I’m an advocate for leave it blank with a caveat, I add photos and stickers and washi tape. And I would simply put a one line sentence. Was sick, or too busy at work or didn’t feel like writing. But then if you fill it with color and or photos when you flip back through then you know why you didn’t write but you have beautiful pages while will hopefully make you smile.
I've recently started a commonplace book and putting on your videos in the background while I write in it is such a big comfort to me, please never stop making these! Lots of love from Italy💚
i just found you and have been watching s few of your videos today. Most of them very timely, thanks for posting your thought processes. This one though, I'm not very far in as I leave this comment cause it was very weird to hear my own experience in feb and mar being told by someone else haha. I also got the flu, the dealt with like a week long migraine, some severe fatigue issues on top of my normal ones, and have been having mental health issue since the flu and had to not post a lot on my channel because of all of it. I usually always get a migraine after getting an illness. Glad you're doing better. I'm currently backfilling some things as I watch this video.
Ahhh thank you for watching the videos! And I'm sorry to hear your Feb/March were so tough too. It seems a lot of us had a really bad time. Here's to April being a better one for all of us!
I was also feeling stressed leaving blank pages in my first hobonichi techo, and I'm sad I abandoned that planner bc of that. So, for the next year I was determined to learn how to leave blank pages as blank pages. What I did was leaving a blank page predetermined. I scheduled it! Like: okay, March 11 is going to be the blank page of this month. So, when I did flip through the planner and watched *the blank page*, I was like "okay, that was planned, it's fine". And little by little I felt okay leaving blank pages. Now it's not an issue for me anymore. In the other hand, I think blank pages are useful by themselves, since I can see some patterns when I leave 2 blank days in a row, or even more. Also, it makes my happier to have a planner with the hole year on it, with a lots of memories, even with blank pages here and there, that not having it bc I stressed too much about not filling every single space of it and end up abandoning it.
Oh that's such a good idea, of making it a deliberate choice at first! Things always feel more manageable/"acceptable" for me if I've *chosen* to do them, so, this seems like a great way of getting used to leaving things blank. Thanks so much for the suggestion! :)
Welcome back, glad that you're feeling better 😊 it is very sweet of you to include my ideas in your journal&video for yourself and others to see 💕😊 Hope the rest of march will be better and less stressful for you😊💕
So glad to see you back! You're my favourite planner @ TH-cam, idk, you channel seems more real, you know? Your ideas and suggestions make more sense to my day to day life, and my journaling routine changed after your channel, so thanks! ❤
Yay!! Hi!! Sorry to hear you haven’t been well! That book washi at the start is to die for omg. Need 6 rolls immediately 😂 I need to backfill too/ not have ANY white space. I usually just put quotes or random history notes or a playlist of songs I’m loving at the moment etc. I’m autistic too and have chronic depression and I find the second my routines go out of balance, both get harder to deal with. Routines are 1 of the most effective coping mechanisms for me in all aspects of health for me I’ve found!
Thank you for the kind words!!! I wish I could give a shop for the book washi but it was a gift... I remember it was from a random shop in Edinburgh which probably isn't helpful 😅 glad to hear it's not just me who hates the white space - and also deeply relate to routines being such powerful coping mechanisms!! Hope you're doing well 🥰
Hi Ellie! So glad to have you back and that you're feeling better 😊 Regarding the blank page-phobia - I am similar to you in that regard. What helped me is a) explaining the empty pages on the next page I'll journal on and like crossing them out (you can do it in pencil if you don't feel like committing 😂) Or may you could do a sticker collage or put a bigger sticker on that page. Or you know - racoon memes also speak volumes 😂 March is always a pain in the butt (at least for me). Wish you all the energy to get through it. At least spring is coming 🌷
Oooooh all great ideas - especially the raccoon memes, of course 😂 I'd not even thought about crossing out the page but that's such a simple yet effective way of dealing with it! Hope you're having a good March, or at least getting through it - spring is indeed on the way! 🥰
It never occurred to me to backlog until I saw a video recently where someone did it. I always saw writing entries on days that had passed to be "cheating." I feel like I need to remember the days I didn't write.
