Reading · Reading And Purpose

** Note: This article may be too long for your email but can be read in its entirety via your web browser or the Substack app. **

My YouTube search history primarily covers three topics: flosstube (cross stitching inspiration), booktube (book reviews and book-related discussions), and journaling/stationery content (stationerytube? bujotube? I’m not sure if this corner of the internet has its own catchy name!). This is all in addition to year-round Christmas music channels, of course.

Side note #1: On a scale from 1 to 10, what would you rate my ‘cool factor’ now that you know this about me? :-)

*My current planner / notebook / journal / binder stack.*

Anyhoo, this time of year is especially fun in the planner/journal world because so many channels post their mid-year ‘techo kaigi.’ I first learned this term a few years ago via the Stationery Cafe podcast and the Yoseka Stationery YouTube channel; my understanding is that it involves a meeting with yourself to review your planners and notebooks, determine what’s working and what’s not, and decide on any changes going forward. As a paper and stationery nerd, as well as someone who always strives to be intentional with my time, I find it so fun and inspiring to see how other people plan, set goals, track progress, and the like.

So that’s what I’m here to review today and, if you’re interested, I’ll take you with me! I’ll also close this article with a few questions to ask yourself regarding your own planner/journal systems, as well as pose a question you can perhaps help me answer about my own.

Side Note #2: If you’d like to see how I started the year planner-wise, you can refer back to my previous article, Planner Planning (+ Setup) For 2026.

*Some of my bonus tracking. Read on for details!*

Here’s what I’m currently using, stationery-wise, as well as what’s working for me, what’s not, and tweaks I’ve made since January:

If I could only have one notebook (shudder, shudder) in my stack, my daily journal would surely win the prize. I’ve been keeping a journal since the ripe ol’ age of 8, and at this point in my life, I can’t imagine not jotting down my ideas, challenges, Breakthrough Maps, lists, prayers, pre-planning plans, doodles, and stream-of-consciousness ramblings most mornings (and sometimes other times of day, too).

I play around with different journals for this, but I think my true love here - which I am currently in once again - is the Stalogy A5. I love the thin paper, portability, and the overall smoothness of this notebook. I did, however, have a fun interlude earlier this year with the journal pictured below - my first foray into a fluffy pink journal!

*I really loved my time in this journal - especially when I’d pull it out while in business meetings or at coffee shops!*

I am not sponsored by Sterling Ink (though I certainly wouldn’t be opposed!), I am just a huge fan of their planners - so you’ll see them mentioned a few times here.

The A5 Common Planner (full year, horizontal style) that I started the year with continues to serve me extremely well. With quarterly, monthly, weekly, and space for daily planning and tracking, this planner is set up in beautiful alignment with how I design and pursue my goals. I adore its minimal layout and excellent paper quality.

I believe this is my third year in the Sterling Ink Common Planner and I honestly don’t see that changing any time soon.

The year-at-a-glance spread at the start of this planner is where I record my Spanish word of the day, which I usually source from SpanishDict. com. This daily practice is new for me this year and I’m enjoying it so much!

I am still using the thin Sterling Ink monthly notebook to track workouts, hobbies, miles walked/run, healthcare updates, haircuts, and any other activities that help me live my best life as my best self. And I still really love having this month-at-a-glance layout separate from my work and other responsibilities and commitments; it truly seems to help me stay on track better and emphasize the priority I want to give to these activities.

I’m using the year-at-a-glance spread at the start to track my poem-a-day project; you can see some of those titles in one of the above photos, and you can learn more about my poetry choices and other 2026 reading intentions here.

*My main planner, best self planner, and editorial calendar.*

This is one of the newest additions to my planner stack, starting as a repurposed notebook in 2025 and receiving its own dedicated Sterling Ink monthly notebook at the start of 2026. If you ever wonder where I record ideas for articles, how I stay consistent here on Substack as well as my coaching blog and other places, where I capture random writing thoughts so they don't have to take up space in my already-full mind, and so on, this thin little month-at-a-glance notebook - along with a stack of tiny sticky notes - is my answer!

I absolutely love this system. After years (decades, really) of experimenting with editorial calendars (sometimes referred to as content calendars), this is the first one that has served me so well for going on two years now. I’m happy to share a more detailed look inside if you’d like - just let me know in the comments below.

The year-at-a-glance spread in this one is where I capture my word of the day, which I typically get online from Merriam-Webster. I am still consistently surprised, as a lifelong word-nerd, how many words I continue to learn in my native language (English) through this practice!

I dedicated an entire article last month to this teeny addition to my practice, so I’ll refer you to that article here if you’d like an update. Suffice it to say it is having a significant impact on my life and mindset!

Also, thank you for your thoughtful and insightful comments on that article - I have really appreciated hearing your feedback and learning from your ideas.

While the majority of my work is handled electronically, I still love having a 3-ring binder for various items. I won’t go into detail about what this entails except for one section/practice that I think many could find valuable:

At the start of my workday, I open this binder to review my coaching firm’s vision statement, mission statement, and core values, along with my 2026 business vision board. This way of starting my workday has been part of my routine for years, and in about 30 seconds per day it reminds me why I do what I do, what I’m moving toward, how I will conduct myself, the difference I want to make, and why I’m about to work so hard that day. I cannot emphasize enough how much this morning routine benefits me and my work. If you crave some kind of purposeful centering as you start your workday, I strongly encourage you to consider giving something like this a try.

