November 7, 2025

Journaling was one of the few things I could do while I was carrying our baby and going through chemo. The fatigue was so intense that I couldn’t do many of the things I used to enjoy: hiking, dancing, cooking, sewing, gardening, and so on. I didn’t fight it. I accepted this new reality. I knew I had to pause on certain things to heal, and I was more than willing because it wasn’t just for me; it was for the little nugget growing inside me. Journaling was my sweet escape, my distraction from my fears, my reminder of the good still present in my life. It was something I could pour myself into and find joy in.

My journaling practice wasn’t about traditional reflections or diary entries. A bullet journal is different; it’s part planner, part reflection, part play, part personal toolkit. It’s a blank canvas that the user builds, so it is completely up to them. Journaling gave me structure and a space to be creative, to keep memories, to highlight and track, and to focus on something other than my illness. It was a gratitude practice, an awareness-building exercise, a place to find small joys even in dark and uncertain times.

During treatment, a portion of the dining table was designated just for me and my journals. I regularly settled in with my journals, a pen, tape, my photo printer, and any symbolic memento from that week. I would leaf through the pages and pick one or two to work on. And, as the Tanzanian proverb goes, little by little, a little becomes a lot.  

At the time, I had four journals:

1. my everyday bullet journal
2. a mama bear journal to record pregnancy and Desi’s first year 
3. the everyday bullet journal I was building for the coming year
4. and one I was creating for my brother as his Christmas gift (lucky guy!)

I carried them everywhere with me. Many times during infusions, I didn’t get to do more than just write one line of gratitude before I closed my eyes to rest for a while. But that was enough. That’s the beauty of the practice; you don’t need to do a lot every day.   

Building journals numbers three and four (above) that fall was no small feat. I was seven and eight months pregnant, in the midst of the toughest part of my cancer treatment and lying down for most of the day. By the end, you could see it in the work; the lines were less straight, and I was using more and more whiteout. (I love me a perfectly imperfect handmade gift, though!) I pushed myself to finish before the new year.

The following year brought a different kind of challenge: building a journal while caring for a baby. As a new mami, time for anything extra felt nearly impossible. I remember thinking, how will I ever keep up with this practice? Setting up a journal takes weeks!

It was in those moments of struggle that the idea for Posa Journals was born: a pre-built, customizable bullet journal with simple templates designed for reflection, creativity, and growth. Accessible, even when life feels impossibly full.

Posa, short for Mariposa (Spanish for “butterfly”), carries deep meaning for me. I love butterflies and have raised monarchs for years now. Their transformation from caterpillar to chrysalis to flight, and their migration, are just awe-inspiring. My journal has been that for me: a space of growth, reflection, and transformation.

Building a bullet journal can be intimidating. I remember having that first blank canvas and not knowing where to start, not wanting to make any mistakes. Was I even creative enough? I didn’t know how to draw. Was this right for me? Making mistakes was part of the journey, I realized with time. 

Posa is the result of years of bullet journaling, experimenting with layouts, and finding what works. They offer the best of both worlds: thoughtfully laid-out spreads to guide your practice and plenty of blank pages so you can make it your own. It’s bullet journaling made more doable, more approachable, and still deeply personal.

What excites me most about launching Posa is the hope that more people might try bullet journaling. There’s something so rewarding about looking back through your journal year after year, reminiscing about times we might otherwise forget. Even more, I hope others discover the unexpected benefits I experienced in how calming and centering it can be for the nervous system(!). There’s something magical about putting pen to paper, quieting the world, and focusing inward, giving the mind and body permission to let go of all the lists swirling in our heads. Our minds can become so cluttered in a world that feels increasingly digital and information-heavy. My hope is that Posa can help alleviate that load and create space to breath.

I am thrilled to share that Posa Journals are currently in production and will be available for purchase on Etsy very very soon! If you are searching for the perfect 2026 planner/journal, I can’t wait for you to see this one. The Everyday Bullet Journal is the first of many Posa Journals I hope to create, designed to help more people experience the joys and benefits of journaling. The future feels bright!