How I Use AI as a Tool (Not a Crutch)

So… AI Is Everywhere Now

Everyone uses AI these days – even if they don’t realize it. To some degree, it’s baked into everything, including our search bars.

I remember having to get up to change the channel on the TV… and adjusting the tin foil on the antenna.

Now the TV tells me what I should watch – and gets cranky when it has to fight the invisible airwaves of WiFi to gain priority over my kids playing Roblox on their tablets.

Some people love it. Some people hate it. Just like anything else.

Doesn’t matter – it’s not going anywhere.

May as well make use of it…

The Real Problems with AI

AI has issues. Real ones.

Environmental cost. Privacy concerns. Job disruption. Hallucinations.

It can absolutely feed into antisocial behavior – why ask people for advice when a bot is fast, available, and (sometimes) more helpful?

(Still… go talk to your people. Even the mildly useless ones. This is your sign to schedule a coffee date.)

It can make you lazy if you let it. But so could TV, and we survived that era (sort of).

There are real concerns about deepfakes, cybersecurity, and where all of this could lead long-term.

But… like anything powerful, it cuts both ways.

Where AI Actually Helps

It can save a lot of time and money. Especially for creators – having an “assistant” that helps you think, organize, and refine ideas is huge.

It can support creativity. When I was learning leatherworking, I asked it a million questions after doing my own research and experimentation. It didn’t just tell me what I was doing wrong, it helped me understand why on a deeper level.

It can act as a support tool for mental health – not a replacement for therapy, but something to help you process between sessions. No burnout, no bias, just space to think.

It’s already being used in professional settings – medical, legal, and beyond. Ideally with actual human oversight (please let there be oversight).

And honestly? It can just… explain things better sometimes. More patience, more clarity.

Used well, it’s not a crutch – it’s leverage.

The AI Tools I Actually Use

ChatGPT – Yep. I get the criticisms, and they’re fair. But I don’t pay for it, I don’t overshare, and it works well for what I need. So I use it.

Claude – I’ve been experimenting with it more lately. Different feel, interesting responses. Still exploring.

Rosebud – A reflection app powered by AI. I’ve used it on and off for over a year. It’s helpful but it gets repetitive, so I started building my own version elsewhere.

Perplexity – My go-to for quick, concise answers. Especially more current or factual stuff.

Gemini – Hard to avoid if you use Google. I mostly like it for image generation – it fits my style better than most.

NotebookLM – Very interested in this one. The ability to “talk to” your own information is incredibly useful, especially for things like manuals or research.

Copilot – It’s fine. I mostly use it for image generation options at this point.

How I Actually Use AI (Day-to-Day)

AI enhances what I do – it doesn’t replace it.

It isn’t something to rely on – it’s something to work with.

For me, it’s a tool. And tools are only as good as the person using them.

Learning

At one point, I had ChatGPT help me build a combined philosophy & psychology curriculum. We set parameters, and it mapped out topics, readings, and writing prompts. Honestly, it was a lot of fun.

Homeschooling

I don’t rely on it heavily, but it’s great for brainstorming unit studies and lesson ideas tailored to my kids’ interests and ages.

Reflection

I mentioned experimenting beyond Rosebud – building my own reflection systems using different bots. Still early, but promising. Might turn it into a post (or even an app… someday, maybe 😆).

Blogging

This is where it really shines for me.

I keep a Notion database full of topic ideas, and those pages can get messy fast. When they do, I’ll drop everything into ChatGPT and have it ask me clarifying questions, then organize it into a clean outline (using my actual notes & ideas) that I can actually work with.

After writing, I’ll have it review for clarity, grammar, and flow – not to rewrite, just to point things out.

Then I use it for titles, SEO ideas, social captions, and image brainstorming.

That’s it.

I ignore anything I disagree with. It knows that.

And it saves me hours of overthinking.

Your Move

AI isn’t going anywhere.

So the real question is –

are you going to let it make you passive…

or are you going to use it to become sharper, faster, and more intentional?

Your move.

What do you actually use AI for? I’d love to hear where you stand.

If you liked this post, feel free to like, share, & subscribe if you’re new 💚

Stay real. Stay loud. And rock the fuck on. 💚🤘🏻

Capacities Finally Clicked for Me (Here’s What I Was Doing Wrong)

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Why Capacities Didn’t Click (At First)

I heard about Capacities a year or so ago – everyone on YouTube seemed to be comparing it to Notion and Obsidian.

I love Notion. Obsidian, honestly, looks like a clusterfuck waiting to happen with the way my brain works.

I liked the idea of it, but I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how to make it work effectively. Until one day…

What Capacities Actually Is (Without the Buzzwords)

So, Capacities is a “PKM” (”personal knowledge management”) platform, available on the web & as an app.

What makes it different from most PKM platforms is that it uses “objects” in place of folder or topic hierarchies, which helps to tie things together more easily. They do offer an idea map like Obsidian does, which I think looks really cool, but I haven’t found a practical use for it yet 😅

It’s been available for public use for over 3 years now, and they’re always trying to make it more intuitive. They, of course, have AI integrated, but I don’t know anything about it (I think it requires a paid plan, but I’m not sure).

