I don’t know about you, but I’m excited about August. I finally feel like I’m settling back into a routine, and I have big plans for the rest of the year.
I chose this August bullet journal theme in light of that excitement. You might remember from last month’s bullet journal post that my overarching theme for this journal takes inspiration from treasure hunting and chasing after one’s dreams. As such, I knew from the start that I wanted to include a pirate theme for one of the months. I didn’t want to start out with that for July, however, so I decided to save it for August instead. And now here we are!
Pirate stories have always been a favorite of mine. Tales like Peter Pan, Treasure Island, and Pirates of the Caribbean occupy a very special place in my heart. (If you have recommendations for other pirate adventure stories, do send them my way!)
Anyway, I’m really excited about this monthly setup, and I highly doubt it will be the last time I use a pirate theme.
August Bullet
Journal Cover Page & Quote
Something new (to me) I started doing in this journal is choosing a quote for the monthly cover page.
I did a bit of googling for “pirate quotes,” and I found this one:
“First rule of a pirate’s mate, keep yer eye on yer destination, not yer doom.”
Lisa Kessler
I think it fits both the pirate theme and the attitude I’m trying to cultivate in myself pretty well.
If you’re anything like me, it can be easy for you to focus too much on worries and fears. The future is uncertain, and we tend to imagine negative possibilities rather than positive ones. So I thought this quote was a great reminder to focus more on my goals than on my fears of what could go wrong.
I’m not crazy about how the skull & crossbones on the flag turned out, but that’s part of bullet journaling (and life): sometimes things don’t turn out as perfectly as you’d pictured, and you just have to make the best of it and keep going.
August Bullet Journal Calendar Layout
July was the first time I used a larger calendar layout. Before that, I used to always put a small calendar on one page and a list of the dates on the other. I would use symbols to represent events or reminders, and write out the details on the second page.
Having much fewer events than usual this summer, it was the perfect opportunity to try something new. I’ve really enjoyed this style of calendar, so I decided to keep using it for August as well. But I also decided to do something very different, and turn the whole thing sideways.
I have the calendar at the top, where I will write in all of the events and deadlines that I have. Right underneath that, I left space for projects. This is where I write out my monthly goals and break them down into small, actionable steps. Then at the bottom I have my habit and mood trackers.
August Bullet Journal Finance Page
I don’t think I’ve written about my finance tracker before, but I usually include one at the beginning of every month. I like to keep track of how much I spend, as well as keep a running balance, so I always know how much I have left.
Goal Setting & Monthly Reset
Before moving into a new month, I like to take some time to reflect on the previous one. I work through a digital checklist of all the little reset tasks that help me transition into a new month. This checklist includes things like tidying my space, refreshing music playlists, organizing computer files, and working through review questions in my bullet journal. (I’ve written about my resetting process in more depth here!)
I fully believe that you don’t need a special occasion to create a fresh start. But I also think that some occasions make it easier to get into that mindset of starting over. For me, the beginning of a new month is one of those occasions. And while I always think of July (when I transition into a fresh journal and set new 6-month goals) as the “bigger” fresh start, this August feels even more like a new beginning. I’m excited to see where it goes!
What is your August bullet journal setup? Do you have a special theme, or specific goals? Or are you resetting and looking ahead to the new month in an entirely different way? I’d love to hear from you.
Did you know?
I offer writing & editing, podcast production, and virtual admin services.
Click here to see how I can help you get more time back in your day!