• Home
  • About
  • 2021 Planning
Kat Cuthbert – Planning & Wellbeing

Kat Cuthbert – Planning & Wellbeing

Books of Notes

  • Blog
  • Email Letters
  • Home
  • 2021 Planning
  • Blog
  • About
  • Newsletter
Kat Cuthbert – Planning & Wellbeing

Planning and wellbeing without the pressure for curious, imperfect humans.

The world has plenty of ideas for how your life should look.

But I suspect you, like me, don’t really fit all that well into any of them.

Maybe you’ve tried hard to keep up but you’re struggling and you find yourself wondering if there might be another way.

Perhaps your life path so far is quite a squiggly line with plenty of twists and turns and you want to learn how to take the helm and direct your life away from rough waters and onto fair seas.

Or maybe, like me, you spent a long time chasing what you’d been taught ‘success’ looked like, only to discover that it was a world away from the things you actually need and want.

Let’s figure out your own purposeful squiggly path together.

Dive into the blog

Dive into the blog

Explore

Find me on Instagram

Find me on Instagram

Follow

Join the email community

Join the email community

Subscribe


profile

Hi there, lovely human!

I’m Kat, planning and wellbeing mentor for creatives carving their own path through life.

I help other curious, creative humans uncover their purpose, support them lovingly and gently to get their sh*t together and build a life that truly lights them up. My approach is rooted in gentle, realistic self-development and my first-hand experience of living a life with plenty of flex.

Learn More

On The Blog

A torso of a person in a white long-sleeved top reading an open notebook with a cup of coffee

You Have More New Ideas Than You Think

Are You Expecting Too Much From Your Self Care?

On Being a Human Online

Fancy some gentle encouragement straight to your inbox?
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
It's October 2021 and yet somehow I still feel lik It's October 2021 and yet somehow I still feel like I'm in 2020. Like I'm in some kind of stasis, waiting for something to happen.

I suppose I'm waiting for normality to return, whatever that looked like, while simultaneously being terrified as I watch normality returning.

How do you adjust to the feeling of waiting for something with no idea what you're waiting for?

Anyway.

I've finally found my way back here. My journal has had consistent use these past months and weirdly, the lack of pressure I put on myself to post anything meant it became way more functional.

This month I felt the gentle pull to this community again. To create some cosy time for myself with this little book I carry everywhere. 

I even used stickers in my journal.

I hope you're well, friend. Share with me your plans for October below?
.
[Image description: a photograph of an open B6 Stalogy journal, showing a hand drawn October 2021 calendar on the left page, and the dates from 1st to 10th listed on the left hand side of the right page. Both pages are decorated sparsely with pale pink and grey dots, and some leaf stickers.]
.
@stalogy_official B6 size squared 365 journal.
@tombow_uk brush pen in 942 tan. 
@mujiuk gel pens in black, 0.38 and 0.5. 
Stickers from Ali Express and sent in happy mail from @mimiuptostuff. 
.
#BulletJournal #MinimalistBulletJournal #PlannerInspiration #MentalHealth
Lately I've been thinking a lot about what it mean Lately I've been thinking a lot about what it means to show up as my whole self. In life. With my partner. With friends. Online.

Because often it feels like I'm being pulled in multiple directions by different parts of myself.

Sometimes I want to show up as the logical me. The me who wants to teach tangible things. The me who values provable truth and verified facts. The me who wants plans and structures. 

And other times I want to show up as the more fluid version of me. The one who reads tarot cards and talks about experience. Who lets herself give in to the universe and free fall into whatever happens. Who opens herself up to being vulnerable.

Often I forget that these two versions of me are the same person. That both are valid. Sometimes I think the logical version of me is wrong in it's quest for truth. Others I think that the fluid version is terrifying in it's indefinition.

But mostly I'm just trying to get by, figuring out some way to get these two parts of me to fit together. To make some kind of sense.

It feels like a contradiction. But it can't be, not really - because I exist.

Here, with these two apparently opposite forces.

And instead of thinking of it like trying to force magnets together the wrong way, I'm trying to think of it more like I am the magnet - two opposite poles, existing in a totally natural, balanced way.

How does this balance of opposites show up for you?

#ImageDescription:
My Stalogy B6 notebook, held open showing my June calendar bullet journal page. On the right hang page, I've hand drawn a small calendar for the month, along with a list of important dates beneath it, which are marked on the calendar with purple or green dots. The left hand page has three lines per day of notes of what happened that day. In the background of the photo are lots of houseplants.
✨Willpower isn't finite✨ You don't 'run out' ✨Willpower isn't finite✨

You don't 'run out' of it - it ebbs and flows, just like an emotion 🌊

Having willpower has, for a long time, been seen as a virtue. Something that makes you a good person.

