📓✍️ From Chaos to Clarity: Discovering Self-Empathy through Practice 📓✍️

written with the assistance of ChatGPT originally for LinkedIn

Time + task management has always felt like a fight to me. I am a lover, not a fighter, yet I am stubborn and won’t walk away from a fight with myself. I should talk to my therapist about this. I can manage other peoples time and tasks, but my own…HA! While I’ve tried the digital whirlwind of apps like Trello, Google Tasks, Monday, and Asana, my true north seemed constantly out of reach. Each notification and tab, a detour leading me astray. Year old tasks…oh the silly shame in churning in my mind.

Enter the Bullet Journal. Cool kids call it the BuJo. I am not cool…yet.

I admit, I was skeptical. It seemed like everyone was praising its virtues and making it look less like a system and more like a graphic design practice, and I needed more than just a trend. The allure wasn’t in its popularity, but in the raw, tactile sensation of pen on paper – everything in one place. The initial steps were, unsurprisingly, shaky. Deciphering layouts, choosing what to jot down, and, oh, the initial desire to make every page an artistic masterpiece (nope NO!). I am still trying to figure out weekend management…

However, with each scribble, a pattern emerged. Not just of tasks and to-dos, but of practice and self-empathy. As I regularly journaled, the act became less about perfect organization and more about understanding myself, understanding what mattered. Each page became a testament to patience, dedication, and a deepening connection to my inner rhythm. Also, I’ve been able to incorporate my Empathy Decathlon® Energy and Baggage check-in as well!

This journey isn’t about jumping on bandwagons or influencing my community; it’s about discovering a method that resonates with my very physical essence. And perhaps, in time, it’ll be a beacon for others close to me.

Here’s what I’ve learned: the art of practice is intertwined with self-empathy. By repeatedly striving for clarity amidst chaos, we learn to be kinder to ourselves, celebrating not just our achievements but the journey itself. 🎉