The Notebook

I'll admit it: I'm old school. I like to write things down. On paper. I have done this ever since I can remember, beginning with writing myself reminders on little sticky notes. I like to write down thoughts and ideas as soon as they come to me because with my chaotic life, if I don't write something down almost as soon as I think of it, it disappears from my brain. It may pop up again months later, but usually by then, it's too late to do anything about it. So I write things down. Constantly.
At my first real job out of college, my co-workers used to laugh at me because since we didn't have designated work areas, they would find my sticky note reminders to myself  and mini grocery/to do lists all over our workspace. So I started putting them in my purse. And then I would find them in my purse, months later, when they were virtually useless. Eventually, I started buying notebooks. This made a lot more sense than the sticky notes. And now, whenever I have an idea, a grocery list, a recipe or workout routine I want to try, or if I am brainstorming meal plans, whatever, I write it down in "The Notebook".
Right now the notebook is one I bought over the summer when the last one ran out of paper. It has a pink cover which is rarely seen because it is usually opened to a page where I wrote down a new green smoothie recipe or an idea for this blog. We are also in the process of house hunting at the moment, so I've also been using the notebook to write down any houses I see online or in neighborhoods that I want to know more about. If I don't have my notebook with me, I have a notebook app in my phone which I use to jot things down on the go. But when I get home, that information is usually transferred to the notebook.
See, I like to have a tangible copy of all my stuff. And when I'm done with something, like a to do list, I like to use a pen and cross it out. Accomplished! It just doesn't feel the same to me on a computer.
Now, don't get me wrong, I am all for technology. And I often type grocery lists or budgets on the computer over my lunch break at work when I don't have my notebook with me. But my notebook is truly my "bible" at home. I am constantly referring back to it and adding things to it. My kids and husband know not to touch it or move it. Yes, even if it's laying in the middle of the living room floor, open, being stepped on by the dog. Leave it alone. Don't use it for anything, or "clean up" by putting it somewhere I can't find it. Because I will burn holes through you with my eyes when I can't find it and need it.
I bring the notebook with me into the kitchen almost every day when I'm cooking dinner or making smoothies. (I should explain here that I had an unfortunate glass cracking incident/oopsie with my Ipad in the kitchen once and because of that lingering trauma, I will NEVER bring an Ipad or laptop into my kitchen again). So if I see a recipe I want to make online, I bookmark it. Then later, when I want to make it, if it's too much to recall from memory, I look it up and write it down in the notebook. The notebook is always welcome in the kitchen. That's also why it's kind of icky on some pages.
The whole point of this post is to offer a suggestion to those of you who are trying to lose weight or kick start an exercise routine. Or maybe you just feel scattered a lot, like I do. Get a notebook. It's such a great way to keep all your thoughts and ideas together in one place, even if you can't do anything about those ideas at that very moment. For instance, maybe your friend tells you about a new fitness class you want to try. Write it down: "look up boot camp class at XYZ gym". Even if you don't get to it until a week later, it's there. And when you have some spare time (I know, I know, yeah right), you can look through the notebook and go "oh yeah! I wanted to try that class. I should call my friend and ask her when she's going." The same goes for recipe ideas, household projects, meal planning, and creating goal lists. Writing things down is so important in the goal planning process. So do yourself a favor, get a notebook (not sticky notes). See if it works for you. If not, you're out about five bucks and you can send me a scathing email here. Just kidding, please be nice to me. I'm a tender soul.