It’s really common to feel stuck when approached with something new. The blank notebook looks so pristine. The possibilities of messing up seem endless.
Here are some things your brain might throw at you:
What if I ruin it? What if it comes out awful? (But what if it comes out amazing?)
What if I start this notebook and then forget about it in a week? It will be such a waste. (But what if you stick with it long term and it turns into a useful tool? Maybe you’ll take breaks when you needed to and came back to it when it was a good time?)
I’ll start soon. (What if you start today?)
I don’t really have time for this. (Maybe you can invest in yourself and carve out a small amount of time a week.)
I don’t know if I can do this the way it’s “supposed to be.” (Maybe it’s okay to do it your way.)
I’m not cut out for this. My brain just doesn’t work this way. (What if you surprise yourself? New habits can be formed.)
What if it’s really hard? (What if the bullet journaling system is customizable, and it can be made simple and easy.)
How to overcome fear of the first page
Plan to start badly. I know it feels counterintuitive, but this will take the pressure off. And – bottom line – who’s going to be looking at your journal besides for you? I know that you might say that you want your journal to look nice for yourself. And that will come with time. You have to start somewhere, right? You’ll grow from there.
Skip the first page. Start from the second, or a few pages in. This is a weird, psychological trick that is really effective. There will be less pressure on page two or page six. You can come back to page one at a different time.
Use a pencil. Start out in pencil and keep an eraser on hand. Easy peasy.
Think about what you’d really like to get out of your journal. Is it more organization? Is it to keep from forgetting appointments? Whatever it is, hold that goal in your mind and let that carry you forward.
So take a deep breath and jump right in!