24 Self Care Bullet Journal Ideas for OPTIMAL MENTAL HEALTH

“Self-care is not selfish. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.” Oh, how so very true, novelist Eleanor Brown, yet how often this gets neglected in our everyday life. Let’s end shortchanging ourselves with these ideas for using a bullet journal for mental health and self care. Because you’re worth it.

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Why use a bullet journal as a mental health tracker and for self care

Bullet journaling is a life organization system that helps you reflect on the past and plan for your future, making it perfect for this purpose of improving mental health and self care. Taking the time and effort to care about yourself can do wonders, such as giving you:

an incredible boost to your confidence, energy, efficiency, and overall happiness
insight into who you are as a person, making you more attuned to your feelings and mentality
the opportunity to clear your mind, decompress, and gain mindfulness
the tools and information you need to continually improve yourself for the better

(via The Bullet Journal Addict)

The biggest obstacle stopping you and how to overcome it

You already know the answer to this: it’s YOU. And even though you also “know” the things I’m about to say, it’s worth repeating to remind ourselves that:

YOU are important.
You are NOT selfish for putting yourself first. You cannot help others to the fullest if you aren’t at your best capacity. And for all you do, you DESERVE this.
Caring about yourself will increase your positivity, which we could all use a little more of in this world.
You are the best equipped to do this for yourself. Only you know EXACTLY what will do you good.

Also, please, please, please remember that you shouldn’t get caught up if you do fall short of these goals for self-care or mental wellness. It’s always a work in progress, and progress holds more merit than doing things for the sake of checking them off a list every day.

Now let’s get into the self care and mental health bullet journal spreads.

What makes you happy/things you love

This feel-good spread is a good one to start off with since it shouldn’t be too hard to get going. The act of doodling can also be therapeutic. (via Pin source)

Inspirational quotes

Quotes are great motivators when you need a little push. Try your hand at some simple hand lettering techniques to give those quotes a little extra oomph. (via Pin source)

Daily affirmation journal

Take the idea of quotes up a notch with daily affirmations. These are just short, powerful phrases to tell yourself each day to encourage you to manifest your goals. It may seem weird the first few times you try this, but saying these to yourself in the mirror will help with your mindset and how you approach your day. (via @thejournalishome)

Bullet journal compliment log

As you’re building these positive statements, think about what others have complimented you on or say they like about you for further affirmation and boost to your self-confidence. (via Pin source)

Things you love about yourself

Ride the momentum of positivity by coming up with your own list of things you like about yourself. (via @pepperandtwine)

Things to improve on

It would also be good to come up with a list of habits or traits you’d like to change for the better because our goal in life should always be to strive towards the best version of ourselves. I suggest doing this after creating the spreads about what others and you love about you because hopefully the confidence that you built up will translate into a more constructive list of things to improve rather than a self-destructive list of you putting yourself down. (via @pepperandtwine)

Undo list

To help you set a plan for how you can improve yourself, create an undo list of the things you can stop doing that are hindering you from being the best you. (via @passionplanner)

Bullet journal mood tracker

It is also important for you to be in tune with your emotional self. Tracking your moods in your bullet journal is a great way to get a hold of your feelings over a certain period of time. (via Mommy Over Work)

Bullet journal mental health tracker and trigger tracking

You can also delve further with a dedicated spread for bullet journal mental health, like this one, to help you identify triggers for changes in your mental health. (via Lindsay Braman)

Wellness tracker

You could also do an overall wellness tracker for your bullet journal. Keep tabs on the things that you deem important, such as happiness, calmness, fulfillment, physical health, and energy shown in the bullet journal page below. (via @ohayobento)

Things to bring you up when feeling down

There will be times you’re just not feeling it, so create a list of simple pick-me-ups to lift your spirits when the not-so-happy times come. (via @passionplanner)

I’m done list

To limit the negativity that you do come across, come up with a list of things that you’re done doing or feeling and say buh-bye to them. (via Pin source)

Bullet journal anxiety and depression

There will also be times when you worry and feel stressed or anxious. List ways to help you de-stress and decompress to recenter yourself. (via Pin source)

Bullet journal self care

Create a spread of bullet journal self care ideas so you can give yourself a little TLC. (via @bulletbyx)

DIY spa day

You can create a page like this to help you maximize your me time. Having it planned out like so makes it more likely that you’ll follow through with it because who wouldn’t look forward to a day of being pampered like this? (via Little Coffee Fox)

Fitness bullet journal health spreads

Don't forget that your physical health is very much as important as mental health for overall self-care. Find tons of great physical fitness bullet journal health ideas. (via Mommy Over Work)

Bullet journal gratitude

A gratitude log to remember the positive things that bring a smile to your face is a great mood booster. Making it a habit to reflect on at least one thing you’re grateful for each day is even better. (via Pin source)

Acts of kindness

What better way to find something to be grateful for each day than with acts of kindness? You’ll not only make someone else’s day, but it will improve yours as well. (via Boho Berry)

Bullet journal brain dump

A brain dump exercise every once in a while also does you good. Take all those chaotic thoughts running through your mind and put them onto paper. This will free up space in that busy brain of yours, and by putting it down, you can find some time to visually organize your thoughts so you don’t become anxious or overwhelmed by everything you have going on. (via @christina77star)

Bullet journal memories

A memory log allows you to reflect and remember the good things in life. Your memories can be written as a traditional diary entry, all in doodles, or a combination of both. (via @the.petite.planner)

Healthy 30 day challenge

If you struggle to incorporate me time in your daily schedule, you can turn it into a challenge. Create a list of 5 or so tasks, and set up to do at least one a day. (via Pin source)

Intention wheel

Be mindful of your mental health and overall wellbeing with an intention wheel. This is like an ultimate bullet journal habit tracker for self-care, with a list of things you can do to hit all areas of wellness and trying your best to hit all of them each day. (via Tiny Ray of Sunshine)

Me time schedule

And because I really want to drive home the importance of taking care of yourself, I leave you with spread, a checklist of things you can do for self-care with a goal of getting a few done each week. You can do this! (via @bulletjournalcollection)

With these bullet journal for mental health and self care ideas, you’ll not only remind yourself of the importance of taking care of yourself, but prioritize and schedule the necessary (and much-deserved) me time. You (and those around you) will totally thank you for it!

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