How To Bullet Journal—For Beginners

Bullet Journaling Can Be Simple

Social media has spread the wonderful concept of bullet journaling. But for many people, it has also conflated it with looking presentable: a performance art.

At Owl Paper, I take the goal of sharing what I've learned to create self-compassion (but more meaningful) days seriously. It's my passion. It's how I've balanced the many hats I wear and overcome the challenges I've faced without losing my will to live. I want to give you a bit more peace and meaning. The following blog post is a good place to start.

How To Bullet Journal In The Owl Paper’s Planner Journal

By Marisa Porter | March 4, 2023 |

My answer to the many wonderful problems I encountered when I embarked on the beautiful journey of bullet journaling.

It’s the natural, almost effortless, creation of four years of growing out of a weekly planner and into bullet journaling.

the power of journaling iconography

Art of Iconography: How to Organize Your Journal

By Marisa Porter | October 14, 2024

The Power of Journaling Icons in capturing and organizing your thoughtsJournaling iconography is important to me and my journaling system. I’ve always been a visual learner, and I’ve found that journaling icons have been a game-changer for my brain in helping me organize creative chaos.The icons for task, migrate, complete, reschedule, gratitude, idea, meeting, note:…

moment of truth heroes journey daily affirmations journaling

15 Daily Affirmations To Journal Now and When Overwhelmed

By Marisa Porter | May 12, 2024

There are many journaling techniques that positively impact your life. Daily Affirmations Journaling is one. I struggle to daily combat my inner critic and become my own best friend. I struggle to daily comabt my inner critic and become my own best friend. So I try daily affirmations in my daily journal habit before I…

journaling affirmations postponing worry planning joy

Fifteen Journaling Ideas: Postpone Worry, Plan Joy, and More.

By Marisa Porter | April 29, 2024

From postponing worry to revisiting joy, from redesigning a room to keeping collections, journaling offers many ways to soothe, plan, and dream. Journaling is an important part of mental health for many. But whether you are a beginner or experienced, it’s easy to stare at a blank page and wonder what the connection is between…

What We Can Learn From An Epic Story’s Moment Of Truth

By Marisa Porter | January 16, 2024

Each of us in on our own hero’s journey It’s always a big sigh of relief to me when I reach the part of each story that writers call the moment of truth. This is where the protagonist, the main character, realizes the truth about themselves. This is where they understand who they are.  It’s…

gratitude faith cbt reasons why i journal

Gratitude, Growth, and Faith: 10 Reasons I Journal

By Marisa Porter | January 12, 2024

Reflective journaling is rebellion and faith. I have made a lot of lists in my life. But list-making, and checking things off, in and of itself is not worth much without reflection. When I shared about how my paper planning journey started, I had been in digital notification hell for years. Digital notifications don’t provide…

One Atomic Habit Is Worth A Lifetime of Resolutions

One Atomic Habit Is Worth A Lifetime of Resolutions

By Marisa Porter | January 4, 2024

Trade Guilt and Resolutions For One Atomic Habit While many have caught on that New Year’s Resolutions are typically abandoned in the warm glow of Valentine’s Day, and have ditched them, many of us still have a lingering guilt for not improving something: ourselves, the world, our bodies—our kids, our homes, our careers. We’re not…

Notion and Bullet Journaling Are A Powerful Way To Manage Life

Notion and Bullet Journaling: A Powerful Life Management System

By Marisa Porter | November 30, 2023

How I Manage My Life Digital and Analog Planning Using Notion and Owl Paper My heart is analog and always will be. You can read my full story here, but I will never go back to all digital life management—I don’t want to be managed by a robot.  However, some things should not be analog.…

prioritize

Prioritize: How To Make Decisions While Drowning.

By Marisa Porter | October 5, 2023

How this simple exercise can help you prioritize and deal with intense overwhelm Have you ever been hit by a wall of paralysis that made you feel like you shouldn’t couldn’t prioritize? Maybe you got big news (good or bad), and emotions you didn’t know how to deal with efficiently overwhelmed you. Or maybe you…

atomic habits tomoe river paper planner

Is Focusing On Atomic Habits Better Than Focusing On Your Goals?

By Marisa Porter | August 2, 2023

Atomic habits build character, grit, tenacity, and the determination to reach your goals. Goals are wonderful, and I have been tracking mine since 2019. However, when I read Atomic Habits by James Clear in 2022, I was intrigued by the concept that life-long gains could come through tiny, incremental changes. After all, I was a…