Basic B*tch

Overheard at brunch

“Yep, the 26th shouuuuld be fine,

but just let me check. Oh, this? It’s my planner! Literally life-changing. Since the break-up, it has given me a real sense of purpose, and space to figure out my actual goals.

“Like, this is just my ‘out and about’ planner. I jot things down on the hoof, like now, and then I can transfer them into my main planner when I get home — some people carry around all their pens and stickers, but that’s not for me. I like to have the time and space to really think it through properly. Like, is the 26th’s ‘Prosecco with the girls’ purple for ‘socialising’ or yellow for ‘self care’? That’s not a decision I can make in a cafe, you know?

“It’s amazing how much there is to keep track of — like, the unicorn stickers mark the days I use the AHA 30pc + BHA 2pc Peeling Solution so I don’t overexfoliate. So handy! The glitter smiley is smear-test day. And here I keep a list of Netflix shows to watch

— it feels so satisfying ticking them off.

“You’d be surprised, I need my separate work planner even more now i’m funemployed

— it’s mostly positive affirmations. It took ages — I had to learn modern calligraphy — but there’s no point looking at job adverts until I’ve worked on myself. I actually made these dividers myself — I had to buy the official Filofax ones as well to trace out the shape; and a laminator, but it’s so much more rewarding.

“You should try it; you can jot things down when you think of them for later

— ideas for Insta captions or Etsy businesses or whatever. It’s like the iPhone Notes app, but in real life! And you don’t have to decorate in advance if you don’t want to — though I do recommend getting the hang of fountain pens. So fun. Honestly — I think this could change everything for me.”