jamie pate: how to make a 2020 planner start

new year + new planner

Friends...
Welcome to 2020.
As the week moves forward and we start to adjust to the new normal, I feel as though there is a bit more time to think forward, to plan forward, and to write it down.
The concept of the Memory Planner has been part of my life for 6 years now at this level.
I have volumes of planners that not only share ideas, goals, to do lists, but also photos and memories and little mini stories all in one place.
And I will be continuing that this year once again.
But with a few new features and adjustments.

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As always I start each month off with the dashboard. This is sort of a ritual for me. Here is not only the jump off spot for the whole month, but also a landing for the month too. I return to this page again and again throughout the month. On it are notes and goals and lists and events. This page here is a work in progress as I give time to what I call 'planner work'.

I am super inspired by this 'twenty' die cut I picked up from the Silhouette Store. You can find it HERE. I have already made use of this cut file which you can see HERE on this post. I cut it the width of the planner page as I wanted impact for this first month of the year dashboard. I kept it white which gave this page an artistic as well as designer graphic sort of edge. The dashboard for me is not only where I get down to business, but a place to play with words, and stickers and stamps. One needs to keep work + play in balance. This is just a small example of that.

This space here on my dashboard is also me cheering on me. I find myself saying out loud to another female out there doing something hard: a runner on the trail, a mama managing 4 toddlers at Walmart, an influencer putting herself out there on the social media airwaves; I like to say out loud to them "you got this girl". This quote from the Heidi Swapp Color Fresh Memory Planner Sticker Book is my mantra to me too. We got to be our own best cheerleaders so we can cheer others on too.

I believe a strong vibe on a dashboard can also set the pace for the rest of the year. This Heidi Swapp Gold Glitter Planner is spiral bound. The January Dashboard will always be front and center to remind me of what I wrote down at the beginning of the year. I for one have to keep these things visual. Even cheerleading mantras. I have to see and hear them everyday. Using the dashboard as an inspirational spring board creates for me a visual environment to remind me everyday of my goals and ideas.

How are you putting the dashboard to work? These are just a few insights into how this part of my planner is a tool for me. A spring board. A landing. A visual space of inspirational words.

If you are new to planning. Or if you just need some inspiration to re-start in this new year, please visit my post over on HeidiSwapp.com. You can find Planner Tips for the Beginner Planner right HERE.

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