This 9x11 binder has essentially replaced my project notebook discussed at the start of the year. For whatever reason, I am feeling the need for the larger paper size!

I don’t think I’ve shared this little journal in previous articles, probably because I store it with my cross stitch supplies and WIPs (Works In Progress) so I kind of forget about it at non-stitchy times! But I have kept this notebook since 2023 and have found it really enlightening for one of my favorite hobbies.

My cross stitch journal tracks new projects I begin (start and finish dates, fabric type and count, and any unique details, such as for whom I am stitching if it’s a gift), projects I want to start (my wish list, so to speak), and a few other details. I also have a section for cross stitch stores I visit/want to visit, as I often try to check out new needlework shops when traveling.

Again, I’d be happy to delve further into details if this is of interest - just leave a comment below.

*It’s fun to see the books I read throughout the year in this at-a-glance format.*

You may have just seen the above photo in my most recent article, Bookish Superlatives + Check-In: Q2, 2026; this ‘bookshelf’ of my current reads is up-to-date through June 30. I am continuing to use this journal as outlined earlier in the year and it is serving me extremely well. You can see all those details and photos here if you’d like a refresher.

One point I’d like to highlight with my reading journal is how beneficial I find writing a mini-review (usually just a few sentences plus my star rating) of each book I read before I talk about it, read others’ reviews, or delve down any rabbit holes regarding the book. I always want to make sure I’m capturing my own thoughts before I hear what others think, so I am not unknowingly influenced by others before deciding for myself.

For lengthier notes, quotes, and takeaways from certain books, my study book is always at hand. I still use it exactly the same as I described and photographed in my How I Annotate My Books article last year - in fact, I am still using the exact same Leuchtturm notebook for this purpose! I don’t have a ton of pages left though, so I anticipate I will be starting a new study book near the start of the new year.

FYI, if you enjoyed the annotating article and missed my Part 2, you can find it here.

Side note #3: You absolutely do not need nine planners and journals in order to work with meaning, live with purpose and intention, and achieve your goals. For many years, my main journal and planner supported me just fine; now that I’ve learned more about paper types, fountain pens, washi tape, and so on, this has become as much of a creative outlet and hobby as a functional planning system for me.

*I store all three Sterling Ink planners in a convenient and lovely cover.*

As expressed above, most of what I’m using is serving me really well this year. I do have one minor change that I’m pondering for streamlining a bit more in 2027 and would love to hear your ideas:

I really appreciate, and benefit from, the distinct purposes of my three calendar/planners - my main planner, best self planner, and editorial calendar (numbers 2, 3, and 4 above) - and I feel like their separateness is a big reason why they’re working so well for me. If all of those details were jumbled onto one month-at-a-glance calendar, I’d become overwhelmed and just start ignoring some of the practices. (Speaking from experience.)

At the same time, having three separate calendars - even though they all fit easily into my Moterm cover (pictured above) - can be a bit cumbersome at times. Since my daily journal and main planner are the two items I usually carry with me, I think it might be nice to minimize in some way.

Yet, I also love having the three year-at-a-glance spreads for my daily words and poem titles!

Do you have any suggestions for how I might consolidate, yet still keep the distinct purposes that I’m loving from each planner? Feel free to share any insights or ideas below.

Side Note #4: I know 2027 is several months away, so we’ve got some time to brainstorm. That’s one of the benefits of the mid-year techo kaigi - plenty of time to ponder! And if you’re a stationery person, you’ll probably agree these things are just FUN to ponder, too. :-)

*A pretty coffee, a meaningful journal, and a bit of planning time. Instant delight!*

Whether you have one notebook, twenty notebooks, or are completely paperless, mid-year offers an excellent opportunity to reflect on what’s serving you well in your planning and note-taking and what could use a change. Here are a few questions to consider as you prepare for the second half of the year:

What’s working well in your current planning system or strategy?
What’s not working, or what seems to fall through the cracks more often than you’d like?
How ‘full’ does your mind feel on any given day? Would getting some of those thoughts, to-do’s, obligations, worries, and so forth out of your mind and onto paper help free up mental space? Where might you do this?
What do you like about your electronic planning systems? What do you like about your paper/analog systems? How could the two support each other better?
What goals do you want to achieve before the year wraps up, and how can your planners and notebooks help? (Think planning, tracking, brainstorming, course-correcting, etc.)

I’ve long said I think best on paper; putting pen to page is one of my most effective ways to brainstorm ideas, set and achieve goals, work through problems, and pretty much anything else. If you can relate, you may have found yourself nodding along to much of this article. If you’re more of a verbal processor or navigate the world in other ways, you might employ different systems and strategies. Whatever the case may be, I hope this article has sparked ideas for you!

We’re at mid-year, so let’s do what we can to make the second half of the year our best half of the year! Thank you for joining me on this lengthy adventure through my planner stack, and feel free to tell me about yours below, as well as any questions or additional ideas you may have.

I wonder what will change and what will stay the same when it comes time to map out our 2027 systems? It will be fun to find out!

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Mid-Year Planner/Journal/Notebook Review (aka, Techo Kaigi)!

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