What Finally Made It Work for Me

I was watching a video on YouTube about using Apple Notes for daily logging, & it made something click in my head about how to use Capacities…

You don’t start with tags & pages, you build them off your daily notes!

The base of Capacities seems to be their “daily note”, which you can customize with a template if you’d like.

So, I started doing “interstitial journaling” (a Bullet Journal term) in my daily notes, and added pages & tags as I saw fit.

Those tags & pages become their own pages, where every related note is already connected and visible – no copying, no organizing gymnastics. (I must point out, though – “pages” have static space for notes to add to the “object”, while “tags” don’t. Just something to bear in mind)

For things like PKM, I feel like Capacities is much more flawless than Notion. It almost feels less organized – but it isn’t. It’s just organized in a way that actually matches how many peoples’ brains work.

I’ll obviously still use Notion for almost everything, but I’ve been enjoying playing with Capacities for about a month now. I like that I have pages for restaurants (so I know what to order next time I go there), shopping (so I know where to find unique items I’ve discovered), & I even have a “lawyer” page to keep track of some current bullshit (lol 😭) – being able to see everything connected in one place, without copying & pasting or forcing it into a system, is honestly kind of a relief.

Final Thoughts (Is It Worth It?)

Now that I actually understand how to use it, I really like Capacities. It’s simple, intuitive, and unexpectedly kind of fun.

If you’ve tried it and bounced off, try giving it another shot – I’d love to hear how you use it!

Stay real. Stay loud. And rock the fuck on. 💚🤘🏻

Romanticizing Your Life: A Mindful Rebellion Against Numb Living

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I stumbled across the idea of “romanticizing your life” a while back, & it kind of struck me – why would you really want to romanticize anything else?

Little did I know, this phrase was a “trend” (I’m always out of the loop, which is where I belong 😅).

To me, romanticizing your life isn’t about aesthetic perfection, pretending everything is awesome, or assuming you’re failing if your life isn’t curated like it belongs in an art gallery.

It’s simply holding the mindset of presence & intent throughout your days. It’s a way of looking at the ordinary moments. It’s practicing mindfulness.

Romanticizing your life is about attention, not aesthetics.

What It Actually Looks Like (In Real Life)

Noticing Small Sparks

The fleeting moments that make you pause, such as snow glittering in the sunshine or a genuine smile from a stranger. Always be looking for insight, hope, meaning, joy – no one can give it to you, you need to find it for yourself. And you absolutely can, the more you look for it.

I try to write down the little things throughout the day that I enjoy, as part of my journaling practice. It’s uplifting to read even a year or so down the road & remember how the surplus of birds chirping in the big tree on the side of my house made me feel in that moment. 🥰

Hesitating in Boring Moments

Before grabbing your phone to numb out all of your boredom and stress, ask yourself : What do I actually want to be doing right now?

Is there anything that could make this moment more fulfilling?

Treating Ordinary Moments as Worth Recording

Not because they’re impressive or profound to anyone (including you), but because they’re yours.

All the little moments put together are the story of your life. It’s worth making notes of. (And, perhaps, sharing?)

Why Journaling Matters Here : Time Blur & Memory

I always feel like everything I do throughout the weeks just blends together – days feel like weeks, weeks like months, and so on – and I’m left feeling like nothing’s actually happened.

That’s why I review my daily notes often. I condense dailies into weeklies, weeklies into monthlies, and so on – It helps me get a clearer perspective on what I’ve accomplished, what fun I’ve had, and what insights I’ve gained over time. And why.

For me, journaling throughout the day and planning joy for the future are anchors in time. Control over future feelings. Proof that I’m living my life (not just existing). And forcing my perception of time to slow down by paying attention to it as it passes.

When you document your life, time stops erasing it.

Romanticizing Your Life as Self-Choice

You don’t need permission to enjoy your life.

You need to choose yourself inside the roles you play in your life.

As a wife & mom, I constantly feel guilt pulling at my heartstrings for craving autonomy & independence. But I’m not just a wife & mom – I’m a badass 😉

I know who the fuck I am, and I need to go out into the world & just be me sometimes – going to concerts by myself, running errands by myself, taking myself out to sushi & write in the dining area at Wegman’s. I love my family, & I do plenty of fun stuff with them.

But presence includes choosing to honor yourself & your needs, not disappearing into obligation.

Tools That Support the Perspective

Even amidst times of chaos, these are tools that have supported my passion for living my life. Of course, these are ideas, not requirements.

Journaling – (If you haven’t noticed, I’m quite a fan.) Even when I’m tired or have had a boring day, I’ll at least write a simple word in my monthly log to summarize the day. Even if that word is “BLEH!”