See that seems like a much less stressful way to do it!! I always feel so "wrong" leaving blank pages, but people in the comments here pointed out that blank pages tell their own story!
A little tip for the letter r: look at a handlettered word where there is a r in it. Look at it as a picture, as it is an object, eg. a vase or an apple, and copy that picture. This can help with breaking the way you used to write it. Repetition is key! (Back to the video.)
maybe instead of doing an undated, and running out of pages.. why not add a stalogy to your set up? thats what I do... in the cousin I just write a recap for the day... if I need more space then I will go to my stalogy and write 5 pages... I don't always need that many pages which is why I do love the cousin. Whatever you come up with, as long as it works for you -- thats all that matters. I also can NOT leave pages blank.... so I will fill it up with quotes, notes, stickers, ephemra, literally whatever will fill the page lol
You know you're not the only person to mention how good Stalogy is in the last few days! Definitely need to consider it for the future by the sounds of it 😅 For now I've gone with a Planner Monkey Co Freely Noted!
Hello ellie! i am new to you and really enjoying listening to you and learning from you, so thank you so much for being here. I had a stroke and I’m mid-60’s, how do you get the little square / rect photos? I presume the other things like the pretty wee roses are a kind of sticker? I also enjoy writing gratitude but when it seems I’m like a broken record and not very authentic I lose interest for a few days. I also enjoy writing quotes! I am trying to come out of a lengthy depression and you and your channel is good medicine for me. Thank you so kindly, ellie! ~kari on the West Coast of Canada 🐝🌸🐝
Hi Kari! Thank you so much for the kind words, and sorry to hear about your physical/mental health struggles - I hope the depression passes soon ❤ for the photos, I just use my regular cheap desk printer, I think it's a Canon TS3300 - I'm always so surprised at how well they turn out!!
This was a lovely video, even though you DID do a lot of rambling, lol. But it wasn't unbearable like some people's ramblings are. Some people I just have to shut off their video and move on to something else because I can't stand them going on and on. Your ramblings at least had a theme and stuck to the point mostly. This is the first video of yours I've seen. I hope to see more. I liked your ideas and thought you polling your watchers was a good idea. As for me and empty pages, I can have a few but they can't be all together. There has to be some writing or stickers or writing AND stickers in the long stretches of blank pages, or else it drives me nuts. I skipped lots of February as I felt like the Hobonichi Cousin grid was so small, I can't really write comfortably. But I found a way around that...I write two lines, then skip a line, then two more, then skip again. So it's not as sparse as skipping every other line, but it still gives me room to write. Anyway, thank you for the video!
I’m an advocate for leave it blank with a caveat, I add photos and stickers and washi tape. And I would simply put a one line sentence. Was sick, or too busy at work or didn’t feel like writing. But then if you fill it with color and or photos when you flip back through then you know why you didn’t write but you have beautiful pages while will hopefully make you smile.
That's such a lovely idea - a mood booster for the future! 🥰
I've recently started a commonplace book and putting on your videos in the background while I write in it is such a big comfort to me, please never stop making these! Lots of love from Italy💚
Oh that's made my day, thank you so much! 🥺❤️
i just found you and have been watching s few of your videos today. Most of them very timely, thanks for posting your thought processes. This one though, I'm not very far in as I leave this comment cause it was very weird to hear my own experience in feb and mar being told by someone else haha. I also got the flu, the dealt with like a week long migraine, some severe fatigue issues on top of my normal ones, and have been having mental health issue since the flu and had to not post a lot on my channel because of all of it. I usually always get a migraine after getting an illness. Glad you're doing better. I'm currently backfilling some things as I watch this video.
Ahhh thank you for watching the videos! And I'm sorry to hear your Feb/March were so tough too. It seems a lot of us had a really bad time. Here's to April being a better one for all of us!