🚫But that, truly, is capitalist bullsh*t.

You are a human being, not a machine. You don't need to work until you're completely burnt out.

The world is STILL so much to be dealing with. It's okay if doing things is hard. Remember you are a whole, imperfect, wonderful human.

✨And allow yourself a damn break.✨
.
.
.
#accessibility Image Description:

Slide 1: The opening slide to a carousel post by Kat Cuthbert shows black text on a white background that reads "You haven't run out of willpower (promise)".

Slide 2: White text in a purple arch reads "Willpower isn't a finite resource. We used to think we 'ran out' of willpower. And it sounds like it makes perfect sense - I present my stack of unused impulse-bought notebooks as evidence".

Slide 3: White text in a red-brown arch reads "Turns out it's more like an emotion. Just like you don't 'run out' of joy, you don't run out of willpower, either. Even though it absolutely can feel that way!".

Slide 4: White text on a dark purple arch reads "It ebbs & flows. Like emotions, the amount of willpower you have depends on: How you're feeling; What is happening around you; What is happening to you." 

Slide 5: Black text on a peach coloured arch reads "And right now, a lot is happening. Even though we've been dealing with all this *waves hands* for some time, it's still relatively new & takes a lot of our mental resources to deal with."

Slide 6: Black text on a pale yellow background reads "It's okay if you need additional time. You can push through using willpower for so long. But after that, it might be time to take a break. Try not to beat yourself up about it. You're human."

Slide 7: White text on a purple arch reads "Love what you're learning? I share more snazzy stuff like this on my newsletter! It's a more personal way to connect (and I swear a bit more, too). Sign up via my bio link or at booksofnotes.co.uk/newsletter"
✨Until a few days ago, I hadn't journaled in ove ✨Until a few days ago, I hadn't journaled in over 3 months.✨

And in my most recent email, I talked about how I got back into it and how I realised that the key was persistence - going back to it again and again, no matter how often I stopped.

But you know what caused me to actually start writing again?

Buying a new journal 📒

I didn't talk much about it because buying a new journal is certainly not the key to writing again... But also, in this case, it was.

The self-bribe worked. 

Recently, I've found my willpower either being used constantly or disappearing entirely. Those things I used to be able to resist (buying a new journal) are so much harder to avoid because damn, I feel crap & I want something shiny and new to maybe help me feel better. 

I thought that was a terrible thing.

But I'm slowly realising it isn't. It's not always ideal, sure, but also... Sometimes it helps. Sometimes the thing we think we 'shouldn't' do actually helps a little, even if just in the short term.

It's a small shortcut to happiness that, in the current circumstances, I can't begrudge anyone.

✨So why begrudge myself?✨
.
.
. 
#accessibility #ImageDescription : a version of the 'distracted boyfriend meme'. A woman (labelled 'my leuchtturm 1917') is looking disgustedly at her boyfriend (labelled 'me') as he turns to look lustfully after a second woman who has walked past them (labelled 'literally any other notebook')
JOURNAL PROMPTS TO REFLECT ON YOUR WELBEING . Febr JOURNAL PROMPTS TO REFLECT ON YOUR WELBEING
.
February somehow feels like it's been longer than 28 days (and we're only on day 25...) and because its been so tiring, I dont think I'm alone in saying I haven't been caring for myself in quite the best way.

Best way to turn it around? Look at what worked, what didn't and what you need right now in this moment. 

So grab that journal and work through these wellbeing prompts for the month of February.

Need some accountability? I'm running a live journaling session tomorrow so you can show up for yourself, get writing and start doing some good stuff for that bod and mind.

Date: Friday 26th February
Time: 3pm GMT
Place: Instagram Live @booksofnotes

Come along and bring a cuppa! 

✨Where in your life did you feel connected?
✨How did you move your body?
✨What did you find your curiosity drawn to?
✨What did you learn this month?
✨How did you help someone else?
.
#accessibility ID in alt-text and comments
.
#BulletJournal #JournalPrompts #Journaling #SelfCare #MentalHealth #SelfReflection #SelfDevelopment #Burnout #ADHD #ActuallyAutistic #WellbeingPlan #MentalHealthPlan
© Kat Cuthbert 2021 | Privacy Policy
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
SAVE & ACCEPT