Planning – (Also a fan.) Planners are fun because they can be used for a lot of things beyond tracking dreadful appointments. Because I homeschool my kids, I abuse my planner, but it definitely helps me figure out where & when I can fit in adventures to local hiking spots or museums (with or without the fam). However, planners can also be used as memory keepers – I make one for my husband every year, using a “Hobonichi Weeks” style planner, where I write a highlight of the day every day & add photos weekly. Just an idea. 😊

Weekly / Monthly Reflections – I make sure that I browse through my daily notes once a week to reflect on what I’ve done & contemplated, and compile the useful stuff onto its own page; sometimes I’ll expand on those notes, sometimes I don’t. Monthly, I review my weekly reflections & do the same thing. This process gives me a lot of valuable perspective over time.

Who This Is For

You. If you’ve read this far, this is definitely for you.

You crave beauty & fulfillment but hate bullshit
Maybe you feel bored, stuck, or numb
You want more meaning without blowing up your life
You feel something missing but don’t want a fantasy fix

Romanticize your life by paying attention & living each moment with intention.

You don’t need a better life — you need to be present in the one you have.

Document one ordinary moment today. Get sensual about it, if you want – “that sip of coffee was perfectly warm on this frigid day, and slapped me to attention like a sumo wrestler warming up for a match”.

And plan one small, meaningful thing – just for you. (Even it’s just grocery store sushi.)

If this resonated, share it with someone who’s tired of numb scrolling — or bookmark it for the next time time feels slippery.

Rock on! 💚

Where I’m At #17

Where I'm At

*BooBoo loves this AI altered photo of her hehe*

“Where I’m at” posts are just updates about what’s going on in my life, based on the areas / roles in my life.

planner : I’m pretty excited, actually 🫠 I’m hoping to get back into planning parties this year, starting with our annual Crockpot & Retro Video Games party this month. I think it’ll be fun. Homeschool planning & meal planning are done for the month, so…yippie. And we gotta pick a day to go bowling!
self : Doing…pretty good, lol. Winter has my whole body, especially my sinuses, pretty cranky – no humidifier is powerful enough for this shit! But I’m been maintaining my mindful diet (for the most part) & my exercise routines (which I altered to allow for daily yoga, tai chi, & meditation). I’m not really losing much weight, but I’m not gaining any either! So that’s good. And despite occasional brain fog (cuz I sleep like absolute shit), I’m getting a bit more clear headed. I think. And I’ve been making more time for creative pursuits, which is pretty fulfilling.
marriage : Doing pretty good. We’re always trying to find ways to adjust & keep ourselves (& each other) entertained, hehe
mom (BooBoo & Bubby) : The girls are good. Again, no injuries to report, so…yay 😅 They’re both having a lot of fun with the kid’s makeup kit I got Bubby for her birthday. Oh, we went to Rainforest Cafe for Bubby’s bday, per her request. She loves that place!

homeschool teacher (1st grade & PK) : School’s going well. Bubby’s really enjoying the “Playing Preschool” curriculum, & she’s learning a lot, but she does miss doing computer work heh. BooBoo loves math (she even wrote up some math facts for Bubby on her birthday card, to “help her out for next year” lol!), and she also loves learning to play the “piano” (the keyboard we got for Xmas), especially the YouTube tutorials for K Pop Demon Hunters songs 🤪
zenBLITZ : Doing pretty good here. I’m ahead enough on my blog posts, and I created a “quote board” to post favorite quotes on my Facebook page. No progress on my novella, though – I haven’t had much time (or urge) to work on it lately, but that’s fine. I’ve been doing quite a bit of leather crafting & crochet, when I have time.

*She’s more enthused than she looks, I swear 😂*

homemaker (finance, cleaning, gardening, prepping, travel) : Yeah. Whatever. LOL. So help me god, we will being taking a trip this year!!!
witch : Daily yoga & meditation has been plenty fulfilling for me lately, hehe

Currently

eating – Soup. I love me some soup. 😋

drinking – Tea, wine, Skrewball peanut butter whiskey in my coffee sometimes

watching – The Traitors, Doom Patrol, leathercraft videos on YouTube

reading – Tao Te Ching, The History of Love by Nicole Krauss, & I just finished Show Your Work by Austin Kleon. I also finished “The Last Time They Met” by Anita Shreve, don’t know if I mentioned that – holy fuck what a slap in the face!

playing – Coin Master, Roblox

buying – Stuff I might need next month because I need a “no buy” month 😅

listening to – Saviors (album) by Green Day – Goodnight Adeline 💚

celebrating – Valentine’s Day? Candlemas! (Being halfway through this very wintery winter is definitely worth celebrating!)

pinning – self care, leatherworking, cigar box alterations, sewing tips, & traveler’s notebooks

planning – To try to have some fun next month!

feeling – Excited about journaling & leatherworking 😊

The Annual Digital Declutter: A Practical Guide to Cleaning Up Your Digital Life

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Why Your Digital Life Needs an Audit

Your digital life is your second home – So why let it turn into a dumpster fire of random files and endless notifications? Do you really need screenshots of that recipe from 3 years ago?