This is why I chose a hobonichi a5 notebook for journaling. If I miss a day it doesn't matter and if I need more than 1 page I have that option too.
A really good choice tbh - their notebooks are beautiful and the flexibility is so valuable!
I was also feeling stressed leaving blank pages in my first hobonichi techo, and I'm sad I abandoned that planner bc of that. So, for the next year I was determined to learn how to leave blank pages as blank pages.
What I did was leaving a blank page predetermined. I scheduled it! Like: okay, March 11 is going to be the blank page of this month. So, when I did flip through the planner and watched *the blank page*, I was like "okay, that was planned, it's fine". And little by little I felt okay leaving blank pages. Now it's not an issue for me anymore.
In the other hand, I think blank pages are useful by themselves, since I can see some patterns when I leave 2 blank days in a row, or even more. Also, it makes my happier to have a planner with the hole year on it, with a lots of memories, even with blank pages here and there, that not having it bc I stressed too much about not filling every single space of it and end up abandoning it.
Oh that's such a good idea, of making it a deliberate choice at first! Things always feel more manageable/"acceptable" for me if I've *chosen* to do them, so, this seems like a great way of getting used to leaving things blank. Thanks so much for the suggestion! :)
Welcome back, glad that you're feeling better 😊 it is very sweet of you to include my ideas in your journal&video for yourself and others to see 💕😊 Hope the rest of march will be better and less stressful for you😊💕
Thank you so much for the kind words, and for your ideas! It was my pleasure to share them 🥰
Feb and March does feel like it is as twice as fast as the whole of January!! Do feel better!
It really does!! Time is weird 😅 Thank you!
Aww you wrote my idea about recipes 🥰 that’s so sweet of you 💕 welcome back by the way! Very nice video, I enjoyed watching it 💕
I did! It's also made me want to start collecting more recipes so I have more to write down 🥰 thanks for the kind words!
Love the video and ideas. Really like the idea of making blank pages journal prompts.
8:36 😂😂 hate that
Thank you so much for the kind words 🥰 and for understanding the struggle at 8:36 😂
So glad to see you back! You're my favourite planner @ TH-cam, idk, you channel seems more real, you know? Your ideas and suggestions make more sense to my day to day life, and my journaling routine changed after your channel, so thanks! ❤
Oh thank you so much - this really means a lot! So happy to hear you enjoy the videos. I hope you're enjoying your new journalling routine! 🥰
these are all such great ideas! thanks so much for sharing. 💛 also your nails are so cuuute! ☺️
Ahhhhh thank you! You're too kind
Yay!! Hi!! Sorry to hear you haven’t been well!
That book washi at the start is to die for omg. Need 6 rolls immediately 😂
I need to backfill too/ not have ANY white space. I usually just put quotes or random history notes or a playlist of songs I’m loving at the moment etc.
I’m autistic too and have chronic depression and I find the second my routines go out of balance, both get harder to deal with. Routines are 1 of the most effective coping mechanisms for me in all aspects of health for me I’ve found!
Thank you for the kind words!!! I wish I could give a shop for the book washi but it was a gift... I remember it was from a random shop in Edinburgh which probably isn't helpful 😅 glad to hear it's not just me who hates the white space - and also deeply relate to routines being such powerful coping mechanisms!! Hope you're doing well 🥰
Like your journal layout
Thank you so much! 🥰
Hi Ellie!
