Bullet Journal Day 2021 Special | Journaler Feature: Mel

Mel is a familiar face in the journaling community in Singapore. If you’re following her on Instagram, you’re always in for a treat by way of her colourful, bright and cheerful spreads which follow a rather scrapbooking journal kind of feel. 

If you’re unfamiliar of scrapbooking, it’s basically a way of memory keeping in the form of albums, cards, shadowboxes, unique 3D projects and typically involves lots of photos with writing being minimal or much depending on individuals. 

“I like that I get to exercise my creativity. I don’t feel that I’m a very artistic person but through my journaling, it’s a form of art as well, and I get to express myself. In years to come, I can look back and see all these wonderful memories.”

Besides allowing you to express your creativity, journaling has been proven to aid with stress and anxiety. Writing even produces therapeutic effects. “I find that journaling calms me down. Whenever I’m upset or troubled or feeling angry about something, journaling helps me regulate my emotions better. As I do a lot of memory keeping, I find that I pay more attention to my surroundings, in that I feel like I’m living more in the moment. I do take more photos, but I think it helps me make a stronger connection to the moments I share with my friends and family.”

Mel’s trusty companions are always her

The wonderful thing about journaling is that it can be done by yourself (when you need the peace and quiet) or with friends. However, it’s always important to remember that journaling is for yourself and not about making your spreads look the prettiest or by using the most expensive materials. “You shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions as well. Just do a bit more research – there’s a lot of YouTube videos that help with that – to find out what you actually want to do and then narrow it down. If all else fails, just be open to trial and error!”