The mental load of digital clutter distracts from creativity, focus, and growth. That’s not to mention the importance of securing your accounts and cutting down on unnecessary digital footprints.

It’s time to reclaim your digital life on your terms. I do this at least once a year, and I always feel like everything’s so much easier to deal with afterwards!

The Manifesto for a Digital Audit

In brief : Keep what’s relevant, and what empowers you. Delete what doesn’t. When in doubt or overwhelm, archive ruthlessly into the searchable abyss.
The PARA Method (Stop Scrolling) can be applied to almost anything that can be organized and searched.
This is about freedom, not perfection.
There is no “one size fits all” system – Do what works for you.

The Checklist

I tried to be inclusive, so not everything will apply to you. Do whatever you need to do. It may help to rearrange this list by which device it makes the most sense for you to work on each task (for example, laptop, phone, or tablet) – An analog mind map might help with organizing, or a digital file.

It might also help to review this list and select your top 3 areas : What stresses you out most? Where do you spend the most time looking for what you need? Start there.

Again, this isn’t about becoming a productivity robot — it’s about reducing friction in your real life.

In no particular order, here we go…

Email – Aim for “Inbox Zero”

Unsubscribe from any boring junk
Flag spam as such
Set up folders / labels for organizing essentials
Create filters for automation (if that would be helpful)
Create a separate “junk email” that you never bother to check
Create a spicy auto reply (”I’m busy doing awesome things, I’ll get back to you ASAP!”)
Phone stuff : voicemails, texts, contacts

Cloud and device files and stuff

Delete or archive old or unnecessary files (duplicate photos, outdated documents)
Organize other files into intuitive folders (use PARA, organize by year, or both!)
Backup important files (only important files!)
Consider backing up to an external hard drive
Delete unused apps, programs, and home screen distractions
Clean up desktop, and downloads folders
Update software and apps you do use
Utilize your computer’s built in disk cleanup, storage optimization, defrag; clear cookies & cache
List cloud files to tackle (ie Google Photos, Google Drive, etc)
Clean up browser bookmarks & history
Turn off any annoying notifications

Social Media

List the social media you use (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, etc)
Unfollow accounts that are inactive or don’t add any value to your headspace
Audit your profiles for authenticity
Check privacy settings
Avoid oversharing!
Clean up saved posts and playlists

Security and Passwords

Consider using a password manager
Update weak or repeated passwords
Enable two factor authentication on important accounts (Google, banks, etc)
Check for and remove old accounts
Update security software

Subscriptions and Permissions

Cancel services you no longer use or need ($5 subscriptions add up!)
Audit app permissions (who really needs access to your location?!?)
List the e-commerce sites you use (Amazon, eBay, Temu, etc)
- Remove saved card info (you’ll thank me later)
- Audit wishlists

Make it Fun, & Reflective!

You could gamify the process by making a points system for every action completed, and treat yourself to rewards for milestones of points earned
Journal through the process :
- How can streamlining your digital life help you take charge of your time and energy?
- What do your digital habits reveal about your priorities?
- What do you actually need to feel organized and in control of your digital life?
- What habits led to clutter, and how can you avoid that next time?

Personally, my YouTube subscriptions were out of control, as was the spam in my email – It’s so much easier to deal with now that I’ve culled the clutter! And archiving has been my BFF for old files that I’m just not sure if I’ll need sometime in the future (but probably won’t, lol).

Tools to Simplify Your Digital Life

I don’t use password managers, but I’ve heard good things about LastPass and BitWarden.
Digital note apps : I use Notion, but Google Keep, Obsidian, Capacities, and Evernote are other good options.
Focus apps : I liked Forest when I used it, it’s cute. Freedom is another that I’ve heard of.
To do list apps : I’ve used Notion and Google Keep for that. Todoist is pretty popular. For household cleaning tasks, I’ve been using Sweepy for years!

Try & use whatever resonates with you, because you obviously don’t need all of these — pick one tool per category at most.

Embrace Your Chaos Free Digital World

Digital decluttering isn’t about perfection — it’s about making your tech support your life instead of draining it.

Start small. Pick one area. Fifteen minutes counts.

If this helped you, give it a like, share it with someone drowning in notifications, and tell me in the comments: where are you starting your digital declutter?

Rock on! 🤘💚

Goal Setting Without the Bullshit: A Flexible 6-Step Guide (Any Time of Year)

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“New year, new you!” You know that’s bullshit, on so many levels.

For one thing, pushing the reset button on the calendar year doesn’t change anything other than a number. People change over time — often quietly, unevenly, and without clean timelines – the dates don’t matter at all.

For another thing, there’s nothing wrong with you such that you need to completely “reinvent yourself” or whatever – Goals are intended for self respect, not self shaming or punishment for not being “good enough”. Everyone could benefit from improving their lives in certain ways, at certain times.

So, while I am writing this post for the new year, I’m going to share some reflections, practical steps, and a loving nudge for all of us to get our proverbial shits together whenever we need it, throughout the year.

Let’s be intentional about how we design our lives, shall we?

