This article first appeared in the Weekly Bujo Newsletter.

Now that we’re into July, it can be helpful to pause and complete a mid-year reflection by slightly augmenting the usual Monthly Ritual. These rituals are fundamental to the Bullet Journal Method as they allows us to pause, review our past month, and strategically plan for the future. The energy of the mid-year also invites us to do a few things.

1. Check in on our goals. Though we refine our action plans for our goals each month, we can zoom out further to consider the whole picture, asking ourselves questions like: does this goal still matter to me? Based on what I’ve learned so far, what possibilities should I consider? What adjustments need to be made? For example, I have always wanted to test out living in a certain area. After experimenting with this for a few months, I am adjusting my plans the rest of the year based on the insights I gained about timing, moving, and the type of space I want to settle into.
2. Reset intentions. Pause to consider the intentions that informed your major priorities. Is this intention still the relevant now? As the year has progressed, it has become clear to me that I will prioritize sustainable, joyful work as a way to maintain mental fitness. The intentions I set earlier this year served me well then, and the mid-year allows me to make the shifts I need based on what arises.
3. Reset priorities. If you adjust your intentions, it might impact what projects or endeavors receive your attention and energy. For example, if my intention is to be more sustainable and joyful in my work, it likely requires me to remove projects from my list that I might have planned to do back in January. Young Ryder made his best guess based on the information he had at the time. Today Ryder can make choices based on empirical understanding.
4. Celebrate wins and lessons. Often, we might get lost in the shuffle of improvement or refinement and forget to really celebrate what we’ve learned and accomplished. I know I can get focused on what’s next, how far I still have to go. It’s much more fulfilling however to pause and measure my progress backwards and see how far I’ve come.

The Monthly Ritual is a tool that provides a structured approach to track your journey, celebrate your wins, and simply do some much needed internal house keeping. This can help us clear out a lot of junk from our calendars, lists, and our lives so we can focus on what matters.

I invite you to watch our latest video and join us in embracing the power of reflection and intentional planning. Your future self will thank you for the time you invest today.