So glad to have you back and that you're feeling better 😊 Regarding the blank page-phobia - I am similar to you in that regard. What helped me is a) explaining the empty pages on the next page I'll journal on and like crossing them out (you can do it in pencil if you don't feel like committing 😂) Or may you could do a sticker collage or put a bigger sticker on that page. Or you know - racoon memes also speak volumes 😂
March is always a pain in the butt (at least for me). Wish you all the energy to get through it. At least spring is coming 🌷
Oooooh all great ideas - especially the raccoon memes, of course 😂 I'd not even thought about crossing out the page but that's such a simple yet effective way of dealing with it! Hope you're having a good March, or at least getting through it - spring is indeed on the way! 🥰
Yay you’re back! Also LOVE that nail color on you 🩵
Ahhhh thank you so much!! I did love it, definitely going for it again in the next brief period when I leave my goth nails phase 😅
@@ellesbooks to be fair I’m also obsessed with the goth nails
@@torionpaper ⚰️🧛♀️🖤
It never occurred to me to backlog until I saw a video recently where someone did it. I always saw writing entries on days that had passed to be "cheating." I feel like I need to remember the days I didn't write.
See that seems like a much less stressful way to do it!! I always feel so "wrong" leaving blank pages, but people in the comments here pointed out that blank pages tell their own story!
Wonderful video❤ do you remember where you got the sticker on your journal page of 2/24/24? I love the journal and coffee sticker
Thank you 🥰 and yes! It was from Stick With Kate, she has a beautiful sheet of coffee + journal illustrations!
I haven't watched a movie in awhile either. but I've binged multiple seasons of csi and elementary. I don't get it. 😆
Honestly excellent choices though!!! You can’t beat a good binge watch of a crime drama 😅
A little tip for the letter r: look at a handlettered word where there is a r in it. Look at it as a picture, as it is an object, eg. a vase or an apple, and copy that picture. This can help with breaking the way you used to write it. Repetition is key! (Back to the video.)
Ooooh thank you so much for this tip! Super smart, I'll be using it :)
maybe instead of doing an undated, and running out of pages.. why not add a stalogy to your set up? thats what I do... in the cousin I just write a recap for the day... if I need more space then I will go to my stalogy and write 5 pages... I don't always need that many pages which is why I do love the cousin. Whatever you come up with, as long as it works for you -- thats all that matters. I also can NOT leave pages blank.... so I will fill it up with quotes, notes, stickers, ephemra, literally whatever will fill the page lol
You know you're not the only person to mention how good Stalogy is in the last few days! Definitely need to consider it for the future by the sounds of it 😅 For now I've gone with a Planner Monkey Co Freely Noted!
Hello ellie! i am new to you and really enjoying listening to you and learning from you, so thank you so much for being here. I had a stroke and I’m mid-60’s, how do you get the little square / rect photos? I presume the other things like the pretty wee roses are a kind of sticker? I also enjoy writing gratitude but when it seems I’m like a broken record and not very authentic I lose interest for a few days. I also enjoy writing quotes! I am trying to come out of a lengthy depression and you and your channel is good medicine for me. Thank you so kindly, ellie! ~kari on the West Coast of Canada 🐝🌸🐝
Hi Kari! Thank you so much for the kind words, and sorry to hear about your physical/mental health struggles - I hope the depression passes soon ❤ for the photos, I just use my regular cheap desk printer, I think it's a Canon TS3300 - I'm always so surprised at how well they turn out!!
I print or draw a random photo of my cat on my blank pages.
I love that so much 😂
This was a lovely video, even though you DID do a lot of rambling, lol. But it wasn't unbearable like some people's ramblings are. Some people I just have to shut off their video and move on to something else because I can't stand them going on and on. Your ramblings at least had a theme and stuck to the point mostly. This is the first video of yours I've seen. I hope to see more. I liked your ideas and thought you polling your watchers was a good idea. As for me and empty pages, I can have a few but they can't be all together. There has to be some writing or stickers or writing AND stickers in the long stretches of blank pages, or else it drives me nuts. I skipped lots of February as I felt like the Hobonichi Cousin grid was so small, I can't really write comfortably. But I found a way around that...I write two lines, then skip a line, then two more, then skip again. So it's not as sparse as skipping every other line, but it still gives me room to write. Anyway, thank you for the video!
Thank you so much for the kind words and for watching - glad you enjoyed the video! 🥰 Smart idea to deliberately space out the lines in the Cousin!
How am I so early!?
😄 thank you for being here!!!