Step 1: Reflect Like You Mean It

(You might want to spread these reflection prompts out over a few days. Or weeks, whatever you need to do. 😉)

A. Role Review

Make a list of all of your roles in your life – whatever applies to you.

For example, mine are : myself, wife, mom, homeschool teacher, creator, & household manager.

It might seem like some of those things overlap, and they do because they’re collectively my life, but they’re also separate responsibilities.

What roles in your life carry their own responsibilities – are you a student? A volunteer? And even if your kids are adults, they still count, now just as much as ever.

Once you have your list, go through each role individually & ask yourself the following :

How do I feel about this area, as far as the associated responsibilities & the general vibe?
Why?
What, if anything, would I like to improve here?

No self judgment, just be honest.

If a role feels heavy or resentful, that’s information — not failure.

B. Define Your Ideal Life

Perfection isn’t reality.

Without that in mind, get wild with this one!

What, ideally, would make your life feel peak vibrant, authentic, & exhilarating? Spend a few minutes writing it out.

Make this personal: values-based, vision-based, aesthetic, emotional, or messy.

Dream big!

C. Optional Reflection Prompts

A few more things to ask yourself, if you’d like :

Where in my life am I proud of myself?
Where am I drained?
What’s one thing I’d change immediately if I could?

Step 2: Choose a Word of the Year

This doesn’t need to be too drawn out, and it doesn’t need to be for a whole calendar year.

Pick an anchor word to help you focus your efforts on for now – if it changes, change is good. Just pick one at a time, a truth to lean into for a while to serve as a compass & a reminder of the direction you’re going (which is forward 😉).

Examples I’ve used in the past : simplify, intent, & embody.

Write it somewhere you’ll see it regularly. Make a Canva design & hang it on your wall. Tattoo it on your arm if that’s your thing. Just don’t forget your reminder.

Step 3: The Brain Dump

Set a timer for at least five minutes and free write a list of anything on your mind. And, while you’re at it, everything.

No filtering, no performing as though it’s intended for anyone but you. Just get it all out of your head & onto paper.

Some loose categories to consider : Life + Work + Health + Wealth + Relationships. Maybe even consider some things from your “Fuck Yeah list” or childhood hobbies.

If your brain dump feels overwhelming, that’s the point — you’re emptying the clutter.

Step 4: Prioritize Intentionally

Go back through your brain dump and sort through it :

Hell Yes (non-negotiables or deeply aligned)
Maybe (park for later)
Hell No (things you’re carrying out of guilt or habit) – cross these right out

Then sort through the “Hell Yes” again, as well as your previous reflections – what things take priority for you, right now? What’s important to your wellbeing & sense of self? You really want to minimize this list as much as possible (no more than 2 or 3 things).

Step 5 : Identify the Why

For these priorities, ask yourself why those things matter to you.

Dig deep — the root motivation, the thing that will keep you going during slumps. Does it relate to your values, your identity, your direction in life?

Ask yourself – “If I lose motivation, what truth about this goal will get my ass in gear?”

Step 6: Build the Plan (Projects + Systems)

There are two main ways to execute on most goals – systems & projects.

Projects are time bound, outcome based goals with a definitive ending point. For example, planning a vacation or launching a product.

Systems are repeated behaviors, such as habits, routines, & processes. For example, I have my morning & evening routines, and our homeschool routine – all of these things include habits that better my life (& my kids), which is always the goal.

Pick no more than 1–3 major projects to work on or systems to develop to focus on this quarter.

An Optional Perspective : Experiments

If you have a bit more of a scientific mind, it may be helpful to view these new projects & systems as experiments.

Include:
- Hypothesis
- Test (action)
- Evaluate
- Implement or Pivot

“Experiments” remove failure-shame, because they’re just experiments. Try a thing, and if it doesn’t work, try something else.

Keep Yourself Accountable (Gently)

Some people like to tell their loved ones or an online community about their goals to help keep them accountable – they can keep those people updated on their progress.

While I kind of do that here on my blog a little bit, I prefer the visuals of habit tracking in my planners and reflecting regularly in my journals.

Whatever you do, choose something that feels supportive, not punishing if you don’t (or can’t) follow through.

Reflection + Adjustment

Reflection is key, especially if that’s your main accountability protocol.

Even if it’s not, you should definitely ask yourself regularly what’s working with your progress, what’s not working, and how you can make things better or easier for yourself.

For myself, I check off my habit tracker daily. Weekly, I review & see how the week went. And then monthly, I review my weekly reflections & see what I need to adjust.

Your timeframes & means of reflection may be different, but it’s essential to do if you want to see continuous improvements in life.

Real-Life Examples From My Current Goals

For nearly a year now, I’ve been focusing on a few things – my physical health, my writing & creativity, homeschooling, & my marriage. All of these things are major priorities for me for their own reasons, and that hasn’t changed.

