After making it through the 93 days of January, it’s finally time to look forwards and think about some February aspirations. Note, I said aspirations, not goals. If you read my New Year Aspirations post you’ll know why I’m choosing my words carefully.
Bullet Journal
It’s my blog’s one year anniversary this month – have I really been blogging for a whole year? Eeeep! Anyway, I decided that it’s high time I organised myself and started a Bullet Journal. I was gifted a beautiful personalised BuJo and planner by the very kind girls at Write on It Today in January (full review here).
Since then I’ve been getting rather overwhelmed by all the beautiful BuJo images on Pinterest. So I put a call out on Twitter for some advice on Bullet Journals for Beginners and also the Artistically Challenged. The most helpful post for me was Lauren’s (Bournemouth Girl) – please do go and check it out. Although honestly, there are so many fab blogger help posts out there, huge thanks to everyone who responded. Now I just need to crack on 🙂
Digital Garage
Ah yes, my Google digital marketing course that I started with such enthusiasm back in May 2017.
As you can see, I’ve reached the giddy heights of a whole three badges so I really do need to get back into this. For those who don’t know, Google’s Digital Garage is free, you study online, at your own pace, and eventually gain a valuable Digital Marketing certificate to show your achievement. It’s a very useful qualification to have if you work in digital marketing (which, let’s face it, all bloggers do in one form or another) and a good thing to have on your CV as well. Lightbulb moment: I can include a badge a month in my new BuJo…
Go to the beach
Does this sound a little odd in February? Well, it’s half term soon so, inspired by Bexa’s recent trip to Weymouth post, we’re going to head down to our nearest beach at some point that week. Fingers crossed for no torrential rain. Weymouth also has a fab Sea Life aquarium so our almost-eight year old budding marine biologist will be happy either way.
These are my February aspirations (not goals) then, which I hope are simple enough for me to achieve. What are you looking forward to this month?
Fab post Lisa! Even I am getting motivated to maintain a bullet journal. I will definitely look into the Google garage sounds interesting.. I am learning so many interesting things. Thanks for sharing. 🙂 Have a great month.
Thank you ? I’m a little nervous about putting pen to paper but I suppose it’s my journal so if I mess up, so what! Hope you have a good month too xx
Ooo, congratulations on the 1 year blogging when you get there – how exciting! 🙂 I see all them beautiful bullet journals and it makes me want one but it seems like theres not enough time in the day as it is to do all the things I’d like to do that I’m not sure I’d be able to do all that too, haha. I hope you’ll show us an update on how it’s going at some point! 🙂 I don’t think there is much that can beat a lovely trip down to the beach so I hope you have a great day and enjoy the Sea Life Aquarium too 😀
Amy,Creative Nails
Thank you! Yes, I’m slightly wondering how I’m going to fit in bullet journalling along with everything else but I suppose once I get into the swing of things it will sort out, hehe. I’ll be posting an update later this month but I’m pretty sure my BuJo will be quite basic ? I’m looking forward to the beach and the aquarium as well – Flora gets so excited, it’s so lovely to see! X
‘Aspirations’ is a good word to use instead of goals, I like it. Well done you on the Digital Garage badges, good luck in getting all the others. I hope to get out more with my daughters in February rain or shine. I also have bullet journal envy, some I have seen are incredible. Great post.
I think goals is too set in stone, I prefer to hope for things instead! Based on current form I think it may take me a while to complete all my DG badges but fingers crossed ? I hope you manage to get out and about over half term too – I’m really looking forward to spending some time with Flora! X
Hi, I keep meaning to try using a bullet journal and never seem to round to doing it. I love visiting the beach anytime of the year. I love it in the winter sun when it is cold and crisp. We popped to the coast last weekend and it was very wet.
Ha, that’s what’s stopped me from starting a bullet journal before but I have no excuse now, with my lovely new gifted pad! I love the beach when it’s windy and cold too, it’s so refreshing x
Ooh thank you for the Digital marketing course recommendation, I am dying to get my teeth in to a course and that would be perfect. It’s so sweet that your little girl is in to marine biology, my Niece loves animals and did a animal keeping experience day for her birthday and absolutely loved it!
https://my20staughtme.wordpress.com/
You’re welcome – I hope you get further faster than I’ve managed so far ? It’s quite easy, just a little time consuming. The animal keeping experience sounds amazing, I’ll have to see if there’s anything similar around our way, she’d love it too, I’m sure – thank you for the inspo! X
Great post Lisa! The Google Digital Marketing course sounds really worthwhile and would definitely come in handy for blogging! Aw thank you for sharing my Weymouth post, I’m so glad I inspired a half term day out! I’m sure Flora will love the aquarium (that’s such a cool photo btw). All the best with your February aspirations (not goals, he he) Have an awesome month! <3
Thank you! You’re very welcome about the post share, your photos were so lovely and it was just a lightbulb moment ? If I ever complete my DG course I’ll be so chuffed but finding the time to do it is another matter ? Hope you have a wonderful month too xx
These are lovely ideas! Looking forward to seeing your bullet journal if you do posts about it, and going to the beach is a great idea. Beaches are the best at any time of the year imo.
