If you made some new year’s resolutions, how are they going? Have you been making progress, or going in circles? Let’s have a spring clean. If you’re using a bespoke paper planner, such as a bullet journal, here are a few questions to ask yourself as you check-in with your goals:

• Are you using your planner? And, maybe a better question - do you look forward to using it? If you set up your planner and haven’t looked at it since, we need to figure out why that fuse fizzled. Changing habits can be difficult. The brain resists travelling off it’s well-worn path! Make your planner worthwhile, make it fun, and make time to use it!

• Are your pages working for you? It can be hard to change direction, especially if it means pages half-filled in or totally abandoned. You may find that you need to change up your approach every once in awhile to stay effective or to keep the journey interesting. Don’t be afraid to experiment! Forgive yourself. Turn the page. Your planner is a tool, and in this case it has helped you to move forward. Leave the page as a reminder of your journey, or rip the old page out and start fresh. This process is all about what works for you.

• Have you gotten sh*t done? Every quarter year is a great time to look back in your journal and see how far you’ve come. Check off all the things! Let go of anything that is no longer relevant! We often reach a goal and come up with a new finish line without celebrating that victory. Take a bit of time to congratulate yourself. You’re doing a great job.

If you’re new to Planning on Paper, I hope you’ll be able to join us on Saturday, April 27 at Gotamago’s studio/shop in Toronto! We’ll start from a blank notebook and build a system that’ll grow and change with you. Details and registration can be found at Gotamago’s site.

Early in the year, we filmed this fun spot with Michelle Poon at FairchildTV. Michelle brought her own paper planner and we spent a lot of time trading ideas and, of course, having fun with crafty supplies.

I love sharing fancy pens, stickers, and rubber stamps, but essentially, a planner is a tool. Your planner will take some dings. And planning on paper will look different for everyone. Whether you’re stenciling ribbon banners with your Copic markets, or scrawling with a ball-point… if you’re getting closer to your goals, you’re doing it right!

Note: FairchildTV is presented in Cantonese. And I’ve got subtitles!

I get all hepped up with planning goals three times a year - January (resolutions!), May (spring cleaning!), and September (back to work!). If 20 years of Labour Day weekend stationery shopping taught me anything, it's that September is the time to treat myself to a new pen, start a new notebook, and set a course for success.

On September 20th, I'll be back for another Planning on Paper workshop at this beautiful downtown Peterborough shop, and we can't wait. Come along to design and set up your own bespoke system that works for you and your goals.

Find all the details and registration at Watson & Lou. I'll see you there!

Edgar & Martha has been a duck lately... all appears quiet, but under the surface we're flapping around like crazy. We've been designing and testing new products for the winter markets, and preparing for back-to-school season. Many of us see September as a new beginning, a time to get organized and get stuff done! And so we've lined up a bunch of Planning on Paper workshops to help you do just that.

May I introduce Trish Dyke-Brunelle. Trish is someone that I’ve looked up to for a very long time. Trish became my Big Sister as she was starting out in her career as a physiotherapist, and I was an awkward pre-teen. We would meet up to try a new activity, volunteer at a community event, or head over to her place for crafting, and always talking, talking, talking. She was the one I came to with the big stuff, because I knew she’d be good for a no-nonsense, no-shame discussion on whatever I threw on the table. We drifted a bit as I went into high school, and Trish had her first baby. A very busy time for both of us, but thank goodness for the internet! We now keep up with each other through the magic of Facebook and Instagram, and I’m always impressed with Trish’s compassionate and enlightening posts as @vaginaphysio. She is fierce in her advocacy for women’s health, and is still an amazing role-model.

On September 22nd, I’m overjoyed to be presenting a Planning on Paper workshop at GetMoving Physio, Trish’s clinic in downtown Barrie. Click here for Eventbrite, for all the details and to register.