For my health goals, I have a daily health log on Notion where I keep myself accountable for the food I eat throughout the days (I can be a bit of an “emo eater” sometimes). I keep a separate analog journal to log my weights & what exercise I do on a daily basis. Weekly, I review these logs & reflect on how I did in my analog journal. (And it’s been pretty neat seeing how my weights have changed over the course of months!)

I track what writing I get done daily in another analog notebook, and reflect on that each week as well. I never feel like I’m getting anything done, but my notebook reminds me that I do get stuff done & encourages me to keep at it!

We follow curricula for most of the girls’ homeschooling, and I’m constantly asking myself if we’re moving along at a reasonable pace. I adjust accordingly, and I keep track of progress on Notion, which makes it super easy when it comes to writing up quarterly reports!

Closing

You certainly don’t need a perfect plan to start, you just need to know where you want to go and what first steps to take on the journey.

One honest step is more powerful than a polished vision board.

Treat the coming year as an experiment in becoming more you, & let’s see where it takes us!

If you liked this post, please give it a “like”, share it with friends, and subscribe if you’re new.

If you’re comfortable, share your word of the season or one priority in the comments — I love seeing how people design their lives differently!

And if you’d like to watch a video I enjoyed that kind of plays in to what this article was about, check this out 👇

Rock on! 🤘💚

How to Choose the Right Planner for 2026 (Without Overcomplicating Your Life)

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It’s that time of year again – planner time!

With all the options out there, how do you know which one to choose? Do you even need a reinvented method?

You don’t need a “perfect system.” You need a system that actually fits your life.

Let’s try to figure that out…

Keep It Simple, Stupid. (KISS)

Some people tend to overbuild: too many trackers, too many spreads, too much pressure.

Why?

Sometimes it can be fun, but eventually you’ll likely burn yourself out.

The real red flag: you’re not using it OR it feels like it’s going to explode. Literally.

Focus on minimalism over aesthetic chaos, or too much “quantified self” data that you’ll realistically never give a shit about (ie: 12 mood trackers, tracking water intake by color, etc.)

Focus on what you actually need.

What You Really Need to Plan For

Grab a piece of paper or your journal – it’s list time!

What do you feel the need to plan for in the first place?

Everyone has universal categories :

Appointments & time-specific stuff
Goals / Habits

What else? For me personally, I also need to plan for :

Family adventures
Homeschool
Meal planning

Now ask yourself about each – Does this category make my life easier, or am I adding it because I feel like I should? Cross out the unnecessary & don’t worry about it!

The fewer categories you depend on, the longer the system lasts.

What To Do If Your System Feels Boring

Boring is fine. If it works, don’t fix it.

Consistency is boring. But boring is how you get results.

Overhaul cravings usually mean the current system never felt quite as effective as it needs to be. Ask yourself “why?”

Some small refresh ideas:

Simplify back to only the essentials
Switch up a layout
Add minimal decoration, color, or a theme
Reduce screens by intentionally using paper moments

Pre-Made Planner vs. Build-Your-Own

There are certainly benefits to both.

Pre-made = great for beginners, busy people, and those who hate setup.
DIY = great for people with unique schedules, neurodiverse brains, or flexible lifestyles.

Ask yourself : Do you want structure handed to you? Or do you want the freedom to build something more flexible?

Digital vs. Paper: Choosing Your Tools

Personally, I use both.

Notion strengths:

Holds everything.
Organizes long-term projects, archives, info-dumps, and complex systems.
Perfect for the behind-the-scenes life management.

Paper strengths:

Screen-free
Immediate
Great for daily/weekly overview
Helps cut down distractions
Good for grounding & simplicity

Hybrid = the best of both worlds.

Your planner doesn’t have to be one thing.

Avoiding Planning Fatigue

You don’t need January 1st to start fresh; you can start on any random Tuesday!

Consider your life as a collection of seasons, not years — winter rhythms vs. spring energy vs. summer chaos.

Adjust as life shifts.

(And don’t overdo it!)

My Personal Setup

As I said, I use a hybrid setup as my planning system.

Above is a screenshot of my main Notion dashboard. It’s an adaptation of Tiago Forte’s “PARA Method” (projects, areas, resources, archive) – planner, roles, interests, & archive.

For me, I don’t have any projects that aren’t related to my “roles”, so that section is just my planner – mostly a calendar & running to do lists.

“Roles” are ongoing areas of my life – mostly health (physical & mental), homeschooling, zen BLITZ, & home stuff (shopping lists, budgeting & bills, etc). Each role has its own page with its own databases – for example, my physical health has my workouts so I can cycle through them, & mental health includes my daily journal!

“Interests” holds things that aren’t directly related to my roles – so, information about people, books, restaurants, etc.

And the archive is where things go to die cuz I’ll probably never need them…but maybe I will. 😅

Obviously, you don’t need to use PARA — this is just what works for me.

And this is my Happy Planner Mini. (Nevermind the Fruit Loops stain from my kiddo – that’s part of the charm of analog 😂)

In here, I have monthly calendars so I have a nice overview of things going on, weekly overviews, and daily stuff so I don’t have to look at my phone a zillion times a day.

