and stress points.

The importance of self-awareness is something I can't happen to harp on enough. While entering into graduate school, the phrase that most haunted me throughout my coursework was "self-care" or "trust the process". These terms still pop up in my dreams. They can be daunting phrases, how does one begin to accept words like self care or trust when they don't fully understand the meaning. I noticed throughout my education, finding independence and trusting my struggles and the walls I ran into head first with no warning were the lessons I learned to get closer to my true self. The babbling, disorganized, scatterbrained versions of myself were due to issues regarding lack of sleep, lack of preparation and the tendency to leave everything last minute. Slowly, I began to notice my ticks, my quirks, what made me struggle more than I needed to. Long story short, I have resorted to bullet journaling. Not only does this journal allow me to stay organized, but I will list the other benefits I found in the process of Bullet Journaling below.

• Creative Expression
• Sleep tracking
• Mood Tracking
• Goal setting
• Budget 
• Health and fitness tracking
• Feeling organized and 'on top of it'

And so I promise that if you are a type a planner, you will love nothing more than this method of daily planning, and I stand by that. I don't promise that if you don't have a 5 year plan, that this method will allow it to magically appear, but you will definitely feel that you are on the right track. - pun intended.

xx

Samantha Jane