Amy x
Thank you 🙂 I will do a BuJo update post but I’m going to have to be careful about what pictures I show because I am not at all artistically inclined! Yes, I’m with you about beaches at any time of year, I just wish we lived closer to one, it’s always a real hike for us to get down to the coast, sob! X
Great goals and I love the idea of Google Garage! I’ll definitely be looking into that.
Thank you – and yes, do look into Google’s DG, I’m sure you’ll progress much faster than I have to date, haha ? x
I should start to write a bullet journal! I have wanted to do so in ages but never got the motivation! great post! xx corinne
Same here, but as I’ve been gifted such a lovely bullet journal I have no excuse now! Watch this space … x
I love that there’s a little bit of lifestyle and a little bit of business in this list. I’ve been loving creating my little bullet journal for the lengthy 10 days or so that I’ve been using it ?. Good luck with your ‘aspirations’ x
Sophie
http://www.glowsteady.co.uk
Thank you ? oooh, you’ve been bullet journalling too, we’ll have to compare notes – have you written a post for me to pinch some inspo from then? ? X
The aquarium looks so great! Google Garage is new to me. I like the idea of bullet journaling but I don’t think I would keep it up.
Well, we’ll have to see how long I can keep journalling up for, I’ve never done it before so I don’t know how I’m going to get on! X
Such a great post ? I see so many people with bullet journals and they all look so fantastic good luck with getting yours on track! I haven’t heard of Digital Garage but will be checking it out- thanks for the pointer!
Most importantly of all Happy Blog Birthday for this month ?
Melanie | http://www.frasersfunhouse.com
Oh, thank you! I don’t think many people have heard of Google’s DG, which is a shame because it’s free to use and it’s an industry recognised qualification – let me know how you get on if you decide to give it a go, we can compare notes! And thank you, I still can’t believe I’ve been blogging for a whole year ? X
I kept a bullet journal for the first six months of 2017, at which point it fizzled out. I think the reason was that the notebook I chose was not fat enough. I got a second one, but somehow the different cover, different paper thing put me off my stroke, and I just couldn’t get myself back in the routine.
But, on looking back at what I did, I really do think it was useful. We all do them differently, but mine had different sections – a “to do” list, places to be, meals I cooked, the weather, money spent, books read. And I used different coloured pens for each “topic”.
In previous years I’d just written a summary of the day – but a lot more writing time was involved.
This year – no bullet journal, no planning or organising, but a five year diary that gives space for only a short resume of each day, to be revisited on that date for five years. I’ve kept it up for a month so far – we’ll see how it goes. On our way to 2022!
Oh, I love the idea of sections – I hadn’t really thought about that. Books, money, gardening jobs, they’d be a good start. Thank you, Mary, that’s really helpful! And my goodness, I wish you all the luck in the world for a five year diary, that’s incredibly ambitious but if anyone can do it, you can – 2022 here we come! X
I think it’s AMAZING that Flora wants to be a marine biologist and is so passionate about something at such a young age. And obviously taking her to a sea-life center is the perfect thing to do that’s both super fun but also really interesting for her! I’d love to see photos if you do go in February, maybe a blog post? 🙂 xxx
I’m so proud of Flora’s knowledge about all things marine. She’s forever coming out with facts and anecdotes that we’ve never heard of, haha. That’s a really good idea, I might write a blog post about the Weymouth Sea Life Centre – I’ll certainly take plenty of photos anyway! x
I really need to get on with a bullet journal, but I live such a boring life that I feel like I’d never have anything to write in it haha! Thanks for introducing me to that digital marketing course too, definitely something I’ll be looking into further! Hope you have a wonderful month x
Beth x
I don’t believe you lead a boring life at all – Antigua anyone?! Let me know if you try Digital Garage, we can compare notes and it will be an incentive for me to get on with it, haha! x
Great post Lisa! I started my BuJo in January and while I sometimes struggle to make time for it, I always feel so much better when I get working on it! I can’t wait to see how many of these aspirations you can tick off by the end of the month.
Aw, thank you, Katie! I’m finding the BuJo and my desk planner really helpful at the moment – although I must confess I’ve had to rip a few pages out, haha 🙂 We didn’t make the beach during half term (rubbish weather) and I haven’t managed to crack on with Digital Garage yet – so one out of three so far, oops! x