Obviously, I print my own paper & don’t know how to format it properly for my dumbass printer, but that’s irrelevant. It’s cheap & customizable.

This satiates my desire for a proper “Bullet Journal”. For the most part.

Review

Start with what matters and ignore everything else.
Don’t force yourself into a planner that looks good but doesn’t work.
You don’t need a brand-new system — you just need one that fits your actual life, right now.
Planning is supposed to support you, not stress you out.
Start small. Adjust as needed.

Start with what matters. Ignore the rest. If you like this vibe, hit ‘like,’ share it, and follow along — more rebellious simplicity coming soon.

Rock on! 🤘💚

Where I’m at #15

Where I'm At

*Just about finished the biggest baby blanket ever made xD*

*Starting leathercrafting – Shouldn’t be too difficult, right? LOL*

“Where I’m at” posts are just updates about what’s going on in my life, based on the areas / roles in my life.

planner : Gotta figure out what I’m giving everyone for Xmas, that’s for sure! 😆😵‍💫 I have some stuff ready, but I never feel like it’s “good enough” (I’m sure you know how that is…and it’s stupid).

self : Doing pretty good! I’ve kept up with my workouts, and I switched to a “mindful diet”, though I still use the schedule I mentioned a while ago. I haven’t been terribly cranky lately either, so that’s always good LOL! 😂 – I’ve been sticking to my routines & creating a lot of stuff, so I guess that’s keeping my mind occupied.

marriage : We’re doing well, thanks for asking 😂 We managed to get a couple date days in over the past month, which has been refreshing! 😁

mom (BooBoo & Bubby) : The girls are good, though their tempers aren’t. Heh 😑. Bubby got mad at BooBoo & threw her tablet at her, hit her smack dab in the middle of the forehead, & she’s probably gonna have a scar from it; BooBoo threw a chair for some reason the other day. So, I gotta figure out how to teach them better ways to deal with their big emotions…

homeschool teacher (1st grade & PK) : School’s going well! Now that we’re in full swing, I switched our routine up a bit & it’s been going pretty well. We’ve added some yoga & meditation into our routine, and while I work on one of them individually with the curriculum, hubby’s been working with the other on various things. Bubby’s really catching up with letter & number identification, so now I’m not sure if she’s dyslexic or not (I should just get her tested within the next year or so, I suppose).

zenBLITZ : I’m really having fun! I’ve got a bunch of blog posts ready, & I’ve started chapter 4 of my novella! Also, I’m working on crocheting a blanket for my step granddaughter, and I’ve started experimenting with leatherworking! Now I just gotta figure out how to monetize something. Anything. 😅
homemaker : Yup. Still just…yep. I’ve finally started on my “dark half of the year” house cleaning projects! So that’s good 😊👍
witch : Yoga has been fulfilling enough for me lately; I don’t really want or need anything more spiritually at the moment. 🕉️

Currently

eating – Thanksgiving ham (cuz turkey is boring lol)

drinking – mint & fruity teas

watching – antenna TV cuz my Internet is down for no good reason

reading – The Last Time They Met by Anita Shreve

playing – Roblox with my kids, when our Internet is working

buying – Xmas & bday gifts!

listening to – lofi chillhop on Pandora, at the moment

celebrating – Xmas & birthdays coming up!

pinning – sewing (leatherwork), Green Day, Xmas, jewelry (mala & Kandi bracelets)

planning – holidays & holiday homeschooling

feeling – pretty good! 😊

When Life Gets Chaotic, Prioritize Self Care

blitz

I know I’ve vaguely mentioned some family chaos that’s occurred over the past few years – It settled down a bit earlier this year, & burnout from the whole situation set in for me.

I’m still burned out. And the chaos has reignited, in (not so) fun new ways.

So, what to do?!?

Focus on self care while plowing through the chaos- that’s all I can do.

Why Self Care Is Non-Negotiable

When you’re dealing with a bunch of shit in life, burnout is inevitable. You can push through all you want, but eventually you’re going to crash & burn.

It might not stop burnout, but it cushions the crash. In my experience, at least. (And I have more than my share of experience in this department, unfortunately.)

Of course, in the midst of true chaos, you probably don’t want to do anything. We all tend toward distraction in the forms of media or comfort foods, or whatever your unhelpful coping mechanism of choice may be.

That’s precisely when you need to shift your focus to self care – Make it just as much of a priority as the bullshit you’re dealing with. You need to maintain focus on your responsibilities, of course, but you also need to focus on your responsibilities to yourself.

Doing so will probably help with whatever emotional fuel is ruminating and adding to the dumpster fire of stress in your head.

When to Practice (Even When You’re Burned Out)

This depends on your situation, of course.

Mornings or evenings (or, ideally, both) seem to work for most people – Whenever you can find some peace to focus on your own wellbeing, if even just for short periods of time.

Figure out what times work best for you, and make an appointment with yourself – if not daily, as often as realistically possible. Even a weekly Do Nothing Day can go a long way!

What Self Care Can Look Like

It depends on you – what would fill your proverbial cup?

A pretty popular method recently has been the idea of a “dopamine menu”, where you list activities you can enjoy for various periods of time (5 minute “appetizers”, hour long “main dishes”, etc). Then when you find yourself with some free time, you choose something off your “menu” instead of doom scrolling or binging TV.

I don’t find myself with very much free time, to be honest.

But I do take time daily to focus on the core necessities of wellness : body, mind, heart, & soul.

Body : intentional physical movement
Mind : reading, learning, creating
Heart : socializing (if even just a quick text to someone I haven’t heard from in a while)
Soul : meditation, spending time outside

And this is where the Excitement Map also comes in handy – If you’re having trouble deciding which activities would soothe your soul in each of those categories, you may find some inspiration from yourself in the map (or “fuck yeah list”, whatever you’d like to call it. 😊)

When You Just Can’t Even

Some days, you’re not gonna meditate or stretch or write affirmations — you’re just trying to exist. And that’s fine. You’re not lazy; you’re overloaded. On those “ugh” days, just show yourself some grace and lower the bar. Drink some water. Get outside and take a few breaths of fresh air. Blast a song that reminds you you’re still alive. Do one tiny thing that says, “I’m still trying.” That’s enough.

I’d love to hear what your go-to self care habits are when life gets messy. Drop them in the comments — I’m sure we could all use some ideas!

If you liked this post, please give it a “like”, share it with friends, and subscribe if you’re new.

Rock on! 🤘🏻💚

Where I’m at #14

Where I'm At

*Found a lot of Halloween fun this year hehe*

“Where I’m at” posts are just random updates about what’s going on, based on the areas / roles in my life.

planner : Trying not to plan too much this month lol! I do need to figure out what we’re doing for Turkey Day though – not sure if my step daughter wants to come over or if she wants us to go over there…or if she wants us to piss off for that matter LOL. I always do ham, sausage stuffing, green bean casserole, & homemade mashed potatoes with homemade gravy…that’s all I care about 😜 (well, she does the casserole, & certainly better than I ever could! hehe)
self (body & mind, emotion & education) : Ugh. Struggling a bit – “Chaos” has returned, & I’m certainly not recovered from the last round of it. Weight loss has slowed a bit because it’s hearty meal season and we’ve been too busy for me to stick to my exercise routine as strictly as I’ve been – I’ll figure it out though. When all else fails, prioritize self care! Oh, and we’ve all caught a cold. Shocker. 🤪
marriage : This is the “chaos”; nobody’s fault though, just a bit of a struggle. We’re working on figuring it out.
mom (BooBoo & Bubby) : The girls are doing well! Except Bubby threw Booboo’s tablet at her the other night & cut a little gash in her forehead (for someone who worked in an ER, I have an extremely low tolerance for blood…especially if it’s seeping from one of my precious little spawn LOL) – It bled quite a little bit, but it wasn’t anything that would require stitches. Bubby still feels really bad & has been catering to Booboo’s every whim LOL
homeschool teacher (1st grade & PK) : School’s going well. Booboo’s progressing on pace; she gets super frustrated sometimes, but she understands everything just fine. She’s just…me, LOL. I’ve still gotta figure out how to fit in Playing Preschool year 2 for Bubby, especially since we’re nearing the end of Easy Peasy PreK, & she’s still a little “behind”. Which is fine! She actually understands Booboo’s level of math quite a bit, which is impressive!! 😊
zenBLITZ : Hopefully I can get my head straight enough to write up some good posts soon! And work on my novella! The past month though, I crocheted a Barbie blanket for a practice project, & started a massive baby blanket for my step granddaughter hehehe ❤️
homemaker (finance, cleaning, gardening, prepping, travel) : Yeah, whatever. LOL

Currently

eating – Soups!! Most recently : my magic chicken soup, Italian sausage soup, & cabbage roll soup 🍲 😋

drinking – Barefoot Pinot Grigio (why?!?), Flora Adora Gin lemonade cocktails (whyyy?!? LOL) 🍸

watching – Game shows. I love me some 1% Club & The Floor hehe

reading – The Last Time They Met by Anita Shreve. Have I mentioned this yet? It was on the library “discard” shelf, & it sounded kind of interesting, so I thought I’d save it from the recycling bin. I’ve enjoyed it so far (I’m only about 1/4 the way through), though it is a bit slow & dry…LOL.

playing – Nothing, really. Though I ordered the original Tomb Raider for hubby, & it should be coming today. So maybe I’ll be playing that a little bit. I’d probably rather play Fable though heh

buying – Xmas gifts. And bday gifts for hubby & Bubby. Never too early to stock up!

listening to – Foxboro Hot Tubs at the moment 🤩🎸

celebrating – Thanksgiving?

pinning – tattoo inspo, pretty seasonal backgrounds, & crochet

planning – to keep my shit together lol

feeling – Kinda BLAH!

Where are you at? Let’s chat in the comments!! 💚

Rock on! 🤘🏻